I carefully scan its body, no weapons or wounds of any sort hanging from its grotesque figure.

A slight chuckle drags me from my thoughts.

“There is far worse pain that exists than that of the physical kind.” He gazes darkly toward the writhing beast, his obsidian eyes becoming darker as if almost night had taken them from him.

The beast suddenly falls to the ground, curving into a ball, its hands and feet twisted inward as it whimpers.

He stalks toward the creature, circling the beast as if it’s his prey. A dark tilt to his lips as he watches it tremble below him.

“Anyone or anything that touches what's mine will suffer an existence far worse than the pleasure of death.”

His stare is dark and cruel as he circles the beast. A depraved look on his face, promising dark things…and not the fun kind.

“What did it touch of yours?” My brows furrow.

Lucien flinches at my question. He glances at my hand before turning away.

I narrow my eyes as I replay his words and actions in my head.

Did he just call me his?

No, that couldn’t be right. Lucien wasn’t interested in me like that.

I step forward, about to ask him what he meant when a loud roar bellows out from upstairs. The sound instantly sends me into a panic.

Are we under attack? Did the Interitus manage to get past the Autariums barrier? Or did Mirin finally have enough of sharing her space and kill one of the whiny people in the Library?

Endless thoughts and scenarios fly through my head as I pass Lucien and run up the stairs.

And straight into a room full of chaos.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I rush toward the main Library, the loud roar vibrating from the room. Raised, angry voices become louder as I reach it.

I push open the doors and enter to a barrage of yelling people, all crowded around the reception desk. In the middle of them stands Ilyric and Cole, stopping them from pushing forward and toward the object of their anger.

Jace.

He stands behind the reception desk, his face void of any color, his eyes trembling at the angry crowd before him, spewing visceral hatred in his direction.

My breathing catches in my throat, a sharp pain stabbing at my chest as I watch him take all their anger, never once shouting back or returning their rage. He just stands there, my beautiful and kind shifter, taking all that pain by himself.

My eyes flicker to the crowd gathered before him, spewing nonsense, a red film coating my eyes as they continue their tirade.

“It’s him! He’s the traitor!”

“Why are you protecting him?”

“Move! How can you help him?!”

“He’s the reason we lost our friends!”

“They’re dead because of him!”

Jace stands there frozen in shock as they hurl their misplaced anger at him, solitude and sadness overtaking his once bright and happy smile. His eyes look to the floor, unable to look into the hate-filled eyes any longer.