Emery laid in bed, resting peacefully as he could despite the current state he was in. Black and blue eyes, his ribs broken, and not to mention the poison that coursed through his veins thanks to Riley. Kat looked over him and for once in her life she felt helpless. There was a burning anger that she had never felt before, it was unlike anything else. She could feel her heartbeat pounding in her throat and the longer she stared at her twin the more she thought about killing someone. Fingers curled against the the sheet Emery slept on, balling it into a tight fist. “I’m going to make this right,” she promised him.
She moved to leave the small hospice that was in Booty Bay and Cerothyn was waiting for her outside of it. “Katlinne-”
“Do not speak to me,” she instantly laughed, though it was far from humorous. She was trying to keep herself composed and Cerothyn wouldn’t listen. He knew her anger all too well, that was what frightened him more than anything in this moment. She was more like him than she wanted to be and he could already tell she was about to do something reckless. A hand grasped her shoulder to force her to look at him and she went to swing. He caught it in his fist and shook his head.
“You already hit me once, lass. Don’t think I’m going to let you land another so soon,” he chided. “You can’t go after him.”
“The hell I can’t. Look at him! If you gave a shit about your son you would be going after him too.”
“It’s not that simple,” he said, pain lacing his tone.
“Maybe not for you.” She jerked out of his hold and moved to leave again.
“Kat he will kill you! Be smart about this.”
Riley waited patiently in the spot he had whispered to Katlinne, he knew the fiery blonde would show. Rielen had told him to send a message to Cerothyn now that Camsyn had received his and so he did, picking on the weak and luring out the other now that he had learned of her. Emery had opened his mouth to Riley, unknowing that he was giving the wrong uncle information about he and his sister. He almost felt bad for the poor kid, but it was strictly business after all. He heard a crunch of a stick and a smile formed across his features, “ah, the mysterious one has arrived.”
Katlinne had never killed someone, gods and she couldn’t believe she was really going to try. She had been trained for it but never before had she wanted to take a life, she knew though that she wanted to kill Riley. Blinded by anger she instantly lunged for him, vanishing into the darkness and reappearing behind him. Riley was no fool, the moment she disappeared he turned to face her and took the tip of her blade into his stomach as his hand caught her wrist. He used his force to push her backwards, his leg catching hers to topple her over.
She was quick to roll when he tried to send a kick, doing her best to get back to her feet. It wasn’t quick enough, however, and she felt a sharp jerk by her hair as he pulled her up. He sent a punch to her stomach, she felt the wind sharply leave her body and disorient her. As she tried tried to go for his face, anything, to get out of his hold he hit her again. Kat stumbled backwards and tried to get back up but this time she was kicked. “Stay,” he said smugly and lowered himself to her level. “Do you really think you would be able to beat someone like me, darling? It’s really unfair, I’m a lot older than you are.”
Her lip twitched and she sent a fist flying right for that god awful mouth. She wanted him to shut up, to eat his very words, and she reached for a blade again. It drove into his side much to his surprise and Kat felt her heart freeze within her chest for a split moment. It wasn’t a killing blow and she knew this, she knew this would only cause him to come unhinged with anger. She ripped the blade free and as she went for his throat he was already on top of her. His weight crushed her beneath him and she let out a coughed breath from the sudden impact. His fist connected to her face, once. Twice. She felt her consciousness slipping and all she could think about was Emery. “I told you, you wouldn’t win.”
“I didn’t plan on it,” she said with a bloodied smile. Her blade fell to the ground and as Riley looked at it, he felt the sickening realization that she had poisoned him. Katlinne was met with the brunt end of his dagger against her head to knock her out cold and her body was scooped up in his arms. He now had to make it back to his father, and this time, with a gift.















