Page 221 of Lethal King

“What’s interesting?” I demand to know.

“You keep calling her Roz.”

“So what?”

“Does she know you call her that?”

“She likes it.”

Tytus laughs.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

He seems to chew on something substantial before another heavy sigh leaves his bleeding throat.

“I knew it,” he quietly whispers, more to himself than to me.

“You knew what?”

Shaking his head, Tytus slowly lifts his right arm.

“Help me up,” he says, presenting me with an open palm.

“Fuck no,” I instinctively react.

“Help me the fuck up,” Tytus growls, not budging. “If we’re going to save my sister, it will have to be together. I’m in no shape to do it alone.”

His arm stays raised. His hand remains offered.

But I hesitate to respond.

A million conflicting thoughts whirl around inside of me.

Tytus is my enemy. How can I trust him?

The same way you’ve learned to trust Roz, an inner voice whispers.

But do you really trust Roz, another voice responds, or do I just love her?

My pounding heart freezes.

Fuck.

… Did I really just admit that to myself?

“I’m not working with you,” I mumble. Still, I retract my blade from his bleeding throat and stumble backward.

“So you don’t really care about her that much, I guess, huh?”

“You have no idea,” I snarl, still reeling from that single thought.

Love.

Do I really love Rozalia Dorn?

It seems impossible. But my gut begs me to believe it.