Katerina shuddered under his arm.
“So unnatural. At least if I cut off your head, you’d die.”
“Got to get to it first,” he chuckled, swiping his entire hand across her face like he was attempting to pet it. “It took me many tries with the ram-horned Mavka I caught recently. No matter what I did, he just wouldn’t die.”
I don’t know the ram-horned Duskwalker. But it didn’t matter, they’d tortured one. A creature with feelings and sentient thoughts. Both Orpheus and the Mavka had already shown Reia they didn’t like pain, and yet they had gone out of their way to hurt one just to discover how to kill them.
“Then, how?” Reia asked, eyeing the room with uncertainty. How were they planning to kill him?
She frowned when she saw her sword still lying on the ground. Yeah, that was not an endeavour she saw working out for her. Like a dog with a stick tied to its neck and piece of meat hanging off the other end, she knew she’d never reach it, no matter how hard she tried.
He leaned up and tapped his knuckles against the top of his head.
“I didn’t get the chance to try because the Witch Owl stole him from me – she’s a pesky little thing, always getting in the way. But, when I mentioned breaking his skull, his eyes turned white for the first time. That’s when I realised that if I cut off anything, it didn’t matter if their skull was still intact.”
I will crack your skull. Orpheus had threatened those words to the Mavka. I will shatter it. He’d threatened to kill him, and he’s eyes had gone white with fear.
What they were saying was true, and now she knew what they were planning to do.
Her gaze turned to Katerina who had a scheming look upon her grinning face, her teeth bared to show how large it was.
She hated Orpheus so much she wanted to kill him, and with the Demon King helping her, Reia didn’t see how he’d survive.
Shit, Orpheus. Turn back.
She had wanted him to come here and bring her home, but now that she knew they were planning to kill him, that they knew how to, dread settled in her gut like a heavy weighted ball. Her heart started racing in her veins, wondering how the hell they were supposed to survive this.
I can’t fight Jabez, he’d kill me within a second.
There would be nothing Reia could do to help if she didn’t want to die as well.
Jabez narrowed his eyes and pulled away from Katerina. His head tilted to the side when he stepped towards her.
“You have not smelt of fear from the moment I brought you here,” he said, twisting his head the other way as he examined Reia, who began backing up. “Why do you suddenly smell of it at the mention of his death?”
Oh, shit. Reia halted and lifted her chin up at him.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You can pretend, human, but you cannot hide it from me.” He started smacking his lips, licking across them with a wet tongue. “The Demons won’t be able to smell it, but I am the conjurer of the aroma spell and even if it isn’t strong, it doesn’t hide the scent of fear wafting from you now.”
She said nothing, staring up at him with her hands slowly clenching.
No matter how hard she tried to push down her emotions, her worry for Orpheus was too strong. She hadn’t feared for herself, but she feared for him.
He doesn’t deserve this.
“Reia?” Katerina asked softly, her dark brows creasing.
Reia turned her gaze to her instead, her teeth clenching so tightly she knew her jaw muscle had knotted. Her chest pumped in and out heavily but steadily.
“I don’t know what he’s talking about,” Reia said with a sneer in her voice. “I’m not afraid because of Orpheus dying. Why should I care? You know what he’s done.”
Katerina’s eyes darked as her lips thinned.
“Then why are you suddenly afraid?” Her tone was deep, like a warning to watch how she answered.
She couldn’t say she was suddenly afraid of being here, that would be too obvious.
“I’m worried I’ll get hurt in the process.”
Katerina’s features softened in understanding, but Jabez twisted his head once more.
“She’s lying. Her heart rate is spiking.”
His ears flickered like he was listening intently to Reia and what was happening beneath her skin.
Katerina’s face hardened once more.
“You don’t care for him, do you?”
“No,” Reia quickly answered, staring her in the eyes.
“That would be good,” Katerina laughed, her eyelids crinkling. “If it was true. You care for him. Him, a Duskwalker.” Her lips began to twist horribly, smearing her pretty face into something truly horrendous, her blue eyes turning icy. “You didn’t actually want to have sex with him, did you?”