Part 110 (2/2)

I couldn't believe that.

I wouldn't believe that.

Things did not look good.

But Apollo would find a way.

Frey would find a way.

Lahn would.

Tor would.

There was a way and they'd find it.

His hand came up, the steel one, and he touched my face with it.

It felt tremendously cold and very heavy against my skin and suddenly all I could think was that it would cave in my skull if he landed it on me in anger.

Pol got so close all I could see were his eyes.

”I'll make you forget him.”

”Fat chance,” I shot back.

He smiled a smile that was not handsome or charming. ”I'll find a way.”

”What...is...this?” Cora, the Horrible asked from close and Pol looked to her.

”Back off a second, yeah?” he ordered.

”What is this?” she snapped.

Bad idea.

Pol didn't like it when someone didn't do as ordered.

”Back off,” he snarled, his eyes now narrowed. When she didn't move, he continued. ”f.u.c.k, there's enough of me to go around.”

I looked to her to see her eyes were slits and her back was ramrod straight.

”I do not share,” she retorted.

”I say if you share or not,” Pol returned.

She swung a hand toward the witches. ”They gave you to me.”

”No, babe, they gave you to me,” he shot back.

”You aren't even of this world!” she cried.

”And you had no use except to dupe Ilsa,” he replied. ”Jesus, clue in.”

”I am to be Queen of the Northlands,” she declared.

”Queen to my king, woman.” He shook his head. ”So f.u.c.kin' worried you got your mascara on right, you couldn't run a schoolroom, much less a f.u.c.kin' continent. I know how to run an empire, b.i.t.c.h, and they know that. Now,”-he leaned both of us toward her-”back...the f.u.c.k...off.”

She went for him in a way he had no choice but to let me go.

I heard a disembodied, ”Such a bother.”

But apparently Minerva nor her b.i.t.c.h friends felt like intervening.

Which was rather unfortunate for Cora, the Dreadful because she obviously hadn't gotten to the bad parts of Pol so she didn't know he didn't hold back.

So she could not know it was coming.

Therefore, after a short struggle, when his steel fist crashed into her head, it did, indeed, cave it in.

I stood frozen in shock as she dropped inert to the ground, blood pooling stark red across the grayish-white stone, blood coming from her head.

I waited, breathless.

She didn't twitch or even moan.

Holy cow.

He'd just killed her.

Right there.

He'd just killed her.

I backed up, bile again climbing up my throat.

”Maddie! The bars!” Finnie shouted right before a burst of electricity shot along my back and blue sparks sizzled around me.

I scuttled forward just as Pol whirled to me.

”f.u.c.k! Look what you made me do!”

Seriously?

Seriously?

”Me?” I asked.

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