Page 88 of Unlocking Ruin

He likes my fear. Don’t give it to him, Rylan.

Clearing my throat, I try to stand tall. Still, his eyes never leave mine, pinning me in place as if dissecting me. The frantic drumming in my veins pulses against my eardrums, leaving me lightheaded and disoriented.

Steffen is ruthless, but that power comes with control. This man is different, unhinged, no matter how carefully poised he tries to appear. He stands tall, just over six feet, slimmer than Torben, but twice as hazardous. His eyes track me like a hawk sizing up prey, calculating if I’m worth the chase or just something to destroy.

I retreat, my courage crumbling as I abandon any pretense of confidence. Steffen’s chest is a wall at my back, his arms caging me. For a heartbeat, I find comfort in his embrace, but then his grip tightens.

The man shakes his head and shouts, “Don’t you fucking dare, Steffen!” The fury in his voice has me gasping. His soulless eyes are trained on Steffen, not me.

Leaning closer, Steffen’s lips graze the shell of my ear as he whispers, “I forgot to tell you, Rylan.”

His arm wraps around my waist, yanking me back toward the front door.

“The enemy is already here. It’s me,” he says in a deadly, cold, emotionless tone.

From the corner of my eye, I see the weapon in his hand as he raises it toward Torben and the other man.

CHAPTER 21

Rylan

The trees seem to hold their breath as Steffen aims his gun at Torben and the man, who has just drawn an ax from his belt. The ground under my feet shifts. I curl my toes, trying to find balance.

What the hell did Steffen drag me into? Some cosplay convention? Why does that man have an ax, and why is Steffen pointing a gun at his brother?

Besides the wannabe comic-con convention in front of me, what did Steffen mean when he said he’s the enemy?

“I can’t do it,” Steffen shouts, his hand shaking around the grip of his gun. “Fuck! Rylan, I need to tell you something. It was a mistake. Everything.”

Everything… as in me?

Ax in hand, the man inches forward, his feet gliding as if in a languid dance. Torben’s gaze is fixed on the blade, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

The driver holds up his ax, blocking Torben. “Stay back,” he orders, before glaring back at Steffen. “Give her to me.”

Um, no thank you. Although Steffen suddenly feels less like a safe space.

“I can’t do that, Anders,” Steffen replies, keeping his gun trained on Anders as he drags me back another step.

Anders shakes his head. He mouths something into an earpiece. In a split second, a beam of red light slices through the thick air. I arch my neck back to see with horror as it settles on Steffen’s forehead.

“Steffen!” I scream. Holy shit, Anders has a sniper with him! We just shifted from comic-con to a military operation.

“You take one more step!” Anders shouts, “and it all ends for you, Steffen.”

I feel the tension coil in Steffen, his body readying to spring.

“Steffen, stop!” I cry, even leaning forward so Anders won’t mistake my movement for a step.

Is Steffen insane?

My eyes dart to the tree line, hunting for the sniper I know is out there. Every shadow feels like a threat.

“We made a deal. Hand her over so I can bring her to Alister,” Anders says. He lowers his ax, but grips the handle higher.

“Alister?” I choke out. “Why would he bring me to Alister if Alister sent you?” The words barely leave my mouth before the ground shifts beneath me. Everything falls apart.

“You were telling the truth. You are the enemy.” The words taste like ash. My heart cracks.