With every ounce of willpower, every muscle in his body shook against the poison’s grip.
He forced himself up—inch by inch—his limbs quivering with effort.
His teeth ground together, his entire body revolting against the paralysis.
Finally, his knees steadied.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” he rasped.
His strength—his determination—ignited something inside me.
With his help, I clawed my way forward.
Together, inch by inch, we dragged ourselves toward the door.
Every movement was agony. Every breath was a battle.
The tavern blurred around me, my vision rippling as the poison continued to take its toll.
But finally?—
We crossed the threshold, spilling into the chilly, windswept night.
I hit the cold ground, gasping, fighting to stay conscious.
Beside me, Malik trembled, his body spent from the effort.
Where would we go?
What was our next move?
My mind was screaming for a plan, but I had nothing left.
And by the looks of him, neither did Malik.
Chapter 34
Marcellious
Iawoke in a dark, dank dungeon, my arms shackled to the wall.
The cold metal bit into my wrists, the rusted chains rubbing raw against my skin. Every movement sent fresh waves of pain searing through my limbs.
I closed my eyes, willing myself to focus on anything but the agony.
But my mind had other plans.
The past coiled around me like a serpent, sinking its fangs deep.
The memories, the deaths—the monstrous things I had done.
Faces blurred together in the recesses of my conscience. The lifeless bodies of men I had slain. The helpless ones I had doomed. The blood—so much blood—spilled on my hands.
Their voices came next, whispering from the darkness, curling around me like ghostly fingers.
“You’re not worthy of love.”
“You are nothing but a killer.”
