Page 138 of Lethal Souls

Killian winces as he staggers. “My rib. It’s my fucking rib. I think it’s broken.”

“Here. Let me see.” I press a hand to his right rib, where it seems a bone is protruding.

Help me heal him, Yuri. Come on.

When the heat appears, Killian roars in pain, but the bone pops back in place.

He’s healed. Now duck.

I drop down with Killian just as a glowing red spear appears above us and shoots forward, jamming into the mouth of a winged creature.

“Keep it steady.” I look between Killian, Rowan, and Danica while we have a clear second. “I need to find Hassha.”

“We’re on it, brother.” Rowan raises his gun to unleash a round of bullets at an oncoming herd.

I fly upward, dodging creatures and searching for Hassha.

But as I fly, a wall appears in front of me. I turn, but another sprouts up. When two more appear and close me in, I raise a hand and send a beam of fire, but it doesn’t burn through it.

A roof forms, as well as a floor. I’m completely closed in. Sconces on the wall appear, flickering with blistering orange flames. My breaths are erratic as I look around, trying to figure a way out.

“Let’s see how great you are when you have to face your worst nightmare.” Selah’s voice thunders in the confines of these four walls, causing the flames to dance. Menacing shadows appear on the wall, and they soon merge.

I stand on the ground, wielding a sword and gun as the shadows seep to the floor and form into a figure. No, a person.

And not just any person.

With a thick black beard, beady black eyes, and pale skin, the man sneers at me, flashing one tooth made of rubies. He holds a club with spikes, and he slams it into the wall hard enough to make it crumble.

But just as quickly as it crumbles, it’s restored.

I raise my gun at the man I’ve wanted to kill with my own bare hands but was never given the chance to.

A man who caused me nothing but strife.

The man who killed my mother.

Magnus Harlow of Blackwater.

My father.

EIGHTY-THREE

CAZ

The spikes of Magnus’s club glint in the fire. Everything else is dark, but I see him clearly.

This is Selah, Yuri says. She’s using her mind games to stall. Don’t take the bait. Focus on the task at hand and leave this place.

I know the person before me isn’t my real father. That bastard died a long time ago, but he’s a spitting image of him, and that makes me want to kill him just for the fun of it.

“Still a pathetic piece of shit, I see.” Magnus steps toward me, his gray knuckles whitening around the club.

I raise my gun and pull the trigger, aiming for his head, but he blocks the bullet with the club.

He sneers again, head shaking. “Always was a shit shot.”

I clench my jaw, and when he snarls and stomps toward me, I unleash my sword and combat the swing of his club. He grunts as he swings again with murder in his eyes. I block again then kick him in the stomach. A heavy breath wooshes out of him, but he remains on his feet.