The Price She Paid: Shadow & Bone (Book 2)

Chapter 24: After.

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Sebastian was a shell of the man he used to be. His skin was ashen, his eyes as black as shadows. His clothes were in tatters and there were claws where his fingernails were supposed to be. I was wrong, he wasn't alive, and he wasn't human. Aleksander was telling the truth, he had turned him into a monster.

I recoiled in fear, struggling to free myself from his grasp. I felt the sharp sting of pain as his claws pierced the skin on my wrists, his grip hard enough to draw blood.

"Adrik!"

Bright light filled the hallway and Sebastian's grip on my wrists vanished all at once. He let out a loud hiss, stumbling away from Alina's light.

I whipped around, just in time to see Adrik's body hit the ground, a mess of bone and flesh where his hand should be.

"Evelynn!" Mal caught me by the arm, pulling me back. I collapsed against him, struggling to catch my breath. "Are you alright, did he hurt you?"

A dozen images flashed behind my eyes. I saw Sebastian the day I had met him, he was smiling, his eyes as blue as the sky above us. I blinked and I was back on the dock. I heard the gunshot, I turned, and I could see the blood pooling on his neck, watching helplessly as he crumpled to the ground.

"I love you, princess."

His voice echoed through my head.

I slowly lifted my eyes. Sebastian was on the ground a few feet away. He had retreated back to a dark corner and had curled into himself, like some kind of wounded animal. Tears blurred my vision, and I chocked on a sob.

I found myself moving towards him, ignoring the pit of fear in my stomach. I had to help him , I had to save him.

"Evelynn, no!" Mal tightened his grip on my waist. "It's not him, not anymore!"

I struggled in his grip.

"You don't know that!"

"Evelynn, we need help, he's losing a lot of blood!" Alina shouted.

I turned in Mal's grip and saw Alina kneeling over Adrik. He was unconscious, with blood pooling from the lacerations on his right arm.

I made a split second decision and turned back around to face Sebastian. I already left him once, I wasn't leaving him again. 

I pulled away from Mal, and this time he let me. I took a small step in Sebastian's direction, he didn't react. I took another step, keeping my gaze locked on his.

"Sebastian?" His black eyes darted up at the sound of my voice, but he didn't move. I took a small step and then another. "It's me. It's Evelynn. You're safe now, okay?"

I held out my hand, waiting for him to take it.

"I'm going to help you, I'm going to fix this, all of it. Just take my hand." His eyes flickered down to my outstretched hand. "Please, let me help you."

He cautiously raised one of his clawed hands. I held my breath, waiting, hoping.

The cool, calloused skin of his palm brushed against mine. I let my fingers curl around his, ignoring the sharp gleam of his claws.

He blinked, his eyes narrowing as they studied mine. His expression changed as if a switch had been flicked. I tried to pull my hand back, but he held on, tightening his hold.

"Sebastian—"

His other hand swung up in a blur, wrapping around my throat as he yanked me towards him. I opened my mouth to scream but the sound got caught in my throat.