Death's Kiss: A Death Magic Novel (The Death Magic Duology Book 1) by Evangeline Cross

Author:Evangeline Cross [Cross, Evangeline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-19T00:00:00+00:00

24

“Nakamura.”

Markov found me hugging my knees on the curb by his bike. I’d walked back to it after stopping at an alley to empty my stomach onto the side of the road. I had been deep in thought since, and hardly looked up when he approached or when he lowered himself to the curb beside me.

I screwed up. We had one chance and I blew it. All I had to do was sit through the auction to see if Spade made an appearance. Even if there was no sign of Spade, we could have at least tried to look into how they transported the victims and what happened to them after they were sold.

Markov could have done that on his own, but he wouldn’t have left me alone with his bike for hours while he chased a dangerous lead.

For a while, we sat in silence. My mind still struggled to grasp what I’d just witnessed and the last thing I wanted to do was discuss it.

Instead of urging me to get on his bike so we could head back, Markov just sat with me. In a way, we’d shared an experience that was so haunting that it stunned us into pensive silence. It was as comforting as it was disturbing. We shouldn’t have had to share an experience like that to form some unspoken bond.

“Children…” I shook my head, still in disbelief. “They’re selling children.”

I knew what it was like to feel helpless. At least I’d been equipped with the tools to eventually save myself. These people—these children—had nothing.

I was powerless to stop the tears from running down my cheek. I couldn’t care less that Markov was beside me and bearing witness to my emotional breakdown. It was the healthiest way to release everything I’d been feeling since the auction began, and if I didn’t let it out, I feared I would do something regrettable. Like turn back and burn the warehouse to the ground.

It wouldn’t put a significant dent in Spade’s operations, but it would feel good to do it. If I could take down a few vampires in the process, I’d feel even better. Someone had to do something. This had gone on for too long.

At what point did the gods intervene? When did they decide that there has been enough suffering and finally do something about the atrocities happening on the very lands they’d built and to the people supposedly molded as mortal versions of them?

I saw Markov move along the edge of my vision. He extended his arm over to me, and when I looked down, I saw my dagger come into view.

“Take what you’re feeling and make something out of it. We might not have been able to save those kids today, but we can still try for those to come.”

I took the blade from him as I wiped at my tears with my other hand. Once I felt the familiar weight of it, I was immediately comforted. I looked over at Markov and felt strangely grateful to have him there.

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