A wave of fury crashed over me. I was angry over the lives lost, both dhampyrs and old gods alike. But beyond that, I was furious at the audacity of this vampyre, who seemed to believe he had the right to play with everyone, to bend them to his will without consequence.
He looked at Barnabus with curiosity. “When I turned the rest of my kind against each other, I assumed Barnabus had fallen as well. But no matter, this old fool is no threat to me.”
A defensive growl tore from my throat. “I will never hurt him.”
“You don’t have a choice.” Lazarus barked out a laugh before offering me a taunting smile. “Not if you want to live.”
His words sent Barnabus into action, and my friend in front of me in a blur of speed I hadn’t witnessed from him prior, gripping my throat and holding me off the ground with ease.
On pure instinct, I pulled my foot back and aimed a kick at his ribs with all the power I could muster. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I had to do something. He grunted at the impact, surprisingly letting go as I sprang back and landed.
Was he trying to fight the control still? There was no way that kick had done enough damage to dislodge him.
He breathed hard as he jolted, moving forward once again.
Trying so hard…he’s too strong…you must leave, Ky.
“Never,” I hissed through clenched teeth, relieved to hear his voice in my head. I would never leave him. It was clear from Lazarus' laughter that he thought I was responding to him.
Barnabus attacked once more, throwing his body toward me, and I narrowly dodged him, his body hitting my shoulder hard enough that pain shot through it. Gritting my teeth, I turned to face him and realized his control was fading along with his ability to communicate mentally. His attacks were sharper and faster, as if he couldn’t hold back any longer. He lowered his shoulder before tackling me to the ground. I wheezed as he quickly scrambled on top of me to have his knee pressing into the concave part of my armor, pressing into my stomach painfully as his hand came up and wrapped around my throat.
He will make me kill you. Please, listen to me.
I reached up and grabbed his hand around my throat, knowing it would look like I was fighting but instead trying to support him as he struggled for words. Lazarus chuckled loudly as he watched me grappling with Barnabus. “Your efforts are futile, he’s entirely under my control.”
I refused to believe that though. I refused to believe I couldn’t get through to him.
As if hearing my thoughts, Barnabus’ voice sounded through my head.I have Evathrina with me.
My eyes widened. What did he mean to do with that,kill Lazarus?
He will make me kill you…I can’t keep fighting it…I will ingest the first dose to prevent him from using me.
“No!” I growled, realizing with horror what he was saying.
He was going to kill himself, so that he couldn’t be used as a weapon against me.
Chapter Eighteen
Kyella
Dread pooled in the depths of my stomach, thinking of how wrong this was going. When we had approached the Thaician Empire with our fleet, I firmly believed that good would prevail in all ways. After all, shouldn’t fate be on the side of light? At this moment, I felt a sense of bitterness biting at my heart, feeling like that wasn’t the case.
How was this fair?
Use the other dose in my jacket on him once I’m gone.
“No,” I rasped once more, refusing to just go along with a plan that would end in his death.
Why couldn’t we use it on him together? Why couldn’t we fight this together? I craved to ask my pleading question aloud, but I knew any chance of catching Lazarus off guard with the Evathrina would be ruined if I did.
“You don’t get to say no to me!” Lazarus screamed on my right, and I watched him throw his hand out like he was slapping the air seconds before Barnabus carried on the mimed action on me. The crack of his skin connecting with mine rang in my ears. “No one gets to say no to me!”
Barnabus’ eyes misted with tears as my cheek throbbed from the blow.
This had to be tearing him apart inside, being used against his will and forced to dole out pain to someone you cared about. Tears of frustration and pain filled my eyes as I looked up at him. The regret and agony in his gaze were easy to spot, but more than anything, determination was bleeding through. But it was not a determination that I could support. Lazarus was the only one in this room who deserved to die.
He will use me against you—he will make me kill you. You must do this alone when I’m gone. It’s okay.
