I can’t help the crack in my voice. Laney’s soft sniffles are causing my ears and throat to burn.
“What’s going on is you”—he points his sword at me—“have been leaving me in the dark. Avoiding me like a fucking disease. You’rehatefulandunappreciativeof everything I’ve given you. That ends now.”
I swallow down the countless slurs that want to rip from my throat.
“What the fuck are you playing at, Bellame? Let the little girl go and explain yourself, now,” Gladian demands.
Mellcom laughs.
He doesn’t spare but a mere glance at him.
“Fine. You want to talk, let’s talk. Let Laney go, and I’ll listen to whatever you want to say.”
“No.” He sighs, shaking his head as he looks at the ground and kicks a pile of dirt. When his glowing gaze flicks back up to mine, I clench my jaw. “The time for that has passed, Thay. You’re going to come over here with me, and you and Laney will come with us.”
“Come with you where?”
I grit my teeth as his power slithers across my skin and I dig my toes deeper into my boots. A wave of it hits me again. Slick, invasive, wrong. It’s not painful.
Not even close. It coils under my skin, pressing,pulling.
My weight shifts forward before I can stop it.
What the actual fuck?
How is he stronger?
“You got some explaining to do, Gladdy Daddy,” Riven murmurs.
“I have no clue what the fuck his problem is right now.”
A quiet, mocking laugh leaves Mellcom.
“My problem?” he asks as he tilts his head. “For someone who’s so high and mighty, you’re truly the most clueless fucker I’ve ever met. You still think you understand what’s happening and you have zero idea. I mean, it’s been months, and you still believe my domain is Pain. You’d think by now you would’ve realized if I had your brother’s domain or not.”
I still.
So do my men.
Gladian’s eyes stay narrowed on Mellcom.
“This isn’t about you, though. I’m thrilled to finally be washing my hands of you and this mediocre tie.” His attention pivots back to me, and he gives me a slow, deliberate smile. “Come on, Thay. It’s time to go.”
“You’ve lost your mind, Mellcom.”
He sighs again as if he’s growing bored with this argument. My jaw locks as his gaze flicks down at Laney, who’s trembling in her skin.
Hold on for me, sweet girl.
I’m going to figure this out.
For a second—just a second—something almost soft touches his expression. My stomach revolts.
That’s how he’d look at me before delivering my punishment.
“She used to follow us everywhere. More so you and Lambrit, I suppose,” he says tenderly. Too tenderly. “Remember that?”
My chest tightens.
