Chapter 49 Zahra
ZAHRA
One week later.
“I’m not sure what I love more—seeing you covered in weapons from head to toe, or seeing you completely naked underneath me,” Declan groans, helping me adjust my utility vest so all my various knives are on display.
“You’re insatiable.” I roll my eyes, pulling him closer by wrapping my fingers in the belt loops of his pants.
“For you? Always.” He presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “You sure you want to do this?”
“I need to. Cyrus killed my father, and yours. He tried to shatter my legacy. Our future. And so he will die by my hands.” I lift my chin, determined. Torture was more of Azula’s forte but killing Cyrus was my destiny. I did make sure to get a few pointers from her.
“Okay, let’s go.” Declan moves so he’s beside me and entwines our fingers together. Azula and Connor are waiting for us outside of my father’s office, the place where he and Cillian were murdered, as we descend to the holding cells.
The temperature drops the moment we reach the basement, and none of us makes a sound.
The sound of water dripping in one of the cells fills the hallway.
Except I’m certain it’s not water. From the coppery scent that fills the air, I know it’s blood.
My throat constricts with every step we take down the hallway filled with the scent of death.
I can feel Azula practically hum with content.
This was her safe space, and knowing she was by my side grounded me.
We stop in front of a padlocked door, which looks eerily similar to the one inside my own holding cell on Cyrus’ ship. I raise an eyebrow at Declan, who smirks. “I have a flair for the dramatics, what can I say?”
I place my hand on the sensor on the wall, waiting as it scans my palm and unlocks the door. Declan gives my hip one final squeeze before I shove the metal door with all my strength, causing it to slam against the walls of the holding cell.
Cyrus doesn’t even have the decency to lift his head as I enter.
His two arms are extended and chained to the walls; feet also chained to the ground beneath him.
From his lethargic appearance and the rotten tray of food in the corner, I can tell he hasn’t eaten anything.
Not that I cared. This would all be over for him soon.
After I’ve had my fun. “Put a chain around his neck. I want him to be forced to look at me.”
Azula immediately enters the cell, chain in hand, expertly wrapping it per my instructions.
Cyrus’ shuts his eyes in petulant defiance, trying to gain control of the situation like always.
“Don’t make me tape your eyes open, Cyrus, I swear I’ll do it,” I hiss, pulling out a knife and toying with it in my hand, “Or better yet, I’ll slide off your eyelids. Wouldn’t that be nice?” I guide the sharp edge of the knife over his eyebrows.
Cyrus growls and finally looks me in the eyes, “Well, well. Look who finally decided to act like a boss.”
I don’t even flinch at the putrid smell coming from his mouth, “I always had this in me. You were the one who doubted me. Who thought he could do better. Now look at you.” I laugh, relishing the way his eyes fill with rage.
“Na?ve little girl,” he spits, trying and failing to move his chains so he can get closer to me.
“You may kill me today, but my legacy lives on. Or need I remind you, I was able to create a whole army of your own men and allies against you? You may live today, but I promise your time will come soon. My men will make sure of it.”
I feel Declan stiffen behind me at the threat. I hold out a hand, telling him to stay back, as I move my knife under Cyrus’s chin. His may speak with confidence, but his eyes told a different story. “You can threaten me all you want, Cyrus, but I can see the fear in your eyes.”
He writhes again, causing his metal chains to clink against the concrete floor, “YOU SEE NOTHING. YOU MAY KILL ME TODAY, BUT I PROMISE I WILL ALWAYS I WILL ALWAYS HAUNT YOU. DAY AND NIGHT. I WILL ALWAYS BE APART OF YOU.”
I grip his tattered shirt, ripping what remains of it off his body. Bile fills my mouth as I see a vulture tattoo on his chest. A symbol of the mockery he’s made of me and my father, a symbol I planned on reclaiming today.
I replace the classic hunting knife in my hand with a curved blade, pressing the tip into Cyrus’ chest. “Let me make myself clear, Cyrus, your lies, your army, your memories, your legacy, and your name will all disappear with time. Until nothing is left, but remains of your bones buried so deep in the ground no one can find you.”
I give him no time to respond, cutting into his skin slowly, just as Azula had shown me.
Fighting and killing, I knew like the back of my hand, but this special type of torture was her expertise.
For as much as Cyrus boasted a few seconds ago, he was screeching in agony as I traced around his tattoo.
Slowly, I angle the sharp edge of my curved knife inward, causing sticky blood to pool onto my fingers.
More screams and curses fall from Cyrus’ lips, but I refuse to let the sounds deter me.
I make my final cut and watch Cyrus’s tattooed skin fall to the ground.
Blood continues to leak from his chest, and eventually Cyrus’ screams turn into whimpers as he falls to the floor of his cell, spasming slightly. Azula removed the chain around Cyrus’ neck so I can check his pulse. “He’s not dead yet, but he will be soon,” I note.
I toss my knife to the ground now that it’s tainted with his blood, and step closer to Declan, who is beaming at me with pride, and pulls me into his chest. “My strong, violent wife.”
Declan holds onto me, arms wrapped around my waist, as we stand silently watching the life drain from Cyrus’ eyes. As he takes his final breath, exhaustion finally hits me. Exhaustion and a deep lightness in my chest. One that I hadn’t felt since my father’s death.
“We’ll handle the body.” Azula breaks the silence, nodding to Connor.
I nod as Declan guides us out of the cell. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
“I thought you liked me bloody and violent?” I tease.
“I do. But Cyrus’ blood isn’t worthy of staining your hands,” he insists.
“Declan?”
“Yes, love?”
“You make me feel hopeful,” I confess, feeling goosebumps up and down my arms as he holds me again.
His warm lips brush my temple. “And you make me feel like everything in the world is right. Because so long as I have you in my arms, it is.”