Page 83 of Into the Abyss
“Let me take Amalia from here!” my fatherpleaded.
“She stays,” Olgon stated.
“No!” my mother cried. “You don’tunderstand! You don’t know the bond! This willdestroyher!”
“So be it.”
“I’m taking you from here,” my father saidto me.
“Stop them if they try to leave,” Olgon saidto the jinn closest to him.
“Killthem if they try to leave,”Pride commanded.
“Olgon—”
“Kill them if necessary,” Olgon said to thejinn.
Nalki’s hand tightened on my arm, not tokeep me held back but because shock gripped him at this command.The same emotion radiated from some of the other jinn. My fatherstepped toward Olgon and the horsemen, but before he could speak, Idid.
“It’s not worth it, Paupi,” I whispered.“Even if I don’t see what happens, I’llknowit did.”
The lost look on his face blurred when tearsspilled down my cheeks. My mother fell to her knees beside me.Wrapping her arms around me, she held me close.
“Don’t watch, baby,” she whispered.
I couldn’t look away as Magnus attempted tolunge at Lust. His fangs snapped, and inhuman sounds issued fromhim while he struggled against the jinn. None of them lookedthrilled about what they were doing, but their terror emanated fromthem and left a metallic taste on my tongue. They would not goagainst Olgon or the horsemen.
“Stay away from me!” Magnus spat atLust.
Avoiding his fangs, Lust rested her hand onhis forehead. The swell of her power rocked me backward. The jinnclosest to her leaned away, and one of them fondled his crotchbefore shaking his head to clear it of the effects of Lust’spowers; effects targeted at Magnus.
Any hope I held Magnus might be able toresist Lust’s power vanished when he went completely still.
Panting for breath, I tried to keep myselfunder control as it felt like my heart fractured in my chest andthe shards of it slipped into my bloodstream. Those shards shreddedeverything they came into contact with.
Nalki looked from me to Magnus and backagain; his face reflected his dismay, but he didn’t release me.
“Olgon—” Nalki started.
“Let him go,” Lust commanded the jinnrestraining Magnus. They didn’t hesitate before they released himand scrambled away. “Rise, demon.” Lust placed the tip of herfinger under Magnus’s chin and lifted his face toward her.
Magnus blinked, looking confused, but herose. Lust stepped back, surveying his body while she circled him.I couldn’t tear my gaze away from Magnus as he stared straightahead with a glazed look in his eyes. Blood coated his chiseledface, hands, and clothes.
I wasn’t much of fighter, but I’d killeveryone here for this, especially Lust. Red blurred my vision whenshe stopped before Magnus and grabbed his crotch.
“Oh,” she breathed. “Perfect.”
Magnus’s brow furrowed when she touched him;a muscle in his cheek jumped before he started to recoil from her.Hope surged within me, but it was doused when Lust ran her fingerover his lips, and he stilled again.
“Shh,” Lust soothed.
“I’m going to kill her,” I whispered.
My mother released me to lean back on herknees. She cupped my face and turned it toward her. I don’t knowwhat she saw there, but it caused her hands to tremble.
“Amalia?” she inquired.
But my attention returned to Magnus as hismounting confusion and distress beat against me. No matter whatkind of thrall she had him under, he didnotwant this, buthe couldn’t break free of the hideous bitch.
