Page 68 of Storm and Sea

The voice sneered, using its words like a blade; it was dissecting him, peeling away Atreus’s defenses to expose the raw truth he feared others would see. That Nyel would see.

It’d been more active since his world was turned upside down.

Reminding him.

Taunting him.

“He left because you’re nothing

but a disgrace. You should’ve been snuffed

out as a baby—every breath you take is a waste.”

Shut up!

Atreus slammed the pillow over his head as though that could silence the voice. But there was no escaping the cavities cracking open in his mind.

“Nyel will leave you.

Just like everyone else.”

Atreus took calming breaths, trying to fight away the rising panic. Would Nyel leave? Atreus had made efforts to be nicer to him. But was that enough?

“Of course not. A few sweet

words could never mask

the stench of you.”

The memory of his first encounter with Nyel came back with full force. The one when they were children. Nyel’s expression was permanently scarred into his mind, no matter how hard Atreus tried to blink it away.

“Halfling Mutt! You keep your infections away from us!”

That’s what Nyel’s mother had yelled. Back then, he didn’t know what it meant. Now he did. And so would Nyel.

I’m not mad. I’m not crazy. I’m not dangerous.

Atreus chanted the words in his mind over and over.

“Are you not?”

It mocked him, its tone dripping with sadistic glee.

“Are you not mad?

With me in your head?

Am I the Skraith in your soul?”

Shut up.

No matter how hard Atreus tried to silence it, the voice berated him all night. Just as it had countless other nights since his father left.

When things were good, it went quiet, and Atreus could almost forget it was there. But the moment his defenses crumbled, it returned.

It always returned.

Atreus rolled his left shoulder, trying to work out the pain in his back.