Page 182 of Dissection of Immortal Hearts

The Queen pointed at something with the knife. “Then who is this interloper, playing cat and mouse with the Commander?”

Amelia turned her head to follow the Queen’s gaze. In the grass near the barrier, the masked figure was fighting a man. They all observed the scene unfolding in the distance. The masked figure struck relentlessly, but the other man dodged every attack, ducking, leaping backwards, or slipping sideways to avoid the blows.

“Where are the Chosen?” the Queen demanded, her voice sharp.

“At their posts, Your Majesty, guarding the gathered hearts,” Sevar said.

“Send one of the Chosen to assist the Commander!”

“There’s no need, Your Majesty. Everything’s under control.”

The Queen’s eyes narrowed, and she glanced over Amelia’s shoulder at Sevar. “I saidsendsomeone.”

Sevar’s claws dug deeper into Amelia’s shoulders, gripping the fabric of her shirt. “As I said, everything is under control,” he repeated, his voice unyielding.

Several gunshots rang out above the screams, causing everyone to turn their attention to the fight near the wall. A pink object shattered into fragments, scattering across the grass. The unidentified man broke away, running towards the centre of the courtyard.

The energy in the air shifted, as if a pressure was lifting from the courtyard.

“Under control, is it?!” the Queen’s voice leapt up in fury. “The barrier has fallen! If they think they can stop me from taking the hearts, they’re gravely mistaken. Order the Chosen to attack!”

Amelia couldn’t tear her eyes away from the man who’d brought down the barrier with his shots.

It was Viktor.

***

Viktor

The masked figure grew increasingly enraged with each passing second that he failed to catch him. Viktor’s entire body was numb from the exertion, his heart pounding in his ears. Dizziness threatened to overwhelm him as he baited his pursuer, but the surge of adrenaline flowing through him was intoxicating. His inner spirit had to be alive – he could almost feel it stirring within his soul.

He still didn’t know whether he’d succeeded in knocking down the barrier. He’d fired all his bullets at the stone, but had it worked?

The pursuer caught up with him, tackling him to the ground. Viktor was a large man, but the other was bigger, and the collision forced the air from his lungs. His heart pounded even harder.

Come on!he willed the wolf.

The masked figure tried to pin him down with his weight, but Viktor slipped free and flipped him over. With frenzied energy, he started raining blows on the mask. He couldn’t see the damage his fists were causing, but the scent of blood filled his nostrils.

The moment his opponent stilled, Viktor ripped the mask off his face and hurled it into the grass. He would retrieve it later to present to Presiyan. The real Tribunal leader would appreciate the blood-soaked interior.

Then he resumed his assault. Every punch landed with the force of stolen time – of nights he’d lost with the woman heloved, of the child he’d never held. Of years spent in anger and violence. Of the victims he’d gutted in his gluttonous thirst for blood. Of Rafael, who had inked the symbols on his back. Of the times he had tried to be someone else, ashamed of who he was inside. Of the restrictions he had placed on Alex and Grigor – especially Alex – deluding himself that he was protecting her, only to rob her of the joys of her early life. Most of all, each strike carried the weight of centuries of self-hatred for something that wasn’t his fault.

When his blows ceased, the man underneath him lay motionless.

The ground trembled with the roar of rushing footsteps. Viktor glanced towards the central gate. Creatures were flooding through. He had done it! The barrier was down!

The flurry of wings drowned out the sound of footsteps, accompanied by the grating caws of harpies. Screams of battle erupted in the courtyard as Viktor tried once more to transform.

A growl echoed nearby. Although he knew it wasn’t from his own throat, for a fleeting moment, he thought the wolf was back.

The masked figure stirred. He was a lycanthrope, just like Viktor, but unlike Viktor, hehadcontrol over his inner spirit. And he was transforming.

A clawed paw lashed out at Viktor’s face. He dodged the first swipe, but the second struck its mark. Searing pain tore across his cheek and lips. He smelt his own blood, then tasted it in his mouth.

The lycanthrope pushed him to the ground. Viktor struggled to crawl away, but a massive paw pinned him down. Jaws gaped above him, and saliva mixed with blood dripped onto his face.

Come on!he screamed in his mind, lacking the air to voice it.