said, “You take them out from the outside.” Noa could see Priscilla’s cold smile underneath her face covering by the crinkling at the sides of her eyes. “I’ll see these fuckers implode from the inside.” Priscilla nodded to the door. “I’ve left you a gift. In memory of your grandmother.”
Noa opened her mouth to speak again, to ask her what she meant, to fucking beg Priscilla to stay, but Priscilla was gone before she could, chasing Auguste’s tracks down the mouth of the cave. Noa’s heart was a heavily beating drum as Priscilla disappeared like the wraith she had become, off on her own journey.
Diel got to his feet and moved to the door to assess whatever “gift” Priscilla had left. He held his knife high and wrenched it open. Noa waited, trying to see what was on the other side. Diel bent down and dragged the twin priests inside.
Noa’s pulse thrummed in excitement. The twins were incapacitated, their Achilles’ heels and hamstrings severed. They couldn’t walk, so Diel dragged them, bleeding and screaming, closer to Noa.
He dropped them at Noa’s feet like a sacrificial offering, their heads slamming to the hard rock beneath them. And as though her exhaustion had never existed, Noa took the knife Diel held out for her and pulled herself to her knees. She swayed, but she held on to the hatred she felt toward these two to fuel her every move.
Making sure she held the gaze of both of them, Noa held Diel’s knife high. Her grandmother’s face smiled in approval in her mind. In two quick strikes, Noa slammed the knife down, a single deep stab in each of the priests’ Brethren-sullied hearts. Retribution for taking her grandmother from her. For raping her and her sisters as kids. For everything they stood for. And for assisting Auguste in his vicious witch trials on innocent children.
As the knife sank into their flesh, Noa felt reborn, as if the metal of her blade was absorbing their lifeblood. She felt a cavernous part of her soul patch over, a pit in her heart fill with justice and revenge. Noa watched silently as the twins fought for breath, mouths moving silently as they tried to cling to life, as blood clawed up their throats and ran down their chins.
Diel came behind her, wrapping Noa in his arms as he too watched them die. As the priests’ eyes glazed over and their chests stopped moving, Noa sank back against Diel, utterly replete.
She had barely touched his chest when Diel whirled her around and spread her across his legs. His hands were on her cheeks. She was bleeding, ruined and exhausted, but as she looked at Diel, she smiled. Her split lips trembled and tears flooded her eyes, but as she met his bright blue gaze, a hint of the monster she loved too peeking through, making himself known, Noa felt at home.
“Noa …” Diel pressed his mouth against hers. No words needed to be shared. He had come for her. Noa had survived.
And she was going home.
She kissed him back, savoring his taste, the feel of his lips against hers, even the spilled blood being shared between them. When they broke apart, Noa sank against him, completely vulnerable in his arms, but knowing he would never hurt her. Quite the opposite—he would cherish her. Diel held her close, being careful of her wounds.
The door behind them opened, and a frantic “Noa!” echoed around the cave. The relief at hearing Dinah’s voice was a balm to Noa’s frayed soul. Dinah wrapped herself around Noa from behind, then quickly jerked back. Noa turned her head and saw Dinah staring down at Noa’s shredded body. One by one, her sisters appeared, followed by the Fallen.
Naomi rushed to Noa, her careful healer’s fingers assessing Noa’s wounds. “Home,” Naomi mouthed, and all Noa could do was nod once. “I’ll fix you.”
“Auguste?” Sela asked, his eyes searching for signs of his brother.
Noa shook her head, but Diel said, “Got away.” Sela’s jaw tightened and he turned his head away, every part of him emanating pure rage.
Noa looked at Dinah. “Priscilla …”
Dinah’s eyes widened, and she searched the cave just as Sela had done. “Here? Where?” Then she stilled, and understanding flashed across her expression. “The explosions again.” Her lips kicked up in a knowing smirk, and she nodded, affection for Priscilla and her strange ways shining through.
“She’s staying away for now.” Noa winced; her body ached from even trying to speak. The adrenaline she