No Point in Running

August noticed Brandt's body lying on the kitchen floor and slowly walked forward to get a closer look. His badly slashed face was rolled to the side, the head severed from his body, and yet there was very little blood. Her stomach turned. What had happened here? Had Zagan done all of this?

"I am telling you," Nedra growled, pushing at Seth who was trying to help her up, "you must go now. Please," the last word came out as a sob.

A clap of thunder sounded overhead that was so loud, the castle walls shook around them.

"I am not leaving you," he argued, and just as he did, the monster that had been thrown into the oven hood moved from where he had landed, beginning to collect himself from the surprise of that impact.

"Fucking alyko," he cursed, and then he began chuckling. As he straightened and dusted himself off, the chuckle turned into a maniacal laugh that twisted his features, and he threw his head back.