I pleaded for Lady Tina to help him.
She stood shocked, face pale, lips trembling.
I cried for Caleb to make it stop.
He had a smile on his face.
“Sam?” Ryan said again, sounding like he was choking.
“Shh,” I said, face wet. “Don’t talk. It’s okay. It’s okay, sweetheart. It’ll all be okay. I promise. I promise you, okay? You just gotta give me a moment. I’ll get us out of here.”
“Hurts, Sam.”
“I know,” I said, voice breaking. “I know it does. But I need you to be brave for me. I need you to be strong.”
“You… can’t… I…. Sam.” His head rocked back as more blood spilled from his mouth. “Sam, Sam, ah gods, Sam.”
“You bastards,” I bellowed at the others in the room. “I’ll kill you. Do you hear me? I’m going to fucking kill you all.”
“What have you done?” Lady Tina whispered.
“What was necessary,” Ruv said with a sigh. He stretched his neck from side to side.
“You… you promised me,” she said, taking a step back. “You told me that Ryan would be safe. That he would be free.”
“He’ll be dead soon,” Ruv said. “Free from the shackles of this life. And his death will be the catalyst needed to send this world spiraling into darkness.”
“You promised me!” she exclaimed shrilly. “You said—”
He had her pressed against the fireplace, hand around her throat, before she could continue.
“I grow weary of the sound of your voice,” Ruv said, nose trailing along her cheek. “There are much bigger things at work here than your precious games, little girl. Things that you couldn’t even possibly imagine. If I were you, I would be on my knees thanking the gods that you still draw breath.” His fingers tightened, and she whimpered. “Now. Because you have provided such a valuable service in assisting the downfall of Sam of Wilds, I will spare your life. Leave here, without another word, and you will live to see another day. One peep from you, my dear, and you will join your beloved Knight Commander with your blood on the floor.”
He took a step back, hand dropping from her neck.
Lady Tina sobbed quietly. She looked at Ryan, who was losing his battle with consciousness, then at me.
“You don’t want me to get out of here,” I told her, voice hoarse. “Because I will come for you.”
She nodded.
And then ran from the house, the door slamming shut behind her.
“Sam.”
“No,” I moaned. “Save your strength. Please. Just—”
“Need you… to listen. You remember? What I told you.” He coughed weakly. “At the top of the keep.”
I shook my head. “Don’t you do this. Don’t you fucking say goodbye to me. You hear me? Ryan. Don’t you fucking do this!”
“I told you… that I wished for nothing… more than you.”
“Ryan.”
He smiled a bloody smile. “Still mean it.”
And then his eyes slipped shut, his head slumping forward.