Alira’s eyes narrowed. She knew Renzo as the Ashvale’s Dusk supplier - wanted to capture him as badly as Kai wanted him dead. Rusk paid close attention - already calculating profits from the Dusk formula. Levi was unconcerned.

  Merek’s expression darkened. He now knew the name of the person who’d taken everything from him.

  Shadow settled near the prisoner - the dark wolf was a natural at intimidation.

  Kai’s suit was running on fumes. But he had enough personal essence reserves for a tactical attack.

  His heartbeat raced. Renzo was here. The prisoner had no reason to fabricate Renzo’s name. Kai studied the wounded man, his scrutiny bearing down on the one-armed child killer. Faint recognition dawned.

  He’d seen this man before, minus the red armour and facade of a soldier. The memory surfaced: leering grin, green cloak, Serpent Mob. That was all the confirmation he needed.

  Renzo was here.

  But why? Massacring a village contradicted coming for a meeting with Silas. Did he know Kai had survived? Well, partially survived - if he could call it that as an undead Demon.

  Or was he here for some other scheme? Dressing his underlings as Ashvale soldiers to execute some sinister plan.

  Did it matter?

  Renzo was here.

  It ruined their ambush plans, but revenge was still within reach. His gaze swept over the burning village. A smile crept onto his face. His crew of powerhouses could crush Renzo and his lieutenants.

  He wouldn’t waste this opportunity.

  Two ominous eyes hung in the sky, glaring down at the destruction. It vanished. A hallucination?

  A hopeful thought.

  Probably a Marked ability. Or something worse. None of the Serpent Mob’s lieutenants had an ability like that. Could be a villager fighting back. But if all the villagers weren’t dead or worse by now, they soon would be.

  Screams cut through the air - sounds of slaughter, not battle. Alira frowned.

  No time to chase ghosts. Kai’s face hardened as his gaze returned to the prisoner. He needed information. What was Renzo’s goal? Which Marked had he brought with him? How many soldiers?

  He needed to set the table before serving the bastard a cold plate of revenge. Before he could ask the next question, hooves struck stone.

  “We don’t have time for this,” Alira said. “Can’t you hear the screams? We can still save them.” She approached atop her Dark Horse.

  Kai shook his head. “The village is burning, but your father sends no aid. If the Lord with the soldiers sees the situation as a lost cause, what hope do you have?”

  Alira’s jaw tightened. “I’m worth more than any of those soldiers. My Curse alone could—”

  “You’re overestimating your Curse. You said it yourself - you can die.”

  “You’re underestimating me. Are you forgetting how easily I beat you in our First Trial?”

  Kai nodded. “I wasn’t trying to kill you. Was I?”

  “That’s not the point.”

  Only one way to save her from herself - break her. He loathed revealing his trump card, but she wouldn’t listen to reason. Wouldn’t follow orders while she thought she was invincible.

  He focused his soul essence inward. It spread across one of his soul bonds. He transmitted a simple command:

  Come.

  Dark mist poured from his chest. The red sky darkened.

  The formless black mist took shape. Solid yet insubstantial, an otherworldly contradiction. Wrong. Two legs in red armour, thick torso, two arms, a head with lifeless eyes and red hair.

  Silas.

  Alira’s eyes widened. The others fixed their gaze on the undead noble forming.

  Shadow didn’t even lift his head. The prisoner’s mouth hung open. Rusk studied the wraith like a merchant assessing wares. Levi shot Kai a small nod of recognition. Merek pressed his face into Alira’s chest.

  Alira grimaced. “Wha—? How? Why?”

  Kai met her confusion with a smile. “I’m Death God’s heir, remember? If your Curse is as powerful as you think…” He gestured to Silas. “Should be easy for you to beat him, right?”

  Her nostrils flared. “What’s the meaning of this?”

  He sighed. “This is for your own good Alira. Your Curse is powerful, true, but haven’t you wondered why it’s a Curse, not a Gift?”

  She snorted. “What does it matter?”

  “It matters.” His voice came out louder than intended. “You’re too reckless. Too confident your Curse will save you.” Silas took a step toward Alira.

  “If you can beat Flame Boy here, I’ll acknowledge your almighty Curse and run into that massacre without the information we sorely need.”

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  “Waste of time…” Alira said.

  “And if you can’t beat him before we question my old acquaintance,” Kai gestured toward the open-mouthed prisoner. “We’ll at least have a better chance killing the slimy bastard who burned the village.”

  “I refuse! We can still save—”

  “Who are you trying to fool? We don’t know how many soldiers there are, what Gifts they have, or why they’re here.” He placed a hand on the wraith’s shoulder. “You think you’re invincible. You’re not. I won’t let you run to your death.”

  Alira scoffed. “Won’t let me? Who do you think you are?”

  His jaw tightened. “Your father sits safe in his castle. He knows the village is a lost cause. A trap, even. Or is your father a cowardly fool?”

  She fell silent, gaze cold. Too stubborn to back down. Even when she knew she was wrong. Her sudden heroics were noble, but foolish.

  Growing up in a castle had sheltered her from harsh realities. A child who too often got her own way, unaccustomed to losing. But nobody beats death.

  Death always wins in the end.

  He pointed at Alira and commanded the malevolent wraith. “Kill her.”

  Alira drew her blade before he finished speaking. She vaulted from her mount and flew toward Kai. Silas conjured a flaming blade, stepping between them, intercepting her strike. Kai extended the space between the two combatants and himself.

  They stood at a distance, but still too close for comfort. He commanded Silas again. “Take her further away. Another sixty feet should do it.”

  Silas’s flaming blade shimmered and morphed into a hammer. He swung, and the air itself ignited. Alira moved to dodge. Kai contracted space. The hammer slammed against her armour, and she flew.

  The wraith burst into man-shaped flames and pursued her. Kai’s attention returned to the one-armed prisoner. Merrick stared, but didn’t speak. Alira’s Dark Horse glared at Kai with its crimson eyes.

  Hoofs struck stone. A contemptuous snort brought the Dark Horse back to its senses. Butcher stepped beside Kai, glaring at Nessie. Alira’s horse lowered its head in submission.

  “Wasn’t that a bit much?” Rusk said.

  Kai turned to find him working threads through his fingers. “Which part?”

  Rusk shrugged. “The ‘kill her’ part?”

  “The commoner has a point,” Levi added, sneering at Rusk.

  Kai exhaled slowly. “It’s for her own good. He won’t kill her. He’ll only slow her down and teach her a lesson.”

  Rusk shot him a questioning look. “Then why tell him to kill her?”

  “Because that’s the only way around her Curse - he must try to kill her. It messes with the cosmic laws somehow. Her Curse can’t, or won’t, affect Death’s intent. Whatever granted her Curse doesn’t dare oppose Death God.”

  “So her Curse is useless? Most fights are to the death.”

  He shook his head. “It’s not that simple. Her Curse probably comes into effect eventually. Like its taking turns - it allows Death’s intent to make its move. When she survives, it’s clear Death God doesn’t want her yet; then it activates. That’s my theory, anyway. She’s the only one who knows for certain.”

  Levi leaned in. “Like a ticking time-bomb until she wins?”

  Kai met his gaze. “Kinda, but her Curse doesn’t make her win. It prevents her losing. There’s a difference.”

  Rusk stroked his chin. “She needs to survive until her Curse kicks in?”

  “Something like that. She’ll be fine. Just a little pissed and burned.”

  “Still a bit much.”

  He scoffed. “Letting her gallop to her death is worse. This way…” His gaze swept over the distant collision of steel and flame. “He’ll stall her until we’re done here.”

  “And what if he kills the fair maiden?” Levi asked.

  “I’ll stop him before that happens.”

  “Ah!” Rusk said. “You can pinpoint the perfect timing before he delivers the killing blow. Impressive!”

  Kai’s jaw clenched. All bets were off if it came down to that. His focus locked on the trembling prisoner.

  The prisoner had just watched Kai summon death incarnate and target one of his own allies. Fear was the only rational response. If he’s ruthless enough to do that to his companion, what would he do to this helpless child-hunter?

  “Let’s finish this before she gets in any real danger,” Kai said.

  Back to work. “What’s your Gift?”

  Last time Kai had seen the bastard, he’d been a mundane foot soldier. But that meant little. Anything was possible if he was here in the Darklands.

  “I don’t have one,” the prisoner said.

  “Shadow,” Kai said.

  Shadow met the prisoner’s eyes, baring sharp, unrelenting fangs. He must’ve assumed it was time for intimidation duty.

  But Kai had another task for him. “Find his arm, bring it to me.”

  Shadow tilted his head.

  “Don’t you enjoy fetching things?” Kai said.

  The wolf snorted and padded away, returning moments later with the severed arm trapped between his jaws. He dropped the limb at Kai’s feet, tail wagging with muted enthusiasm.

  Shadow settled nearby, chin on paws, gaze fixed on the wide-eyed prisoner.

  Kai retrieved the arm and removed the gauntlet from the prisoner’s right hand. No Mark. He’d told the truth.

  Could never be too careful. Even when separated from his Mark and having his Gift suppressed, the prisoner could’ve launched a desperate strike. It’s what Kai would’ve done.

  He smiled and waved the severed arm at the prisoner. “Good. Keep telling the truth and you won’t lose the other arm.”

  Levi scoffed. Kai faced him. “Something to say?”

  “Torture,” Levi said. “Why not simply hypnotise the man and be done with it?”

  Kai gestured to the prisoner, who paled at both options. “Go ahead.”

  Levi’s gaze dropped to the ground. “Well, the sun...”

  “That’s what I thought,” Kai replied. “Without the luxury of a hypnotist who thrives in sunlight, this is what we’ve got.”

  Kai tossed the severed arm to Levi. “Here. Vampires need blood, don’t they?”

  The vampire caught it with ease and cleared his throat. “Thanks for the snack.”

  Levi’s fangs sank into the arm.

  Horror replaced fear in the prisoner’s eyes.

  “Wanna taste his other arm?” Kai asked.

  The slurping stopped. Levi, mouth full of flesh and blood, mumbled a response Kai translated to: “Yes, please.”

  The prisoner shivered. Kai’s smile widened. “Give it to me straight, and I’ll disappoint the obnoxious vampire.”

  A protesting snort reached Kai’s ears, followed by more slurping.

  “I—I’ll tell you whatever you wanna know.”

  Renzo wasn’t stupid enough to reveal his schemes to a mere underling. But a foot soldier still had intelligence worth extracting.

  Kai’s thumb caressed his silver ring. “How many soldiers did Renzo bring to the village?”

  The prisoner’s gaze locked on the ravenous vampire. Kai clicked his fingers, grabbing his wavering attention.

  “Thirteen, including me.”

  Manageable numbers, but worrying. A Lord cowering from thirteen soldiers meant serious strength.

  “How many Marked does he have with him?”

  “Four. Rest of us were there for clean-up.”

  Clean-up - slaying runaway children and helpless villagers.

  “Which lieutenants?”

  The prisoner bit his lip. Kai nodded at Rusk. “The foot.”

  Rusk’s hand jerked. The prisoner’s foot came free. Blood flowed.

  The prisoner screamed. Levi’s hungry eyes focused on the leaking blood, the greying arm still in his mouth.

  The blood rose, surging into Kai’s suit.

  “Take care of the wound, please, Rusk,” Kai said.

  “I’m getting good at this,” Rusk replied, a joyful smile on his lips as his threads closed the wound they’d created.

  Kai retrieved the foot and lobbed it at the vampire. More slurping noises.

  “Time’s short,” he said. “And you don’t have many more body parts.”

  The prisoner’s scream turned into pitiful sobs.

  Kai shook his head. “I still want an answer. I won’t wait.”

  The prisoner coughed out his response, wincing in pain. “H—he brought the Carver Mob’s lieutenants. All three.”

  Kai knew little about the Carver Mob’s lieutenants. More bad news, and the math was off.

  The prisoner kept talking. “And something worse.”

  Kai’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

  The prisoner grimaced. “A monster with a Gift.”

  Kai sighed.

  Renzo can control monsters?

  His quick and easy victory looked more like a pipe dream.

  The prisoner continued. “But the scary part is—” He gritted his teeth. “The monster used to be Dakas.”

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