Almost out of reflex, I closed my eyes and started concentrating.
My head started to pound as my body became more aware of the pain I was in.
However, my attempt to use my veil had worked, and I disappeared from sight only moments later.
Rolling to my feet, I gritted my teeth against the pain in my arm and moved to the door, freezing when a man stopped in front of it, blocking my exit.
“She’s around here somewhere,” the man said. “You need to get up off your ass and find her.”
That was directed towards my brother. Stupid asshole.
I was happy to see him still writhing in pain on the ground, almost gleeful, in fact.
“Seriously?” the man asked. “What do I pay you for?”
Charles grimaced in pain and lifted his knees up under his torso before pushing up to his haunches.
“Kill her,” he said gravely. “Fucking kill her. She’s ruined my life; she doesn’t deserve to live.”
How in the hell had I ruined his life?
I took a step backward and stepped wrong, bumping the small table at my side.
My hand automatically went out to stop the lamp from falling, but it was the one that had been broken upon my arrival, meaning I screamed.
Letting the lamp drop to the ground, I limped, slightly hunched over, to the side of the room, directly behind where my brother had managed to get to his feet, albeit pitifully.
My brother looked around the room frantically, almost as if he was waiting for me to beam him over the head any second.
And technically I would have…if I had something to use.
I wasn’t sure I could lift anything at this moment in time.
Instead, I sank down to my butt, letting my back slide against the wall until my backside met the cool tiled floor.
“Listen, Robert,” Charles said, a slight wheeze in his voice. “She’s not going to leave. Not with knowing who all is here. Let’s just get the good stuff started. She’ll show herself when she sees what we’re doing. She’s a nurse. Don’t they take oaths or something?”
I gritted my teeth and let my head fall down to my knees, my broken arm dangling uselessly at my side.
“Fine,” ugly Robert said. “I’ve got my stuff right here. I’ll take the geis off of him, and you can see how to do it for next time.”
My eyes widened in shock as they walked over to Merrick and picked him up by the arms, half dragging, half carrying him to the kitchen table that was only a few feet from my face.
I swallowed bile as they let his body flop down hard, his head hitting the table with a soft thud.
He was beyond feeling it.
His eyes weren’t even open, and I was fairly sure he was only a few minutes away from death’s door.
“Why are we taking this off of him?” Charles asked. “Wouldn’t it be easier if we let him die like this?”
“He won’t die with the geis on him. It’ll keep him alive just by the magic in the power object,” Robert answered, lifting up Merrick’s shirt and showing off the tattoo that was on his left side. “I weaved words into the ink, forming the image. Once the image and ink are gone from his skin, he will be able to die if you choose for him to.”
I leaned forward, curious how they were going to get rid of it.
I wasn’t left wondering.
Seconds after the thought crossed my brain, Robert pulled out a wicked looking blade, then sliced the skin right off of Merrick’s side.
The tattoo disappeared with the skin, and what was left was just a gaping hole from hip to ribs.
Blood welled, and the muscles of Merrick’s side were exposed by the horrific act.
“There,” Robert wiped the blade off on Merrick’s back. “That should be enough. I want my money.”
My brother pointed to the box that was on top of the kitchen counter, and Robert went directly to it, stopping only long enough to check that there was indeed money in it before he left, closing the door to the cabin softly behind him.
Something about the way he left so abruptly had me wondering why.
Why, when he’d spoken about his plans with my brother and then abruptly left meant there was a motive behind the act.
I didn’t know what, but I knew better than to show my hand.
I would wait, no matter what.
Nikolai would be here soon.
I knew it.
I could feel it.
My brother hissed, staring at Merrick, then he scanned the room.
“I’m going to fucking torture him until you show yourself,” Charles growled.
Then he did just that, and he didn’t stop at just Merrick.
He’d started in on the other dragon rider and Merrick’s sister when torturing him didn’t work.
Sickened, I prayed.
God, please hurry, Nikolai, I pleaded.
But he didn’t answer, and the worse was proven yet to come.