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“Let me go!” I scream. He takes thick ropes out of his back pocket, tying my hands and legs together before standing up. He kicks my head and chest with all his might. Agony instantly burns my whole body.
Julian leans down and holds my jaw tightly. “It’s finally time for you to leave, Aella. Tonight, you will do your duties as the angel of Ixtal and be gone from here.”
“No,” I whispered in horror.
No…He is going to perform the last ritual of Ixtal.
CHAPTER EIGHT
AELLA
The moment I have been dreading is here. I tried my best to avoid this disaster, but it found its way back to me one way or another.
Julian drags me by my hair as I struggle against my restraints. I scream and cry in pain as fear makes my heart race. When we reach the stairway, he kicks me in the gut, making me roll down the stairs to the underground. Every inch of me roars in agony, but I try my best to stay strong.
“Because of you, our path to heaven is endangered. You fucking brat!” Julian kicks me across my face before spitting on me.
“Let me go! Silas! Silas!” I scream his name, crying out for help.
But Julian darkly laughs as he forcefully takes me to the omen room, where I hear loud prayers echoing outside...the same prayers I heard when I watched my mother die.
God, please, no! No, no, no.
I wiggle my bound hands, but it’s no use. Julian opens the door and hauls me inside, where all the prisoners are sitting in a circle, including the guards. Lit candles surround them and the center. But when I find Silas at the center with his hands and legs bound like mine, my heart is frozen from terror.
“No! No! No! Let him go,” I plead to Julian, who only laughs in response.
“You should have thought of this before you decided against me.” He brings my face closer to his by my hair. I feel he will tear them away from my roots. “One more sacrifice won’t hurt. God will be pleased by more.”
My eyes widen as the realization hits me. He is going to kill Silas.
SILAS
Seeing Aella restrained with bruises covering her face makes me want to rip apart her uncle’s head. I was preparing to leave my cell, but I didn’t expect some prisoners to bust in, ambush me, and bring me to the underground. I was beaten and slashed across my chest and back before being restrained with thick ropes.
When I saw the bloody setup down here, I connected the dots, and knew it was the ritual Aella told me about—the final ritual of Ixtal.
Thankfully I have the piece of glass hidden in my back pocket. The moment I came here, I had been trying to cut the ropes discreetly. My wrists are starting to ache, and I can feel my hand bleeding from a few cuts from the sharp edges, but I don’t stop.
Julian slaps her face harshly and drags her towards me. My blood boils with rage as my veins pop against my forehead.
She yelps in pain when Julian kicks her again before heading to stand at the end of the room.
“Aella,” I whisper her name.
She looks at me with sadness and remorse, making my heart ache for her.
“I’m sorry, Silas. This is all my fault…I-I…I didn’t want this to happen to you…I’m sorry,” tears stream down her face, “I should have been careful. I’m so sorry, Silas-”
“Hey, hey, hey,” I tried to calm her down. Her broken voice stabbed my fucking heart. “None of this is your fault. I will get us out of here, I promise.”
She shakes her head. “He will-”
“Tonight, we shall please our God!” Julian announces to everyone, and they stop their prayers in unison, listening intently to Julian. “We shall send our angel to God and get a step closer to heaven.”
Fuck.
I look at Aella, whose face looks white as snow. She closes her eyes tightly as if she is accepting this miserable ending. But before I can say something, I notice that her hands are close to the candles. I frown and slightly lean forward to see she is trying to burn the ropes.
