He walks over and joins his brother.
We’re all standing within arm’s reach of each other. The best friend and man I grew to love who broke my heart, the dark major who never stopped believing in me, and the friend whom I instantly bonded with. If someone had told me yesterday that this is where I’d be today, I’d never have believed them.
Finnley drops his head before raising it back up and looking at me. There is so much sorrow and regret in his eyes, but I can’t find it in me to feel any kind of forgiveness toward him.
He knew what he was doing, and he proceeded to do it anyway. He knew the cost.
Rhett reaches into his cloak, quick and deliberate, like a man filled with desperation.
Ambrose sees exactly what’s happening and lunges toward him. It’s all happening so fast that I can’t even shout a warning.
Finnley slams the hilt of a weapon into the back of his skull with a heavy thud.
Ambrose’s body folds forward, slumping in my lap before I can even get out a full breath. A scream tears from my throat as blood drips from the back of his head onto my legs. I grip the sides of his face, trying to lift his head, demanding he wake up.
Kingston’s shadows swirl around us as he heads straight for me.
One second, I’m cradling Ambrose’s head. I’m screaming, but I don’t know if it’s in my head or out loud. The next, the ground shakes with the force of a giant falling. I reluctantly pull my tear-filled eyes from the man I’m cradling in my lap.
Finnley stands behind Kingston, his hands on both shoulders, pushing him to his knees.
My jaw drops slightly.
Kingston isn’t moving. Finnley’s fingers are digging into his shoulders.
There can only be one reason Kingston isn’t moving.
Finnley is siphoning.
Holy shit. He’s the siphoner.
Kingston won’t be able to move. Not as long as Finnley maintains direct contact. He’ll render Kingston helpless, and if it goes on for too long, he’ll render him unconscious.
Kingston’s jaw clenches, and pure hell rages in his eyes as they meet mine.
Rhett punches the air with his fist. “Yes, I knew you had it in you! You should have told me you manifested!” he yells, jumping up and down like a child. He reaches into his cloak for the dagger he was trying to retrieve. “Now’s the fun part,” he singsongs, walking up to Kingston.
“Fuck you,” Kingston growls, looking up at him.
He punches Kingston hard, causing his head to whip to the side.
He spits blood into the sand and glares at Rhett. “You’re a dead man.”
While Rhett’s distracted, I slowly push Ambrose to the sand, gently laying his head down and stand. Finnley is too focused on draining Kingston, his eyes closed with the need for concentration. I slip behind Rhett and punch him in the back of the head as hard as I can. He curls inward, giving me just enoughtime to jump on his back and try to wrestle the dagger from his grip.
Kingston thrashes under Finnley’s grip.
His shadows start to emerge from his hands regardless of the siphoner at his back. They’re dark as midnight and angry. The temperature drops drastically around us, and the sky above darkens like death on swift wings.
I can hear Finnley yelling at me to stop, but I don’t let go. I release Rhett’s hands just long enough to dig my fingers into his eyes instead. He grunts in frustration before throwing me over his shoulder, causing me to land on my back and knocking the air from my lungs before kicking me multiple times.
I can hear Kingston roaring through the haze of trying to catch my breath.
It’s freezing in this pit. Shivers wrack my body as I roll to my knees and push myself up, gulping for air.
Rhett walks over to Kingston and brings his fist back, punching him. Again and again. When he’s almost out of breath, he strides over and pulls the dagger from Yaretta’s throat before returning to stand in front of Kingston.
Kingston looks up at him, disheveled and bloody.
