Page 16 of Crazy as Hell

Sybil settled back comfortably against her throne and manifested a crystal goblet filled with dark red wine in her hand. She leisurely took a sip, then swirled the wine in the glass as if they were just two females having a leisurely chat.

As Viktor silently watched the exchange between them, he wished with every fiber in his being that he could free himself. Hearing that she was a demi-god made sense, considering her power level and her access to devil fire. But that only made her more dangerous. Hybrids could have unpredictable magic, and she clearly wasn’t the most stable individual.

“Unlike my father, I have a talent for business. It became clear to me at an early age that dealing in supernaturals was far more lucrative than simply trading ancient relics and magic potions. The powerful are meant to make use of the weak. That is simply the natural order of things. Those with strength, influence, and power will always be on top, while those without exist to serve or be of use some other way. Otherwise, they have no purpose.”

“That’s a pretty callous way of viewing the world.”

Sybil shrugged before taking another sip of wine. “Callous? Perhaps. But that does not make it untrue. It is simply the way the worlds work. Pretending otherwise does not change anything.”

“So, anyone weaker than you is just a commodity to be used?”

“Of course. The strong are meant to rule, and the weak either adapt, submit, or get crushed. That has been the way of things since the beginning of time. Supernaturals have a hierarchy for a reason. Do I provide a service that exploits that hierarchy? Yes, but it wouldn’t work if there weren’t already a demand for it.”

“And that justifies what you do?”

“It explains it.” Sybil smiled faintly, her eyes gleaming with cold amusement. “There is a difference. I do not feel the need to justify or defend my actions. Power creates a hierarchy, clearly dividing those who command and those who obey. The supernatural world has always operated that way, whether people want to admit it or not. While many cling to a semblance of morality, there are plenty of sellers and buyers using the black market network that proves there will never be a shortage of people willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want.”

“I’d say that’s a fair assessment…for a psycho,” the female stated blandly.

Sybil’s eyes narrowed. “Careful, human. You are amusing me less now.”

She opened her mouth again, but swallowed down whatever she was going to say when an explosion outside the chamber made the entire chamber shake. Dust drifted down from the ceiling, and Sybil quickly rose to her feet just as another guard ran into the room.

“Boss, more guardians just showed up.” The male lowered his voice and added, “Including Killian Black.”

Sybil’s expression shifted from anger to what looked like a hint of fear. She and the guard hurried from the chamber, but before she left, she turned back at the entrance to glare at them.

“You better hope that I survive. Otherwise, none of you will.”

With that, she slammed the door shut with enough force to make the entire chamber tremble. The instant the door struck the frame, a pulse of strong magic rippled over the stone wall with a brilliant flash of light. The entrance began to dissolve until the door completely vanished as though it had never existed, leaving a smooth stretch of stone that was indistinguishable from the surrounding walls.

She had sealed the chamber with magic, ensuring that none of them could escape without her.

“Well, that sucks, but it isn’t surprising.”

The female on the ground wrapped her arm around her waist as she struggled to push herself off the ground. Pain flashed across her face, and she grimaced as she slowly rose to her feet, clearly suffering from whatever injury had been inflicted on her. For a moment, she stood there taking slow, shallow breaths. Her shoulders were tense, and her movements were stilted.

Despite her obvious discomfort, she stepped forward, walking directly toward the edge of the pit until she was standing right in front of Viktor. There was no fear in her expression, nor any hesitation. Whatever pain she was experiencing, she refused to let it show.

When their eyes locked, his breath caught. She was even more glorious up close, and he had to stop himself from simply gaping at her. He couldn’t let himself get distracted. There was too much at risk for that.

“You have to get out of here,” Viktor ordered. “Figure out a way to break through the wall and get out while she is distracted.”

“Take my cousin, the girl in the cage with the bright red hair, with you,” Cassian demanded.

She shook her head. “There is no escaping this place.”

“Who are you?” Viktor hadn’t meant to ask, but he needed to know the name of his mate.

“Naomi Locke. And you?”

“My name is Viktor Ze, and this is Cassian Daga. Were you injured after you came through the portal?”

She nodded. “The welcoming party wasn’t exactly thrilled to see us.”

“How did you make it through the portal? What are you even doing here?”

She seemed more amused than annoyed by his rapid-fire questions.