As foolish as the thought was, Iwantedthem to find me. I wanted to kill more— kill them all.
“Here.” Arthur put Vara down. She slung her arms around his shoulders to keep herself standing as he conjured a portal. The sights of Ireland and the mansion formulated inside.
I changed back into a man, and opened up my cloak. Tygrys flew inside to hide in one of my pockets as I observed the portal.
I hesitated to step on through. I wanted to remain here. Go back into the city and see who I could find.Slaughter them. Execute them all.
“Ethan!” Arthur insisted. He shoved me through. I stumbled through the portal, though not of my own choice, and Arthur followed me with Vara.
I felt sour once the portal closed behind us. The sound of the rushing sea filled my ears, though it was barely distinguishable from the roaring of rage within my soul.
I hadn’t realized I was this angry.
“Vara needs help,” Arthur said roughly. He started toward the estate, and I didn’t have anything else to do, so I followed.
Jasper, Ozzie and Amantha were gathered around the fireplace in the main foyer. They all had mugs in their hands and hot meals on their laps. They’d be safe, and they’d heal.
I wasn’t so sure about Vara. She looked deathly pale. Arthur looked at me desperately, wanting help.
I didn’t know what to do. All I wanted to do was destroy.
Stefan came rushing in from the other room. He glanced at Vara, then shouted, “Mom!”
Miroslava Slasky threw back the doors to the kitchen. She frowned as she placed a hand on Vara’s forehead, then said, “Get her to the bedroom.”
Arthur carried Vara up to his quarters. He laid her on the bed, and Miroslava began rustling for things in her bag. She placed pills on the wardrobe, and potions.
“My babies…” Vara said weakly, head lolling.
“The babies will be fine,” Miroslava said, though she worked quickly. “Arthur, I need you to remain by her side. She needs rest, and medicine.”
“What can I do?” I asked.
“Stay out of the way.” Miroslava’s answer was brusque. I felt cowed. I stepped out of the room, to give her the room she needed to work.
Stefan was waiting for me outside. “It’s amazing you got everybody back. I thought for sure… well.”
He shrugged. I leaned against the wall and said, “I thought we’d find them dead, too. Though Vara took them to the Hall of Wonders before the palace collapsed. It’s the only reason they survived.”
I crossed my arms. “It’s like she knew the assault was coming in advance.”
Stefan raised an eyebrow. “You really think she’s the traitor, after all this? She’s practically on death’s door.”
“I can’t be sure. But things just aren’t adding up,” I said. “Regardless, she’s here now, and so are the others. Whether they be enemies or friends, we need to keep both close.”
“Ethan, you can’t go distrusting the people around you. We’re all each others’ got now,” Stefan scolded.
“Somebodyturned their back on us,” I hissed. “I need to find out who.”
Stefan stared at me. “I think you just want somebody to take your anger out on,” he said slowly. “And if you want to go a few rounds to get some pent-up aggression out, I’m all for taking this outside and tossing a few punches. But throwing around accusations at a time like this is uncalled for.”
I huffed. “I don’t want to fight. I want someone to take some godsdamn responsibility for what happened out there.”
“What are you gonna do? It’s all our fault, if we’re honest,” Stefan pointed out.
I ground my teeth together. “I’m more responsible than the rest of you.”
I’d been king, and my disastrous rule had resulted in all of… this.
