My head snaps up. “No–” Hands grab me before I can finish, dragging me back toward the crowd. My boots drag against the dirt as I fight against their grip, my body twisting and jerking to find any way back to him. “Let me go!” I shout. “Take me instead–take me!” But my pleads fall on deaf ears as rough fingers dig into my jaw and force my head forward.
The man leans in close to my ear, his voice like gravel. “This is what happens when you're weak,” he mutters. “Now watch.”
And I do.
Joey’s screams tear through the air, raw and broken, each one worse than the last. I try not to hear it. I try not to focus on the way his body jerks against the restraint every time the blade cuts his skin. I squeeze my eyes shut when his screams start to fade into something that doesn’t even sound human anymore.
A scream tears through me as the last cut is made and the knife is plunged into his heart, stopping it. The two men holding me, release my arms, and I fall to the ground in agony.
“No,” a whisper leaves my lips. A soft plea to whoever is listening to change this. To make time reverse and bring him back.Take me instead. Please. I can’t let Rory down.
Chapter 6
Ryven
It’s midnight and the moon is high in the sky, shining above everything. The yard is quiet tonight, no cars in the driveway, no lights on in the windows.
But I know she’s in there. I can picture her now–curled up on the couch reading a book to calm her nerves. She always did that when times got rough. She used to say ‘it’s better to dive into someone else’s life than live in my own.’
I stare at the door I have yet to knock on.I don’t want to do it.This is the first time I have seen Rory in over three months and I’m about to destroy her.
I’m not ready to see betrayal flash across her eyes or devastation when she realizes my words are true. Her brother is dead, and nothing can be done to bring him back.
She never wanted us to join the Order of Ash in the first place. She spent countless hours begging her brother to change his mind. She knew what that place was capable of doing to us.
I take a deep breath and knock twice, taking a step back to give her some space.
The door cracks open, and Rory peeks through it. Her eyes widen when she sees it is me. The door swings open, and a smile breaks across her face so fast it nearly knocks the air from my lungs.
“Ryven–-” Her voice is filled with hope until she looks at me. Really looks at me. “What’s wrong?” she whispers.
I have to stay strong for her. I can’t feel what I’m feeling.I have no right.
“Joey…” My voice catches, and I have to force the rest out. “He’s gone.”
She frowns, confused. “What do you mean gone? Where did he go?”
I shake my head as there’s no other way to say it. No softer fucking way. “To the one true king,” I mutter.
She grips the door handle tighter as her body begins to sway. Then she collapses to her knees and bellows, “No!”
I move without thinking, reaching for her. But she shoves me away like I’ve burned her. Don’t touch me!” she screams. “Get off of me!” Her hands slam into me, hitting whatever she canreach–my chest, my arms, my shoulders. “You let him die!” she sobs. “You fucking let him die! You promised me!”
Each word lands harder than the last. Each hit deserved. I don’t fight it. I don’t stop her. I just pull her in anyway, locking my arms around her as she struggles against me. “Rory.”
She sobs harder, her body shaking as she beats against me. I lean into it. To the pain. To the anger. Into every ounce of hatred she throws at me because it’s no less than I hate myself.
I did this. I stood there and watched and did nothing to stop it. Her hands slow, fisting in my shirt before she pulls away.
The look on her face is what hurts more than anything else she’s done. Because she isn’t just physically pulling away from me. She’s locking herself up tight and refusing to let me back in.
She turns toward her door, her back facing me now. I watch as she crumbles to the ground inside her foyer before the door slams shut behind her.
I don’t move. I don’t knock again. Because I already know there’s nothing I can do to fix this.
Chapter 7
Present Day
