“You all are so easy,” Janka said. “Someone does a nice thing for you… offers a friendly gesture, and you’re suddenly loyal to their bidding. I know how it works, because that’s how I drew you both in so well.” He whispered into Hayde’s ear. “You think I gave a shit about you? You think that’s why I helped you? No. I helped you because I knew you were so weak, so pathetic, that you’d do anything and everything in your power to do my bidding. Your kind are so desperate for care… for nurturing… for the slightest bit of generosity. It was so easy to capture your loyalty… especially when I bribed that higherling to assault you. But look at you now. You’re useless to me.”
Hayde couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It had all been an act? A farce to take advantage of him?
He knew what Kinzer must have felt like when he’d discovered Janka’s betrayal. Kinzer, his poor Kinzer, who deserved so much better.
As he looked at Kinzer, he saw sadness in his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he was pitying his own revelation or Hayde’s, but either way, it was warranted.
“Kinzer,” Janka said. “I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.”
Hayde knew if he didn’t do something fast, Janka was going to kill him.
In a desperate attempt to survive, he balled his fist and shoved it between his neck and Janka’s forearm, pushing his assailant’s arm forward. He simultaneously balled his other fist and threw his arm back, ramming the fist into Janka’s balls.
“Fuck!” Janka wailed.
In Janka’s moment of weakness, Hayde pressed his defending arm against Janka’s, forcing the blade back. As the blade dislodged from his flesh, he felt a warm rush of blood trickle down his neck.
Janka didn’t resist Hayde’s push. He pulled the sword back and swung it at Hayde’s neck.
CLANG!
A dagger clashed with the sword.
Kinzer held it, his hold firm as he blocked Janka’s attack.
He must’ve grabbed the dagger Janka had removed from his shoulder while Hayde had been beating on Janka’s balls.
Janka snarled before he lunged at Kinzer and wrapped his fingers around his throat. He threw him against the wall and bashed his head into it as he had done with Hayde. He bashed it again and again until Kinzer dropped the dagger.
His body went limp. He plummeted to the floor.
It was clear that Janka’s immortal strength had been too much for him and had left him immobilized. As Janka beheld his weakened ex, seeing that he was out, he picked up the dagger with his other hand and turned his attention to Hayde.
Without a weapon, Hayde didn’t stand a chance against the higherling. He scrambled to his feet and hurried across the room, searching around for something to battle with.
Stuffed animals and children’s toys weren’t going to do the job.
Janka chuckled.
“Nice try, kid,” Janka said.
A figure, another higherling, appeared beside the crib, on the side closest to the window. His white wings were fanned out behind him. Hayde recognized the Teleporter, Emtry, from some of his work with Janka and the Raze.
Janka backed up to the crib, his sword still before him, clearly to keep Hayde where he was.
With his free arm, he reached inside and exchanged the dagger for the baby.
Hayde looked at Kinzer, who lay still against the wall beside Janka, lifeless, unconscious.
How could they stop him?
Janka beamed victoriously.
Rage welled within Hayde as it solidified the terrible creature Janka had really been all along.
“Well, looks like your lucky day,” Janka said. “My ride’s here.”
He stepped beside Emtry, and as the Teleporter set his hand on Janka’s shoulder, Kinzer leapt from his unconscious state, unleashing a war cry as he sprung across the carpet and grabbed on to Janka’s leg.
