Attes inhaled sharply, eyes widening slightly as he stared down.
“You have the power to do so,” he taunted in her voice. “It will be a far more peaceful death than what is coming.”
The corner of Kieran’s lips drew taut. That was the only sign those words had any impact as he raised his brows. “Done yet?”
“No,” she seethed. “I’m nowhere near done.”
“Well, too bad.” Kieran smiled. “Because we are.”
The body settled against mine with a sigh. “We’ll see about that.”
Kieran moved fast, thrusting the tip of the bone dagger into the lower part of the vial. The hard stone shuddered as fissures rapidly spread across the slender container. My chest rose and stayed there as a thin trickle of blood seeped out, racing down the length of the vial.
The first drop hit the top of Attes’s hand with a crackle and a sizzle. Then another and another until the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. He made no sound as the thing inside Poppylaughed.
With a resounding snap, the basalt gave way, splitting apart. Blood poured forth, shimmering like liquid starlight spilling over the jagged edges.
I felt Attes jerk all the way through Poppy. My gaze shifted to his face. The pain had bent his neck, and I saw his clenched jaw through the strands of hair that had fallen forward.
“Fuck,” Kieran rasped, the scent of charred skin rapidly increasing.
The hollow, thin laughter ceased.
Kieran inhaled sharply, looked away, and then lowered his chin to his chest.
Attes tossed the broken vial aside, his head lifting. A fine sheen of sweat had broken out across his brow, and his skin had become a ghastly shade of gray.
Her body stiffened.
And I knew the draken blood had finally burned through Attes’s hand and reached her chest.
She let out a low, keening whimper, reminding me of a wounded animal. Then, she started to shake. The whimpering rose into a wail that became a scream as wisps of dark, oily smoke rose.
Attes rocked back, falling onto his ass as he drew his arm to his chest. All I saw was a glimpse of charred skin, dripping tissue, and bone.
Air rushed from my lungs as I lifted my head and pressed it to the side of hers. “I’m sorry,” I rasped, her pain slamming into me, fiery and devastating. I didn’t even try to block it. I let it burn me up like it was burning her. My eyes closed against the damp sting filling them. “I’m so damn sorry.”
Her back bowed as raw, piercing screams tore from her throat, overcoming my apologies. Her agony filled the cell, coating the walls and floor in pain, drenching my soul with it.
“It’ll be over soon. I promise.” I rocked her as I pressed my lips to her temple. Her skin was still cold but no longer waxy. It had to be over soon; I kept telling myself and her it would be as her scream cracked. The sound faltered, splintering into a hoarse rasp before fading into silence, leaving only the jagged sound of her labored breaths. She went completely limp. I felt Kieran lift himself—
“What the fuck?” he erupted.
My eyes snapped open, and I stretched my neck. “What—?”
Shock drenched me as I saw her chest. The skin there was a…fuck. It was a mess of charred flesh and puckered holes that’d better fucking heal without a single scar left behind. But the mark between her breasts…itmoved. Shuddered. Wiggled and writhed like serpents—no, notlikeserpents.
Itwasserpents.
Two of them.
Thank the gods Poppy was unconscious for this.
Kieran shot forward, reaching for them, but I was faster. Lifting my arm from her waist, I grabbed them. They felt nothing like a serpent should. Their wiggling bodies were clammy, too pliant and unnatural.
They felt like death.
Two diamond-shaped heads lifted, their mouths gaping open. They let out piercing shrieks like countless tortured souls crying out at once.
