Page 18 of Unraveled (A Kingdom of Beasts and Ruins #1)

A beast’s screech echoes from the hall outside the office. It’s not too close yet, I hope, but the sound alone sends a rush of adrenaline through my veins all the same.

Ash is losing blood too quickly, and he must realize it because he allows me to unravel the spell binding the white beast to the ground.

“I must have gone mad,” I mutter under my breath, extending my fingers over the glowing stone of my mother’s necklace, pulling at the threads of magic like I have been for the last ten minutes.

They both ignore me, something they’re quite good at doing. Ash leans against the backrest of a green couch. He is too quiet, and that alone is unsettling.

“Do you even know what kind of magic you used, or do you make a habit of doing things you don’t understand?” Nera glares at me as she struggles briefly with the tightening ropes of light, though they keep her from moving much.

I press my lips tight and try to smother the guilt churning through me by welcoming the healthy dose of annoyance that replaces it. “Had I not done it, you would’ve killed your brother.”

I know they’re siblings with a certainty I don’t have about anything else right now. And while neither of them told me so, being this close to Nera allows me to see the similarities in their features, especially now that she isn’t trying to kill me.

They have the same proud mouth, a thick lower lip, and elegant brows. Their eyes are enormous and equally breathtaking, with a metallic shine that makes them each feel like a piece of prized jewelry.

“I wasn’t going to kill him...” She sounds defensive but unsure. Her eyes cut to Ash, whose face tilts to the ceiling as he breathes slowly. I try to ignore the pool of blood staining the elegant green velvet of the seat.

“Perhaps next time, don’t steal other people’s belongings, and you won’t be under such a spell.” I glance down at my mother’s amulet, which still rests on Nera’s chest.

No matter how many times Ash or I have tried to retrieve it in the last half hour, it’s like the silver chain has become a part of Nera.

“It wasn’t her fault.” Ash finally breaks his silence, though the deep rumble of his voice sounds weak and unlike himself, at least what I’ve seen of him.

He opens his eyes slowly, and his brow furrows as he shifts his weight on the couch.

“She was in a magic-induced slumber, and while in it, the stone was likely alluring to her. Are you able to unravel the spell to set her free?”

“Well, I’ve never used magic like this before. I don’t know how to undo it...” Heat flares in my cheeks at my admission. Honestly, I don’t know what’s worse, admitting I acted rashly to save my enemy or that I don’t know what the hell I’m doing with my magic.

“I knew it,” Nera groans, and lets her head hit the hard floor twice.

“Somehow, you undid the enchantment that was supposed to keep you inside your room.” Ash’s expression heats with annoyance as he stares at me, unblinking. “How did you get out, Monster? I know Naheli wasn’t with you this time.”

I pull my hands away from where they hover over Nera’s chest. I could admit I used the roses and whatever power coursed through them. But if he’s planning on locking me back in that room, I don’t want him to know how I did it and take away whatever little freedom I gained.

All this time I’ve thought that my amulet lent me power, or the grimoires, or the roses. What if it wasn’t those things, but me, all along? Unraveling a spell feels like cutting fabric with very sharp, small shears. I could try to do the same now, even if the amulet refuses to come with me.

“How do I know she won’t attack us again once she’s free?” It’s a fair question, and not one we’ve discussed yet.

“I can’t be sure, but I can guarantee you I’ll put her to sleep if I see her reverting.” Ash waves a bloodied hand in Nera’s general direction, who glowers at me. She always looked beautiful, like a perfectly carved sculpture, and now her beastly features have receded somewhat.

I’m still not sure . . .

“Look, she’s out of her feral state, and I haven’t seen a beast lose their mind unless we are closer to the next blood moon. We should be fine for now.”

I study his face, looking for lies hiding in plain sight, but find nothing.

While I don’t trust the king of beasts, I also know he’s bleeding on that couch because he saved me.

I doubt he’d lie and have me killed for nothing.

I nod and resume what I was attempting before.

Except this time, my heart is beating slower.

I feel myself settle down, my weight lighter upon my thighs as I let my eyes close.

Ignoring Nera’s sharp words and glares helps, and the familiar tug of magic from the stone calls to me. I focus on that power, on how it hovers beneath my fingers, pulling them down and embracing them like lukewarm water.

Hello, dear old friend , I say to the amulet in my head, remembering all the years I’ve worn it under the layers of my librarian’s cloak, how it led me to the forbidden grimoires and alerted me when others were coming.

It hums its response, but while it greets me, I can feel deep in my bones its reluctance to come with me. To let go of Nera. It desires to remain with her.

My eyes prickle as emotions swirl inside me, twisting in my gut. I promised Father I would protect this jewelry. That I would keep it with me always. But right now, I’m not sure it belongs to me anymore...

“What’s happening?” Ash’s voice breaks through the chaos in my mind.

I don’t trust my voice to not break if I dare to speak, so instead I clear my throat and ask the necklace to release the ropes around Nera and let her go.

It doesn’t take long for the enchantment to tear around my fingers. The warmth of my old amulet retreats, and when I open my eyes, the red swirls around Nera’s body snap and loosen, like an elastic that has stretched too thin.

Nera sits, rubbing each thin wrist with the other hand.

Her long nails crawl over the stone of her skin, and the scraping noise pebbles my skin with gooseflesh.

I rush to my feet and take a long step away from her, feeling exposed as two predators’ eyes follow me and without my traitorous necklace for help.

“I won’t hurt you, human,” she says, and gets off the ground, completely dismissing me. She’s at least half a head taller than I am and tests the movement of her wings before stepping toward Ash. “Can you fly? Walk? We need to get you to Finley, now. He’ll know what to do.”

“He isn’t here, Nera, and it takes more than a stab wound to kill me,” Ash growls, pushing her hand away. “Take Monster to my room. She isn’t safe here.”

“It isn’t just a stab wound, Ash. You well know a lunargyre’s claw is poison, especially to you. If Finley isn’t here, then I have to get you the potion, right? You need it.”

“I said I’m fine.” Ash stands with one fluid motion. His face shifts from pale to sickly green, and his skin shines with sweat. “See?”

“You look half dead now. Congratulations, brother.”

“Help me get the human into my room, then when she’s safe, get the potion from Finley’s study and bring it to me.”

“Have you seen the amount of blood you’ve lost?

You know well I can’t help you with bandages, much less sew you up.

If you’re unconscious and can’t suture yourself, then you’ll bleed out before I get back with the potion.

A human life is not more important than yours,” Nera says, panic coloring her tone.

Her eyes shift to me and narrow briefly. “No offense.”

“None taken. I’m not a king...” I shrug, and my dark hair sticks to my sweaty skin. It’s sweltering in this room, humid, and the scent of blood claws at my nostrils. “I—can help?”

I don’t know why I’m so worried about him. My hate for him still lingers in my heart. But guilt feels stronger now, and I can’t help but think he’s in this position because of my actions.

Sure, he took me from Penumbra, but I attacked him first. He warned me to not leave the room, and I did anyway.

Not that I regret trying to escape or save Irene.

But that doesn’t take away the fact that he’s bleeding, apparently poisoned by the same venom that almost killed me days ago. Because of me.

Ash tilts his body forward, his lips hovering near Nera’s face as he whispers something I can’t hear. Nera’s brows lift as her eyes meet mine, and her face softens, like she’s seeing me for the first time.

Curiosity morphs features carved in stone, mirroring my own.

What did he say to her?

“What’s your name, human? I bet it’s not Monster, like Ash has been calling you.”

“It’s Mia.”

“Well, Mia. It seems I can’t leave you here, for your human scent will attract the lunargyres to you. It’s why I rose from my slumber.” She shakes her head as if it’s clouded, and I wonder if I should be worried about her reverting to the mindless beast she was before.

What did she look like when she was made of flesh and bone? The curse seems to affect everyone in different ways. “What did you tell her, Ash?”

“That you know where our stolen grimoires are and can use fae magic,” he says, still pressing one open palm to his bleeding chest.

“Right...” Nera’s eyes cut to him, a crease appearing between her brows.

A strange sight for a being made of marble to change so drastically, like she’s being sculpted right in front of my eyes.

A sigh leaves her hard lips. “Let’s get you both into his room, then you can help me with his bandages. ”

“I don’t know much about healing, much less anything with poison,” I admit, feeling overwhelmed by Ash’s complexion and the pools of gold blood everywhere.

Nera glances down at her hands and her long nails that are still stained with Ash’s blood. Sharp enough to be blades. “I can’t bandage him, because my nails won’t retract for another week—if I’m lucky.”

She moves to help Ash walk, but his withering expression makes her pull her hands back.

“I can walk on my own,” he says, stepping in front of us and limping over fragments of the old door and the tomes scattered on the ground.