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I held perfectly still—too afraid to talk, to move. The seconds crept by as slow as hours. Far away on the other side of the house came a flurry of loud noises, slamming doors, strangled yells, and even gunshots. The commotion was over just as quickly as it had started. I listened intently to the eerie silence, but it was hard to focus over the pounding in my ears.
The door in front of us kicked open. Ansel appeared with a gun poised in his hands. Relief and despair washed over me at the same time. I had never been more happy and more distressed to see Ansel.
What are you doing here?I wanted to scream.You’re supposed to be safe in Scotland. Not here.
Ansel didn’t look at me as he drew closer, the barrel of his gun pointed directly at Gregor. “Put the knife down,” he growled, stopping only a few feet away from us. “I’ve already killed your guards. No one is here to protect you. Let Skye go. This is between you and me.”
I winced as the knife pressed closer to my throat, the blade biting into my skin. “Drop your gun and I’ll drop my knife,” Gregor replied coolly.
Ansel’s steely eyes narrowed on his uncle. Eventually, Ansel slowly lowered his gun to the ground and kicked it across the wood floor. Gregor did the same, mirroring his nephew’s movements, sliding his knife back into its holster on his belt.
“There,” Gregor said. The satisfied smile was strong in his voice. “That’s much better. Now we can actually talk. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, Ansel. Just to talk to my nephew. We’re family, and I hate to see us fighting like this.”
Ansel’s nostrils flared as his eyes burned with pure hatred. “You’re not my family,” he rasped. His body trembled, and I realized he was using every ounce of strength to keep his anger tramped down. This is all Ansel ever wanted—to kill the orc who murdered his parents. But Ansel wouldn’t do anything to risk my life. “Let her go,” he gritted out. “Then we can talk as long as you want.”
Gregor placed a big, green hand on my shoulder.“Don’t touch her,”Ansel yelled, then jerked forward like he wanted to charge Gregor but stopped himself at the last second. Ansel watched Gregor with a narrowed gaze.
“A faerie? Really Ansel?” Gregor asked, disgust filling his voice. “What would your parents think? Dishonoring their name like this? You are the heir to the family fortune, a mafia prince, and you're choosing faerie trash?” Out of the corner of my eye, Gregor shook his head. Ansel said nothing, his glare only darkened. Gregor removed his hand from my shoulder and dug into his pocket, retrieving a pair of handcuffs. “Put these on and kneel on the ground, then I’ll let your faerie go.” Gregor tossed the cuffs in the air towards him.
Ansel caught them in his hand. He stared down at the metal, his jaw working.
It’s a trap, Ansel,I tried pleading to him with my eyes. But Ansel refused to look at me.Just go, you big idiot. Save yourself.
Ansel hesitated, but he finally knelt on the ground in front of us. I winced when I heard the metal click as he secured the first cuff around his wrist. Ansel raised his head, glaring daggers at Gregor. “Untie her,” he ordered, refusing to secure the next cuff until I was freed.
Gregor made a dissatisfied noise deep in his throat but moved to the back of my chair and untied the knots there. The ropes loosened around me, but I didn’t stand up right away. I rubbed my sore wrists, staring at Ansel where he knelt on the ground.
For the first time since he arrived, we locked eyes. Every ounce of burning hatred disappeared from his face as his eyes softened with sadness. “Run,” he silently mouthed to me. But I remained frozen, unable to stand. Unable to leave him. All I wanted to do was run into his arms and hold him against my chest. Protect him from his uncle.
Gregor gripped underneath my arm and yanked me to my feet. “The next cuff, Ansel,” Gregor said in a sharp tone that left no room for argument.
Ansel held my gaze for another second longer before the next cuff clicked. His gray eyes slowly slid from my face to the ground, finally accepting his fate.
Gregor gave me a hard shove, pushing me away from him. “Go now, faerie. Before I change my mind.”
My legs felt like jelly as I stumbled forward. I couldn’t take my eyes off Ansel, even though he refused to meet my gaze. My mind raced with what I could do. How could I defend Ansel?
“Leave Skye,” Ansel said in a low voice. “Go live your life and be happy. Forget about me.”
“Ansel . . .” I whispered, my chest burning.
“I said go!” Ansel snarled.
I quickened my steps towards the door, giving Ansel a wide berth as I passed him.
I peered over my shoulder as Gregor slowly approached Ansel. Gregor bent forward and gripped Ansel’s chin, forcing him to look up into his eyes.
Don’t touch him,I wanted to scream, resisting the urge to charge the older orc. It was then my foot kicked something hard and metal. I looked down, my eyes widening at the gun Ansel had dropped. Without thinking, I picked it up, the metal heavy in my hands.
Gregor had all his attention directed on Ansel as he hovered above him. I raised the gun and aimed it at the older orc. “Hey, Gregor!” I yelled.
“You’re still here?” Gregor replied, irritation lacing his words. He didn’t even bother looking up right away. But when he finally jerked his head towards me—
Bang.
The bullet pierced through his chest. Gregor’s eyes bulged so wide, I could see rings of white around gray irises. The impact of the gun was so strong, he fell backwards, collapsing on the ground with a loud thud.
Chapter thirty-two
