Page 150 of Once Upon a Fable

I moved the pillow from dead Mrs. Willby’s face to his, waiting until his final death throes ceased before standing and pulling up my jeans.

Blood drenched my chest, cooling and metallic.

The force of what I’d just done hit me out of nowhere, making me projectile vomit all over my two victims.

I stumbled against the bed.

I second-guessed everything.

If this goes wrong, everyone you love dies.

I clutched my blade and marched out of my bedroom to Quell.

I didn’t remember much after that.

It was nothing but a blur.

I was dancing.

Liberating.

Killing.

Killing.

Killing.

No, saving.

Saving my family, my loved ones.

I worked my way down the corridor, my bare footprints leaving crimson tracks on the expensive carpet. As each one of my family members were freed, they fell into line with me.

They watched my back as I ended all eighteen guests and turned the bedroom floor into a tomb.

Thanks to our mostly blind master and his two dumb-as-fuck guards, the muffled screams and cries for help as I stepped into rooms, threw myself on the members of Fables, and massacred them where they stood, were written off as groans of passion.

The corridors always echoed with screams on nights like this.

It was no different.

Only difference was the guests were the ones bleeding tonight, not us.

Once the last throat was cut, I looked at my half-dressed, shock-induced family, and commanded them to stay upstairs. “Stay here until I say it’s safe to run, then go to the dormitory, pack what you need and be ready.”

I had three more murders to commit.

Alone.

Maliki and Jareth stepped forward. “We’ll come with you.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I’ve got this. You need to find Wes. I cut him loose earlier today, but I don’t think he’ll have made it far.”

“Wes is stillalive?” Nyx squeaked. They’d shared the closest bond. Far closer than sister and brother like the rest of us. I’d always pitied them, finding love,connectionin a horrid place like this.

“He is. He’s been kept in the cabin.” I tried to keep impatience out of my voice. “He’s heading toward the cave but needs help.”

Nyx immediately tugged Sarez toward the stairs. “Come on. We need to find him.”