Chapter 50 : Stopping the Enemy's Heart

*Gemma* Bly's report on Connor's state was an understatement. He wasn't just a wreck. He was deranged and unhinged. It was evident the second I saw him with Kael pinned to the floor on his stomach, Connor's booted foot digging between his shoulder blades, a similar scene to the throne room situation, holding a fistful of my mate's hair in one hand while the other held the blade to his throat. Harsh rays of sunlight through another window glinted off the metal. Connor wheezed a laugh. "Do you recognize this knife, Gemma?" Like the rest of us, he was a mess of sand and blood. Unlike us, his eyes were bright and bloodshot with madness. His breath was rattling in his lungs, and he was hunched over as if he couldn't fully straighten his spine. "I remember," I said slowly, knowing that a single word could make him go off. And with my mate's life suddenly on the line, I had to choose them very carefully. I met Kael's eyes. They were wide with fear—but not for him. For me.