Runebinder by Alex R. Kahler

Author:Alex R. Kahler [Kahler, Alex R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Harlequin (UK) Ltd
Published: 2017-08-15T04:00:00+00:00

PART

2

THE DEVIL’S MINIONS

“We have turned our backs on the gods

and the gods

as one

have turned their backs on us.”

—Rhiannon’s Diary.

1 P.R.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

DO NOT LET his death be in vain.

Those words kept Tenn silent as they sped through the night. Devon veered back and forth through the snow, through the storm, but Tenn was past caring if they crashed or made it through. Air glowed in the twins’ throats, both to guide them and to gust the snow away. It was enough magic to be followed. It was enough to be seen by Matthias.

Tenn didn’t care about that. Let Matthias follow them; he had nothing left.

Jarrett had died to save him.

Jarrett had known he would die to keep Tenn safe.

Tenn could barely convince himself that Jarrett was a future he could have.

Jarrett had known Tenn was worth sacrificing his own future over.

The thoughts sloshed in his head as the SUV drove through the night. He didn’t even try to hold Water down. He didn’t need to; the Sphere didn’t need to do a damned thing to drag him down into despair. He was there. Sinking. He was there, because Jarrett was not.

What could Water show him that would outmatch this?

He didn’t know how long they drove. Hours, maybe. Maybe only a few minutes. The sun rose and the world was filtered gray and dark and his insides felt the same. He wanted the twins to say something. Anything. They didn’t. And that meant he couldn’t say anything, either. This wasn’t a world for mourning the dead; he would get no comfort from either of them, and he knew that. But he wanted it. He wanted someone to acknowledge the loss that gaped in the car like a wound. Did they expect him to just follow along now? Not that he really had any other choice. He would keep ambling forward until he died.

Tears ran down his cheeks as he slumped against the window and watched the gray world go by.

Twelve hours ago he’d been snuggled in the backseat with Jarrett.

Twelve hours ago he’d thought he could have a future.

Now, he had nothing.

Eventually, the tears ran out and he could only slouch and watch and wait with cold dread for Matthias to come. Because, eventually, Matthias would come. In Tenn’s dreams, and now his reality, Matthias was always waiting.

He couldn’t even be angry at Matthias.

What use was revenge when he no longer had a future to fight for?

This was the world they lived in: it was always spelled out that, eventually, one of them would die. If anything, the whole situation just felt inevitable.

And, if he was being terribly honest, it was almost a relief.

He’d now experienced the worst. There was no need to wait for the ax to fall anymore.

He tried to quell the thought. Tried to figure out if it was Water talking or his depression. Eventually, he decided it didn’t really matter. Water was a part of him. So were all the terrible thoughts he ever tried to hide away.

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