The creature climbs on top of me, ripping at my shirt as it gnashes its slimy teeth. I grip it by the throat, trying to shove it off, but it holds on tight. It grips me by the head, squealing, and as it does, my breath is sucked from my lungs. The sunken eyes of the creature transform into red crescents, and he stares into mine until the world around me goes black. Willow’s screams grow distant, and the creature disappears.
No longer am I in Kessel. What appears before me is the main room of my castle. It’s dark inside, and I can hardly see a thing. I push to a stand, my breath coming out in cloudy tufts as I peer around. The room has become a frozen wasteland, a thick layer of ice on the walls and furniture.
But that’s not what captures my attention. On the east wall ahead, just as they were before, is my family. They’re still wrapped in black vines, trapped in those icy cocoons. I take a step toward them as something rustles to my left.
Decius stands on the opposite side of the room with a sneer, but he’s not alone. Wrapped in his arms, a knife to her throat, is Della. Her eyes are full of dread as she looks directly at me.
“Della,” I call. I run across the room in an attempt to help her, but I don’t make it far. I come to a halt as the floor opens up before me, revealing a bottomless pit. The pit is too wide to jump. Decius’ cackle rattles the room, and he presses the blade deeper against Della’s throat.
“You’ve wasted too much of my time, Caspian. I’ve never had to wait this long for something owed to me. You avoided my vessels. Now you’ve run off to the Regals. Don’t you understand it by now? The Regals don’t give a damn about you or me because this is our fight, not theirs.”
The edge of the blade sinks deeper into Della’s flesh. Blood drips down her throat.
“Stop!” I shout. “Let her go right now! She has no part in this!”
“It’s okay, Mr. Harlow,” Della whispers, tears skidding down her cheeks. “You’ve done for me what no one else would have. You gave me purpose after so many losses. Perhaps my purpose has been fulfilled now. Protect your family. Protect your mate.” She attempts a smile, but it does nothing to conceal the sorrow.
“Decius,” I growl, my throat burning from unshed tears. “Let her go. She’s done nothing wrong.”
“No.” It’s a simple word. A mutter, really. I can hardly hear it, but I feel the venom of the word sinking into me like a weight. With one swift motion, he slices the center of Della’s throat.
“NO! DELLA!”
I watch in helpless horror as she drops to her knees, clutching her neck. She hits the floor sideways, blood trickling down her chest and spilling on the floor. Her blood crawls toward the pit, dribbling into infinite darkness.
Fists clenched, I carry my blurry gaze up to Decius who has his eyes pinned on me. “You have one hour to get to me,” he says, then he’s moving across the room toward my family. “Or next time, it won’t be the housemaiden. It’ll be someone even closer to you.” He stops in front of Maeve, and I have every urge to rush him, tackle him to the ground, but I’m useless here. I’m not really with him. He’s in my head, showing me what he’s doing through that disgusting creature.
“Perhaps Aunt Maeve will be next. She guides you, keeps a straight head on your shoulders. If I kill her, imagine how your cousins will feel. They’ll blame you forever, Caspian. For as long as they live and breathe. They’ll never forgive you for what you put them through.” His eyes flash blood red. “One hour, or I kill them all,” he snarls, and just like that, I’m back in Kessel.
I suck in a breath, coming face to face with Hassha who has her hands on my upper arms. The creature is gone, and her hands are a blazing blue. She must’ve killed it.
“What did you see?” Hassha demands, those bright eyes swirling with confusion.
Willow grabs my hand, helping me to a stand.
“How fast can you make the weapons?” I ask.
“Within twenty or thirty minutes if I have all my swordsmiths working,” she answers.
“Good. Because I only have one hour to save my family.”
