Page 63 of A Requiem of Fire and Ice

I hide behind the wall of her room, peeping through and seeing a distraught Typha on the bed, hugging her pillow.

“Don’t act like a saint now. My parents learned about the video because of my sister’s fucking boyfriend. It’s going to get out to your dad.”

“And? I don’t fucking care,” he snorts.

“So…my dad is going to kill you, your brothers, and your parents because they’re afraid your dad will come here and kill us.”

“Over me fucking you?” He laughs. “If my dad complains about it or tries something, I’ll tell him I will fucking marry you or some bullshit, okay?”

“You aren’t listening, Em,” Typha cries. “My family will kill you, regardless of the promises you make. The terms are met.”

“Over me fucking you?” the guy drawls. “I’ve fucked many of Walkyer’s ‘girlfriends’, and my dad has never batted an eyelash.”

“This is different from any of that. We fucked on camera and sent it to my betrothed to screw with him!”

“And?”

“You’re a fucking nightmare…” Typha sobs harder. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“Look, if you’re that scared of my life, tell me who’s coming here to kill me and when. I’ll let Reen deal with it.”

“What will he do if you tell him?”

“Kill whoever wants to come here and fuck with our family. What kind of fucking stupid question is that, Typha?”

“Is that all? Will he just kill them and no one else?” Typha asks.

“Yes. Is it your parents? Are they coming?”

“My mother,” Typha answers.

“Is she tethered to your dad?”

“No.”

“Fuck me, Typha. Literally. You give me too much anxiety otherwise,” he mutters.

“He won’t kill my sister, right? The Kingdom of Flesh will protect us, right? It’s just my parents and my sister’s boyfriend.”

“Who is your sister again?”

“Pa—Pamela,” Typha answers.

“Whatever. I didn’t even know you had a sister until now. Weird. Anyway, I’ll fucking tell that piece of shit fire elemny…maybe even Kate. She might be better, considering she’s fucking my dad. It will be easier to tell my dad without him getting pissed and doing something…whatever. Leave it to me. I will fucking deal with it.”

“Thank you,” Typha sniffs.

The guy sighs sharply. “You’re a fucking mess. I can’t wait to fuck it out of your system.”

Typha lowers my phone and heaves a sigh of relief. I step away from the door when a creak in the wood strains. Bright eyes snap to the mirror overlooking the door, and Typha thrusts the door open as I run away. I grab the door handle when immense pressure lands on my back. I stumble forward and flop onto the ground, with Typha pinning me down.

I twist my body to flip myself over when Typha grabs me by the head and slams me against the floor until I taste chipped wood and blood. A ringing stings in my ear, and my brain feels as if it’s on fire.

“Don’t tell them.” Another sickening crunch hits me when she slams my head against the floor again. The pain shudders through my entire body this time. “If you do, he dies, and I’m not letting him go. I love him.”

Pink ice sparks through my head with each sliver of power. Another memory peels away until it’s hidden behind a wall.

The night Crystal fell