Page 127 of Degradation

The darkness that embraces me. The darkness that loves me.

Devin

Blood spurts out as I make a beautifully deep slice into his chest.

My breaths are measured, my heart is a steady drumbeat of anticipation.

Dustin’s eyes are wide, pleading, as he looks up at me from the chair he’s bound to. The ropes cut into his skin, adding to the tapestry of terror etched upon his face. I can see his mind racing, searching for a way out, a lifeline to grasp onto.

“Devin, please,” he begs, his voice cracking like a whip against the silence. “We can make this right. Magnus is a forgiving man. You’re his brother, we can reconcile.”

A laugh bubbles up from deep within me, a sound so foreign and yet so fitting in this chamber of horrors. Is he mad? Does he truly believe I’m naïve or desperate enough to fall for such a blatant lie? Magnus’s forgiveness is a mirage, a cruel trick of the light.

There is no reconciliation for me. No path back to the warmth of family or the comfort of brotherhood.

“You think I’m stupid, Dustin?” I lean in close, my voice a blade sliding against his ear. “You think I haven’t seen the rot at the core of our little family? Now, I know you know where Paitlyn is.”

His denials spill forth like a broken dam, each word a feeble attempt to try to convince me that I’m the one lying here. But I know my brothers too well. Know Conrad far too well. Stupid bastard wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut. And with Magnus preoccupied with become Chapter Lord, he would have needed him to step up.

Stupid fucks, it’s like they wanted to make this easy for me. Like they laid out a load of breadcrumbs and waited for me to find them.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Devin. I swear it.”

With a swift, practiced motion, I raise the knife again. The steel catches the dim light, revealing the smattering of blood that’s already covering the surface.

“Don’t.” he screams, but his protests are nothing more than the buzzing of a fly to me.

I am focused; I am fucking relentless.

“I know Conrad knows too.” I say. “Tell me where she is, and all of this ends…”

He sobs, shaking his head.

“Should I go back to Oblivion, walk right in and get Conrad’s little wife? I could string her up right beside you. I’m sure she’d be easier to carry away, what with her useless legs and all….”

Dustin’s face contorts with anger now, a flicker of defiance amidst the fear. “You’re a monster.” He spits out, blood flecking his lips.

“Perhaps,” I concede with a shrug, pressing the blade gently against his cheek, just enough to draw a single bead of blood. “But even monsters have their uses. Now, tell me where she is, Dustin. Tell me if you want to live.”

The room is silent for a moment. I hold my breath waiting for him to speak, only he just cries more.

“I can’t.” He whispers, a tear mingling with the blood on his face. “They’ll kill me.”

Like I won’t. Like he doesn’t know I’m just as bad as my brothers, just as ruthless, and the difference is, I have nothing to lose now, nothing at all.

I drag the knife over his flesh, slowly peeling away a nice little layer on his chest.

He screams and he struggles but he can’t do shit to stop me.

“Say the words, Dustin.” I mutter. “Tell me what I need to hear, and all of this will be over. All this pain will go.”

He whimpers, pleads, begs as I continue to strip away layer after layer. His blood turns sticky, it makes the handle hard to hold but that only results in my fingers slipping and me cutting him a little deeper than I intend.

I can do this all night. I can do this all fucking week if I have to.

Only, Dustin doesn’t have a week. I doubt he’s got until sunrise.

His eyes roll back in his head, he looks like he’s about to pass on and I give him a good hard slap around his face. Fucker is not dying yet, not until I get what I need.