The same emotions coursing through my veins.
Behind him, a young guard scrambles to keep up.
"Sir Aelfric, please—"
"Open the cell," Eyepatch commands without looking at the guard. His voice is flat, dead calm.
"Sir, I don't think that's wise—"
"Open it!" The calm breaks for just a moment and raw fury bleeds through.
The guard fumbles with his keys, hands shaking so badly he drops them. They clatter on the wet stone.
"Captain Niamh wouldn't want—" The young guard looks at Eyepatch’s face and whatever he sees there makes his decision. He picks them up and tries again.
I push to my feet as Eyepatch approaches.
The fucking prison isn't even locked,I want to tell them.
The door swings wide with a groan, the hinges protesting from flood damage. Eyepatch is inside with me before it's fully open.
He moves fast.
His sword pierces my chest, the blade sliding between my ribs. A trained knight knows exactly where to put a blade. He drives it deeper until the crossguard presses against my chest and the point erupts from my back to bite into the stone wall behind me.
The blade goes through me and into the wall itself, pinning me there.
I don't resist. I don't even try to dodge.
The pain is sharp, burning through me like holy fire. But it's nothing compared to the image of Rhianelle's broken body seared into my mind.
Good. This is what I deserve.
Blood fills my mouth immediately. I feel it running down my throat.
"What did you do to her?" he roars, his face inches from mine.
I have no answer because I don't know. I can't remember what happened during those missing hours. There's just darkness where the memories should be.
I hate that this fucker missed my heart. A few inches to the left and the blade would have pierced it clean through.
"Damn you!" He slams his hand against the sword hilt, driving the blade a fraction deeper. The steel grates against my ribs.
I'm counting on Eyepatch's vitriolic distaste for me to bring the pain I need. I want him to hurt me until I can't see Rhianelle's pale face every time I close my eyes.
"Just kill me already, asshole." I cough up the blood filling my lungs.
Eyepatch's hands shake where they grip the sword hilt. He twists the blade.
A strangled gasp leaves me. Hrolf makes a sound in the other cell.
"Was the hunger finally too much?" He leans closer. "Did the monster inside you decide it was time to feed?"
"No," I manage to gasp out.
"Liar!" He slams his fist into my face. "You bit her."
My head snaps to the side. Pain explodes across my jaw. He must have seen the marks on her neck.
