Chapter 16 Thayla #2
My face falls and my throat closes at his flirty smile and energetic laugh that rings in my ears. The phantom caress of his fingers skimming across my bare chest as we lie in my bed makes my heart feel like it’s being squeezed to death.
We’re really in Hell.
I’m about to have to fight for our lives and I won’t die as long as they find me. When and if they find me. But what about Yemi?
If there’s one thing I’ve perfected over the years, it’s the ability to shove shit to the back of my mind and fake it however I need to, to be okay. Right now, I’m finding that to be impossible as the noise continues to get louder.
Up until this point, isolated in our quiet bubble, I’ve been able to think clearly. I could focus on whatever came out of Sevryn’s mouth. The reality of the situation we’ve found ourselves in is becoming too real. The thoughts of them and Yemi are only making it worse.
What if I can’t protect her while we wait?
What if the guys don’t get here in time?
What if my soul can’t pull them all the way here? What if V can’t hear me even past the barrier, so he won’t be able to warn them?
What if I never hear Kyzen’s laugh again, feel Amick’s lips on my forehead, better yet, our first real kiss? More than that.
What if I never get to tell Creed I know the truth and I don’t fear him? I’ll never fear him or judge him for whatever he’s had to do.
What if I never get to tell Riven that I know he plays this back-and-forth shit with me because he’s scared of both rejection and commitment, but I’ll never reject or try to change him?
“I won’t make any more comments about it.”
Worry and guilt fill her face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
“No, don’t apologize. I know it was just a joke, and I shouldn’t have been making comments that make this uncomfortable for you. Also, after we get out of this, your awkward situations will probably get worse because I’ll never tell Kyzen to tone down his flirting ever again.”
She gives me a lovey-dovey smile that I try to scoff at, but instead, I end up choking on emotion that tries to break free. To both our surprise, I pull her into a hug and hold her tight.
“Listen to me, Yem, no matter what happens out here, you use your power on yourself. Don’t try to split it between us and protect me.
I’m going to be fine as soon as they get here.
And they will get here. Seven against three is going to leave me focused on who is attacking us, so you focus on you entirely. Whatever you have to do. Swear to me.”
“That’s not…Thayla, I have to protect you. It’s my—”
“It’s not your fucking job and don’t even say that. You are my friend above all else and I’m sorry it’s taking us being in this situation for me to verbally tell you that. But I’m so serious right now. Fuck the rules. The rules don’t apply in Hell. Swear to me you’ll protect yourself. Please.”
She’s silent and still for too long. I squeeze her tighter as my ball of emotion continues to drag itself up my throat.
“I swear.”
My muscles deflate and so do hers. When I pull back and look at her, her golden eyes are full to the brim with tears, but she’s holding them back with all her might. I give her a tense nod.
Sevryn has moved closer and one wrong twitch of my hand will end up grazing his ass, so I take a small step away.
Unfortunately, there’s movement and my wandering attention falls behind Yemi’s head, right where Dimitri and six other men are lined up at the bars, staring at us.
“I was wondering how long it’d take you to pay us attention, beautiful. Come on over here. I want to get a good look at you before I get my hands on you.”
It’s as though Dimitri’s voice has called the attention of every being down here. The curses and threats were easy enough to tune out since they weren’t directed right at us. It seemed everyone in here but the three of us huddled together was enjoying the thrill of riling each other up.
His calm, almost teasing comment has silence engulfing every cell. Like those two sentences hold a more deadly serious threat than anything else uttered.
“Leave her be.”
“Now, now, Sevryn. Haven’t you learned your lesson about growing sentimental toward your teammates? How has judging them first by their crimes helped with the survivor’s guilt?” His laugh is ruthless.
“What does that mean?” Yemi whispers, and Sevryn’s shoulders bunch up.
“My level of help in the fight depends on the being’s crime. No sense feeling like shit over the death of a rapist.”
I understand the sentiment. I kind of like it, actually. I bet it does help him sleep at night when he’s alone in here after fighting.
“That’s why you asked us. You were weighing how much you were willing to help.”
He grunts and my attention moves back to Dimitri. I give Yemi’s arm a squeeze as I slide by her. She attempts to pull me back, but I tug my arm free.
His smirk slithers all over me and his disgusting interest has my nostrils flaring. I’m not dumb enough to get too close, and he knows that. He chuckles as I stop with a good five-foot gap between myself and the bars.
“You are a stunning little thing. I can’t imagine what you must have done to end up here. Ready to tell me your name now?”
I eye him and the men surrounding him. They’re all evil in my mind but call me curious. “I’ll tell you my name if you tell me your crimes.”
He throws his head back, laughing, and his teammates join in on the horrifying symphony.
“What do you need to know that for, sweetheart? It doesn’t change the outcome of what’s about to happen.”
I shrug. “Just trying to get to know the man who plans on killing me. You know, makes it personal.”
He chuckles again, wiggling his finger at me playfully.
“I knew I liked you. You spunky goddesses have always been my type. Unfortunately, that’s what landed me in here.
See, my soon-to-be wife caught me down at Seductions again and threatened to leave me.
I’m a man with a hungry appetite and I have to eat to get full, you know what I mean? ”
I don’t know what Seductions is, but I’m pretty sure I know what he’s getting at.
He grunts at my silence and carries on. “She always knew that, and it shouldn’t have been a surprise, but imagine my surprise when I came home and found her and her whole family packing her shit.
I tried to be civil and talk it out with her, but her brothers continued to butt in.
So I did the logical thing and killed them. ”
It takes me a minute to process his words. He said them with such justification, my mind takes a moment to realize he’s talking about cold-blooded murder.
“You killed her brothers for stepping in between you and their sister?”
“Oh, not just them. Her whole family. Mom, Dad, two brothers, an uncle, a cousin, maybe that was her aunt. I’m not sure. I told her when I get out, I’d be all she had, and we could make a family of our own.”
I’m standing in front of a true psycho.
I tease and pick on Riven, granted he has some tendencies, but he’d never do something such as this. This is pure, unfiltered, no conscience-having evil. In the flesh.
Oh my gods, that poor woman. She’s out there alone, living with the fact her entire family was murdered by this man, and she probably doesn’t have the slightest idea he’s one step away from being free.
One step…killing us.
“Thayla Godrun,” I tell him, then turn on my heels before my rage has me wrapping my hand around his neck.
“Beautiful name. I’ll make sure to whisper it tenderly and hold you as you take your last breath.”
Fucking psychopath.
“What were you thinking?” Sevryn scolds as I walk up.
“Trying out your method. Taking a life is rough, even if yours depends on it. It’ll definitely make it easier knowing I’m killing a fucking monster.”
He stares at me, stunned for a brief moment, then whirls around and I lace my fingers through Yemi’s as the cell bars slide open. The same guard who came and visited him a moment ago is waiting on the other side and it looks like there’s a handful at every other cell.
We stay right on Sevryn’s ass as he starts walking forward and my heart hammers against my ribs as everyone starts moving.
The guard doesn’t say anything, even as he lays his hands against our shackles and makes them disappear. There’s pity in his eyes as he watches me rub my wrists, but other than that…nothing.
If I thought the noise in the cells was ridiculous, the sound floating back to us through this dimly lit hallway is deafening. Dust falls from the black ceiling above us and vibrations pass through the walls to the floor and into my feet.
An echo thuds in my ears in sync with the chants and cheers. A collective energy pours through the open archway, causing the hair on my arms to stand. Our feet stop moving at the threshold and I choke down a gasp.
Gods and Goddesses fill the seats above the large circular arena. The dirt that cushions the ground is a mixture of shades.
The dark brown spots, I know, are bloodstains.
It’s a daunting reminder that many have died here and many more are about to join those who fell before them. Swords, spears, daggers, and various other weapons are scattered everywhere, but there are no bodies or beings.
My fists tremble as I gaze directly across from me. There are others standing right at the edge of their opening just as I am. Their eyes scan what I assume are more arches around me, yet they don’t move forward anymore.
I raise my shaky hand, and as I suspected, it lands against something solid but unseen.
Just like the Holding in the Court.
The whole Judgment Ring is a mimicry of the Court.
“We can’t pass through here until they let us, right?”
“Yeah.”
A loud voice rings out, but I can’t make out the muffled words even though whatever they’re saying silences the energetic crowd.
“How does this work? We’re going to step out, and Dimitri and his people attack or what?” I ask.