Blood roars in my ears, and confusion overwhelms me because what the fuck happened? The back of my skull aches from the impact of what hit me, and when I open my eyes, I flinch at the sight of Tony on his knees in front of me.
We’re in the courtyard above the dungeons—a large expanse of ground where we can see the pit of fire, the castle in the flaming sky, and the Walls of Eternity in the distance. The bodies are moving more aggressively, as if they can sense impending doom. The smell of burning flesh has my stomach recoiling, and I try not to vomit.
For once, my friend looks uncomfortable, anxious, and as if he’s about to see his end.
But there’s also something else. Acceptance. Relief. His brows rise ever so slightly, as if he can read my mind and see what I can see.
I grind my teeth as I force my voice out. “You knew th-this would h-happen.”
All I get in response is a smirk. He’s sacrificed himself, and for what? Because I wanted to save someone I loved? He’d do this for me?
No one ever sacrifices themselves for me.
“Tony—”
Something wraps around my mouth, muting me, the material so tight against my face, I can feel my skin splitting. Wincing, I squeeze my eyes shut and try to breathe—this isn’t happening. None of this is real. Sable was just lying beside me in bed and I’m counting her freckles, playing with the softness of her hair, waiting impatiently for her to wake up and give me attitude.
My gaze falls on the blade inches from Tony’s throat, and I yank at my restraints, my gag muffling my pleading that he be set free.
“Don’t fight against the shackles.”
Looking up, my eyes meet with the one demon I can’t stand. Vadden. He shouldered into me the day I left Hell—and it looks like he’s succeeded in his quest to become Satan’s bitch since then.
He’s holding something sharp. A knife. It glints in the light from the rising flames in the distance, the blade nearly the length of my arm and engraved with a curse far worse than death.
One scrape of that thing and your insides will boil and you’ll cease to exist in any lifetime—trapped within the weapon forever.
I can’t speak. I can’t beg.
“You look afraid for someone other than yourself. Has spending time with the human melted your cold, dead heart?”
Tony doesn’t react as Vadden runs the blade down his cheek. He keeps his eyes on me, but I know he’s afraid. I can see it all over his face. The one weapon that can trap his soul in an eternity of doom is gliding over his skin.
“Tell me, Lincoln. Why are you even here?”
Giving him a reply will only fuel this. So I ignore the fucker and keep my focus on my friend.
He needs to run. He needs to snap this cunt’s neck and get the fuck out of here before?—
A cry catches in my throat as Vadden lodges the blade in Tony’s neck. He gasps like an animal, drops to the ground, and doesn’t get back up.
A laugh fills the eerie silence, and I glare up at the piece of shit grinning at me as he yanks out the blade and shoves it back in, again and again, before licking the blood from the metal.
“He always annoyed me. Ready to tell me why you’re here and how the fuck you’re human?”
Eyes glow in the distance where the demon can’t see, then two more sets. Three. Four. Countless forms appear around us, including Nala, who moves to kneel beside Tony’s body.
Tony is gone. Tidus is gone.
My best friend is gone.
Swallowing, I glare at the demon wielding the blade with a grin, wishing he’d just drop dead and I’d wake up from this nightmare. But I can’t and I won’t because this is real.
Tony’s presence, as frustrating as it was sometimes, was what kept me going all the years I was stuck down here.
I yank at the shackles. Human and weak and useless. Even if I did get free, I don’t stand a chance. But neither does Vadden as more and more hounds crowd us, growls filling the air.
His slimy grin drops, and he steps back.
