23. Ada
23
ADA
I claw at his hand, reaching out until I grasp a decorative piece from a shelf and swing it at him. That only enrages him, but it does buy me a little air.
The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth as Lord Varyk's magic slams me against the wall. Pain radiates through my back, but I force myself to stay focused. My daughter's safety is all that matters.
"Where is she?" Lord Varyk's golden eyes burn with hatred. His aristocratic features twist into a snarl as he stalks toward me. "Tell me where the abomination is hiding."
I spit blood at his feet. "She's your granddaughter."
His backhand sends me sprawling across Dezoth's polished floor. "She's a stain on my bloodline. One I intend to remove."
My fingers curl around a broken piece of vase - one of the many casualties of our fight. The jagged edge bites into my palm, but I welcome the pain. It keeps me sharp, keeps me present.
"You killed your own son." I push myself up, letting my braid fall forward to hide the way I'm positioning the makeshift weapon. "What kind of monster murders their child?"
"Arzollon was weak." Lord Varyk's power crackles around him, dark energy that makes the air thick and heavy. "Letting himself be seduced by a human servant. You corrupted him."
A bitter laugh escapes me. "We loved each other. Something you'll never understand."
His magic wraps around my throat, lifting me off the ground. I slash out with the broken ceramic, catching his forearm. Blood wells up - both demon and human blood spills the same shade of red.
Lord Varyk's grip tightens. "I should have killed you the day he brought you to my house."
Black spots dance at the edges of my vision, but I force myself to stay conscious. Every second I keep him focused on me is another second Rose has to stay hidden. My little girl is smart - she knows the safe places Dezoth showed her. She'll be okay. She has to be okay.
"You're nothing but a coward," I rasp out. "Afraid of change. Afraid of love."
His roar of rage echoes through the house as he hurls me across the room. I crash into a bookshelf, and volumes rain down around me. Pain explodes through my ribs, but I push it aside. I've survived worse. I'll survive this.
For Rose, I'll survive anything.
A thunderous roar shakes the room, rattling the remaining intact vases. The sound vibrates through my bones, primal and furious. Lord Varyk jerks backward as if yanked by invisible chains, his magic dissipating in wisps of black smoke.
Dezoth fills the doorway, his golden eyes blazing with barely contained rage. His obsidian hair has come loose from its silver tie, framing a face carved from fury. In two fluid strides, he places himself between me and Lord Varyk, his lean frame coiled with lethal grace.
"You dare attack those under my protection?" Dezoth's voice carries the edge of a blade.
Lord Varyk straightens his jacket, turning toward Dezoth with a sneer. "Captain Blackwood, this doesn't concern-"
"The fuck it doesn't." Dezoth's ritual markings pulse with power. "You broke into my home. Attacked my guest. Where I come from, that's grounds for execution."
"She's my slave."
My ribs scream as I try to push myself up. Dezoth rushes to me, dropping to one knee beside me. His touch is impossibly gentle as he cups my face, a stark contrast to his earlier violence. Those predatory eyes scan every inch of me, cataloging each injury.
"Ada." His thumb brushes away blood from my split lip. "Are you hurt badly?"
I manage a slight nod, losing myself in the intensity of his gaze. "I'll live."
His jaw clenches. "Rose?"
"Safe." I clutch his wrist, anchoring myself to his steady presence. "She's hiding."
Relief flickers across his features before rage returns full force. He rises, keeping one hand on my shoulder. "You're going to leave with Vashti."
"What? No-"
"Yes." His eyes are Lord Varyk, and I realize he's thrown a barrier around us. "And I'm going to handle him."
Footsteps thunder down the hallway. Vashti bursts through the door, her black hair streaming behind her like a war banner. My heart leaps at the sight of Rose cradled against her chest, tiny fingers clutching Vashti's jewel-toned dress.
"Mama!" Rose's tear-streaked face peeks out.
Lord Varyk shifts his weight, and Dezoth's power crackles through the air. "Don't even think about it."
Rose squirms in Vashti's arms, reaching for me. "Mama's hurt!"
"I'm okay, sweetheart." I force a smile through the pain as I stand, Vashti reaching for me. "Did you stay hidden like we practiced?"
She nods, violet eyes wide. "In the special place Cappy Dez showed me. I was real quiet."
"That's my brave girl."
"Vashti." Dezoth's voice brooks no argument. "Take them. Now."
His sister moves toward me, but I plant my feet. "We can't leave you-"
"The fuck you can't." His grip gentles on my shoulder. "Let me protect you. Please."
The raw emotion in those last words steals my breath. Lord Varyk's magic pulses against Dezoth's barriers, making the air thick with power.
"Ada." Vashti extends her free hand. "Trust us. Trust him."
Rose whimpers, and the sound breaks my resolve. I grasp Vashti's fingers, letting her pull me along. The movement sends daggers through my ribs.
"If you die," I tell Dezoth. "I'll never forgive you."
A ghost of a smile touches his lips. "Then I better not die."
Vashti wraps an arm around my waist, supporting my weight. As she guides me toward the back door, Dezoth between us and Varyk, Rose reaches over her shoulder.
"Be careful, Cappy Dez!"
His expression softens for a heartbeat. "Always am, little flower."
Lord Varyk's dark energy crackles against Dezoth's barriers, making the air thick and heavy. My chest constricts at the familiar sensation - memories of that terrible night threatening to surface.
"Ada." Dezoth's eyes meet mine, burning with intensity. "Trust me."
Those two words hold more weight than they should. Trust has been a luxury I couldn't afford since losing Arzollon. But looking into Dezoth's eyes, seeing the fierce determination there...
"Promise me," I whisper.
"I promise." His eyes flick behind me to his sister. "Now go."
Vashti pulls me toward the door, her graceful movements belying her strength as she supports both Rose and me. My daughter reaches over her aunt's shoulder.
"Love you, Cappy Dez!"
The corner of his mouth twitches upward, a glimpse of warmth before his expression hardens into the mask of the Elite Guard Captain. He turns to face Lord Varyk, power rolling off him in waves.
"I love you too, little flower. Now close your eyes."