Page 428 of Coal Hearts

Caishen ripped his hands away. “Cào nǐ mā.”

Peter actually chuckled, as if anything was amusing at this point. “I had a friend from Canton. Doesn’t that mean ‘fuck my mother’?”

Caishen shot him a smirk. “Not your mother, obviously. His mother. Fucking Vile Vic’s.”

“Ah. Well yes, she’s partly to blame for birthing him.” Peter pressed his forehead against the altar. He breathed heavily; all signs of mirth gone. “I promise there’s nothing inside the jars anymore. Just grab the knives and—”

“Was there something in them before?” Rachel asked. “Are you telling me they cut out our organs as well as drink our blood, Pete?”

Peter didn’t reply.

Instead, his gaze shot to me as I yanked open the cupboard. “Ily, don’t—!”

Too late.

Oh God, what—

I tripped backward, rolled my ankle against a small stalagmite, and fell painfully on my ass.

Oh God.

Oh God.

Oh God!

Just like my heart stopped beating, my soul threatened to fly free and abandon me.

“Close it!” Peter snarled with energy I hadn’t heard in a while. “Close the fucking doors, Ilyana!”

Scrambling to my feet, I couldn’t tear my gaze off empty sockets where eyes used to be.

Skulls.

So many, many skulls.

All stacked neatly side by side, bleached white and dust-free, rows upon rows upon—

The doors slammed closed. Caishen stood with his back to it. “Time to run, don’t you agree?”

I tried to swallow.

To nod.

The cave spun.

My lungs burned.

Peter broke my rising panic attack—or added to it—by whispering, “Now you know why I was so adamant about finding that Diamond Kiss chit.” Hobbling toward me, he tucked me under his sick-sweaty wing. “At least none of the Masters have come forward with it. If any of them had found it, they would’ve said something by now.” Kissing my temple, he breathed, “It’s okay, jaanu. We’ll get them out. You convinced me to try. Don’t give up on us now.”

Spinning in his hold, I flung my arms around his slim waist, not caring I smeared his streaky bullseye all over my own. “How the hell have you survived this long, Paavak? It’s bad enough being a jewel and putting up with the nightmares in that castle. But this?” Pulling away, I studied his tortured black stare. “Watching this? Seeing what they do? Cleaning up what they’ve done?” I couldn’t hold back the tears. “Please, please tell me you don’t have to...they don’t make you—”

“Cut the heads off?” He winced. “No. I just have to gather the parts, toss away the bits he doesn’t want, and preserve the pieces he does. Acid does most of the work.”

And that was my limit.

Breaking out of his embrace, I vomited.

A pitiful little pile of dismay and disgrace as the reality of Peter’s life slapped me stupid.