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CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

Ryker

When Ivan’s eyes narrowed on the captives, some of them started sobbing. I didn’t show any sympathy for them, but it churned within me.

They’d created this fate for themselves, but I’d also created my fate when I entered Doomed Valley to search for Leo. I’d known there would be risks, but I’d believed I could defeat anything to save him. In the end, I paid for my hubris at the hands of the ophidians.

Yes, these prisoners had killed innocents in their attempt to break free of the invisible chains binding them, but they were all seeking to do the same thing as me, Ellery, Tucker, and Ianto. They just weren’t good at planning a rebellion.

And why should they be? They’d spent most of their lives waiting on others and avoiding beatings.

Unfortunately, they’d decided to rebel against the earl and Ivan right after we robbed the king. He would make them pay for it.

I couldn’t leave them to the fate I’d created for them, but I didn’t know how to break them free of it. Their deaths will save many lives.

And while that was true, I knew I couldn’t let them suffer through whatever torment Ivan bestowed on them.

“We’ll take them through every town,” Ivan stated. “We’ll put them in pillories and whip them until nothing of their flesh remains. We’ll leave them there for however long it takes for them to heal while letting the animals and bugs eat them. We’ll make everyone in the towns watch; make them see .

“Once they heal, we’ll move them to the next town and do it again. In every town, we’ll cut off a piece or two of them before parading them through the other towns until nothing remains. I’ll teach these fucking rats to steal from me. I’ll teach them to rebel against me. ”

Even my father looked impressed by Ivan’s malicious plan while my stomach churned at the future of these poor souls. More of the captured started sobbing.

One of them threw themselves forward. Chained to the others, he dragged some servants with him. Tears and snot streaked his face as he pleaded for mercy, but that mercy would only fall on deaf ears.

I grasped the man’s collar and yanked him back to his knees. “You’ll find no mercy here.”

All he’d succeeded in doing was humiliating himself, but he didn’t care as words continued to spill from his mouth. Repulsed by his weakness, I released his shirt.

I understood their terror; I’d lived with it throughout certain stages of my life, but this was unacceptable.

“I think it’s a great plan, Your Highness,” Samael said as he came to stand beside me. “If you’d like, I can arrange for the tour to start tomorrow.”

“I would like that very much, Samael.”

Samael bowed to Ivan before turning to me. “That was a crazy night.”

“It was.”

“I’m glad to see you made it out.”

“You, also.”

We both said the words, but neither of us meant them.