“Hole’s a hole,” the guard replied.
Kinzer knew he shouldn’t have felt protective, not of that bastard, but he knew Hayde’s past—about how he’d been raped and abused so much. Of course, now that Kinzer knew Hayde was a fucking bastard, he should have been thrilled for Hayde to have to face his demons, to be tortured in the way he feared most.
But Kinzer wouldn’t take pleasure—not in that sort of torture. He would rather put a sword through Hayde’s heart and be done with it than force Hayde to endure that.
Kinzer smirked, then approached the guard, staring him down. A bold move, since this fallen could have kicked his fucking ass. But these days, what the fuck did Kinzer have to lose?
“If I find out you did anything to him,” Kinzer said, “that you’ve hurt him in any way, or defiled him, then I’m going to defile you. No matter how bad you are with him, it’ll be a lot worse when I return the favor.”
The guard’s jaw tensed. “You threatening me?”
“No,” Quintz said, stepping up behind Kinzer. “We’rethreatening you.”
Myor laughed as the guard snarled.
“Okay, boys,” Myor said. “Follow me before you start even more trouble.”
Myor sprinted and flapped his wings before he took off out the entry they’d come through. Quintz grabbed Kinzer and followed after him.
“Don’t you know how to make friends rather quickly…” Quintz noted.
“Clearly, you have enough friends for the both of us.”
“They come in handy.”
“Seem more handsy than handy.”
They followed Myor to one of the pillars they’d seen climbing high above the building, before landing on a platform of stone at the top of it. The wind wisped by, stirring Myor’s long locks of black hair as he sat on a throne of feathers. It was far too big for him, like it was intended for a fallen three times his size. He lounged on his side, sticking his legs over the arm of the throne.
“I suspect these aren’t your kills during the War,” Kinzer said.
“A fraction of my conquests throughout a lifetime. But I have to throw out so many after a while because otherwise, I’d have a room filled with them. You enjoy the view?”
Kinzer looked beyond the throne, through the outerlands, at the crystal wilderness and the vast expanse of forests.
“Not that view,” Myor said, drawing Kinzer’s gaze back to him. Myor glanced back down at his own crotch.
“Enjoying both views very much,” Kinzer admitted.
“What was your name again, clipped?” Myor asked. Myor must’ve noticed his handicap by the way Quintz had to haul his ass around.
“Kinzer.”
“What is that like—to lose your ability to fly, to soar, to be everything you were created to be?”
“Probably what you imagine it’s like…only worse.”
“Well, all that matters is that your dick still works fine. Or am I mistaken?”
“It works more than fine,” Quintz said, “but considering the heavens are being ravaged by Morarkes, I would say now isn’t the time to fixate on erections or fucking.”
He obviously had the same issue as Kinzer regarding the willful ignorance of the immortals in this place.
“I disagree, Quintz. This seems like the most appropriate time to be completely and utterly absorbed in pleasure, because our time is very limited. Now that the Morarkes have been unleashed by the Almighty—”
“It wasn’t the Almighty,” Quintz said.
Myor eyed Quintz skeptically.
