Matteo’s voice broke through my thoughts.
“We’re approaching.”
His statement took me by surprise. The island had completely vanished from sight, but still, it felt like we’d barely been traveling twenty minutes. I had been under the impression that the vampires’ island would be at least a few hours away.
I didn’t say anything. I just sat watching as Matteo slowed the dolphins to a stop. I could make out only open ocean, except for a cluster of rocks nearby. I turned to face Matteo.
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“Oh, you’ll understand.”
Barely had he spoken the words when a thud erupted behind me. The boat rocked violently and I almost lost my balance. When I turned, my heart leapt into my throat. A hawk had just landed on the boat’s stern. He shuffled his giant black wings and his sharp eyes fell on me.
“So this is Kiev Novalic.”
Matteo walked past me and shook the hawk’s hand.
“Glad you came on time, Perseus. I know the two of you have a long journey ahead of you back to Aviary.”
Chapter 41: Kiev
“But before you carry him off,” Matteo continued, “I’d like to have a little… word with him. Just make yourself comfortable while you wait.”
My mind was numb with shock as Matteo turned to face me. His brown eyes that normally appeared warm and friendly had darkened to an almost black color.
He pulled out a dagger and slashed it down into my injured leg. I lost my balance and fell to the floor. He approached closer until his feet were touching my sides and looked down at me, his face contorted with rage.
“All along, you really thought I didn’t know?” His chest heaved. “You really thought I wouldn’t have found out about my own sister’s death? You sick son of a bitch!”
He brought his foot down against the dagger, wedging it deeper into my leg. Bone splintered.
What a fool I’ve been to think that Kiev Novalic would be able to survive anywhere unrecognized. To think that the son of the Elder would be able to start over. I let my wishful thinking get the better of me.
My head spun from the pain. But nothing about Matteo’s physical presence intimidated me. Even with that agonizing dagger piercing my leg, it wouldn’t have taken much to overpower him.
But the look in his eyes had been enough to defeat me even before combat could start.
Pain. Grief. Loss. All still fresh in his eyes. Emotions I could see so easily within him, because they mirrored my own whenever I thought about Natalie.
“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this,” he hissed. “If the wolf hadn’t interfered, I would have succeeded in ending you back in The Tavern.” He reached down and sliced his claws across my face, cutting deep into my cheek. “Yes, it was me who turned Jack the human onto you via Michelle. I heard of your presence in Aviary when you first arrived all those months ago. I’d been meaning to seek you out ever since. And what a surprise it was when Mona delivered you to me on a plate.”
He sliced me again. And again. With each blow, his claws struck closer to my chest. I lay there, letting him cut me to a bloody pulp.
I should have feared for my life. I should have been petrified that I was about to be brought back to Aviary, where for all I knew I could be reunited with my father and dragged back into the fiery hell that was my former life.
But I felt numb to any fear. Instead, I found myself welcoming the pain. No matter how much torment Matteo inflicted on me, it could never match the pain of losing his sister. I couldn’t bring myself to strike back. I deserved every blow that he gave me.
Just as I was sure he was about to tear my heart out, a soft voice came from the corner of the boat. Where exactly, I couldn’t see, for blood streamed down my face.
I half expected it to be Saira coming to my rescue again.
But no, it was Mona’s beautiful form that I beheld. I had no idea how she’d gotten here, but I was glad to be able to see her face one last time.
Chapter 42: Mona
Standing at the foot of the highest mountain on the island, I breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of the trees. I wasn’t yet ready to return to my cramped house. I craved the open space that only a mountain top could afford me. I located the narrow stairs carved into the rocks and began climbing.
I hoped that no one would be up there at this hour, but was dismayed to hear voices as I neared the top. I was about to climb back down when a familiar voice said something that made me freeze.
“Did you see Kiev’s face when I showed him this thing?”
Despite my better judgement, I moved closer until I could clearly hear every word of their conversation. Giles sat with blood-stained slings around his arms, deep gashes still visible on the side of his face. He sat next to two other vampires whom I recognized as being two of Matteo’s closest friends and confidants—Pieter and Dominic. The latter two held cups in their hands—a bottle of rum perched between them—and Giles had on his lap what appeared to be a necklace.
“Rather you than me, shoving that thing in his face,” Dominic muttered.
“Yes, well…” Giles said. “Matteo didn’t go to all the trouble of retrieving it from the The Tavern for nothing. And I wanted to be the one to do it. Even with both of my arms practically snapped in two, it was worth it. You should have seen Patrick. He lost the bottom half of his right leg. Kiev ripped it off with a single swipe of his hand.”
Pieter and Dominic shuddered.
“Did either of you speak to Matteo before he left?” Pieter asked.
Both Giles and Dominic shook their heads.
“What was the need?” Giles asked. “I did my part in allowing him to use The Black Bell as an excuse to take Kiev away. And he knows his next step better than any of us.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“I’m still annoyed that the three of you left me out of this,” Pieter muttered.
“He wouldn’t have told you at all if he didn’t need an extra person alert in the tunnels when Kiev lost it. Matteo doesn’t want this whole affair to be public knowledge. It’s a sensitive matter. You should understand that.”
The men paused for a drink.
“Wasn’t I right about Saira?” Dominic said.
“Oh, shut up,” Giles said, nudging his shoulder and wincing as soon as he made contact. “It was obvious to all of us as soon as she rescued Kiev that she was going to be an obstacle.”
“I still don’t understand why Matteo waited so long,” Pieter said. “He should have just finished Kiev as soon as he set foot on the island.”