CHAPTER 156: BECAUSE OF ME...

( Just below Autumn’s window)

Kieran fell with a loud thud!

Nobody gasped because nobody saw... Everyone was busy panicking or running or trying to douse the fire amidst the chaos.

The fall couldn’t hurt Kieran... not physically...but he didn’t move.

He just... lay there.

Smoke curled lazily around him. His arms were sprawled, chest rising and falling as he kept staring.

His eyes, they were not only wide open, and fixed on the same spot in the sky...it seemed like he didn’t blink either.

He didn’t breathe as well for a moment too long.

Velor, still wrangling one of Anastasia’s tails, caught the sight out of the corner of his eye.

He froze.

"Damn this big fool, " he muttered, pushing past a troupe of panicking clowns, nearly tripping over a dwarf who was trying to escape.

"KIERAN!"

He bolted across the square, his boots skidding over scattered feathers, ash, and what he prayed was not chicken blood.

He dropped beside his fallen comrade , face twisted in disbelief.

Kieran was still staring.

Silent.

And he was shedding tears!!! Never in his fucking life did Velor imagine he would ever witness such a thing!

There were actual tears streaking his cheek, tracking down past his temple into the dirt.

Velor blinked. "What the...? Are you crying?!"

No response.

Velor grabbed his arm. "Get up, dumbass. What are you doing? This isn’t nap time!"

Kieran didn’t move.

He didn’t even look at Velor. Just murmured, voice cracked, barely audible. "I did this to her..."

Velor’s fingers clenched on Kieran’s cloak. "What?"

"I did this..." Kieran whispered again. "I saw her...it’s our Mate Bond...I poisoned it..." He choked. "...I am killing her." And then his eyes rolled back at Velor, straight into his iris. " And you made me do it! "

Velor barely had time to register the words before Kieran’s hand snapped around his throat.The world lurched as Kieran yanked him forward and slammed him into the cobblestones hard enough to crack the stone beneath his skull.

"YOU MADE ME DO IT, VELOR!" Kieran thundered completely forgetting their surroundings. Good thing that the fire still roared around them. Muffling their scuffle...somewhat!!!

Velor’s vision whited out for a second, pain exploding through his skull. He gasped, but before he could even think of fighting back, or kicking him back to his senses, Kieran’s fist crashed into his face.

CRACK!!!

Blood sprayed. Velor’s nose shattered.

"YOU FUCKING LIED TO ME!" Another punch. Teeth rattled. "YOU KNEW! YET YOU MADE ME SLEEP WITH THAT WOMAN!!!" Another.

Velor’s head snapped to the side, his lip splitting against his own fangs.

Kieran wasn’t holding back.

Every hit was meant to maim. Velor tasted copper, felt warm blood streaming down his chin, his neck. He tried to shove Kieran off, but Kieran pressed on.

"SHE IS LYING THERE LIKE A CORPSE BECAUSE OF YOU!BECAUSE YOU MADE ME...BECAUSE I..." Kieran bellowed, his fist rearing back again.

Velor barely managed to turn his face, taking the next blow on his cheekbone instead of his jaw. His vision swam, ears ringing. He spat blood, wheezing, "Kieran...fucking...stop...!"

"STOP?!" Kieran’s voice cracked. His eyes were wild, tears still streaking through the grime and blood on his face. " HOW AM I GOING TO LIVE THROUGH THIS? I ALMOST KILLED MY OWN MATE AND MY BABIES!!! "

Another punch.

Velor’s world went red.

Then black. He swore under his breath. "Oh, fucking Moon , Kieran not this right now...we can do this after we get Autumn..."

Before he could finish...

WOOOOOOHHHHOOOOOOO...!!!

A piercing howl cut through the courtyard.

Then another.

And another.

Sirens followed...three sharp blares that echoed all around the place.

All laughter, all chaos...snuffed out.

Every freak, every guard, every creature...even the twelve legged donkey...froze.

Velor stood up slowly, eyes narrowing, wiping his bloody face, rearranging the alignment of his nose and neck. "That was definitely not part of the show, was it?"

Kieran still fumed, unable to process what was happening around him, still recuperating... still trying to understand.

A guard threw his torch to the side, suddenly alert. "Everyone,report to your respective units.Right now!"

"Kieran!" Velor hissed, slapping Kieran across the cheek...but lightly. "Get the hell up. Something’s happening...up there!"

Kieran blinked slowly, but his limbs were heavy,his brain still reeling.

"Something’s wrong in that room...Autumn’s room, " Velor growled. "And if you want to do more than cry, I suggest you get back on your feet!"

He reached out his hand again.

Kieran... didn’t take it. Just pushed himself up shakily.

And then it happened.

Screams.

Right from above. From inside the inner walls.The chamber.Her room.

One scream.

Then another.

Then... laughter?

More laughs followed... Then they heard clapping and what felt like cheers but nothing was clear. It was too muffled.

"What the fuck is happening in there...?" he muttered, turning his head upward.

The guards were already moving, rushing towards the gates leading to the tower, drawing weapons, barking orders.Getting into formations.

And all the freaks?

They were too panicked.

The tall orc dropped his stilts and ran in circles.

The bearded lady dropped her beard.

The dwarf with the flaming pins threw all four into a bucket and started packing her skirt full of apples for reasons unknown.

The feathered man screamed, "Let’s get out of here...let’s get out while we still can!" before falling into a barrel.

Velor grabbed one of them. "Where the hell do you think you are going?"

"We are leaving this place! I told them performing for Skarthheim was a death sentence!But money got their brains! But what good is money when you don’t have a head,yeah? "

Velor turned to Kieran. "We need to .."

"HEY!" A booming voice cut down the stairs like a knife.

A tall, stern scar faced Skarthheim guard had just descended the spiral leading down from the chambers above.

His face was blank.

His tone was ice.

"Nobody leaves."

Silence.

"All of you. Freaks. Gather in the hall beyond that courtyard. Now."

Someone squeaked, "What’s going on up there?"

The officer didn’t even blink. "Alpha Thorgar is coming down... to question you personally."

A soundless shudder passed through the space like wild wind.

The bearded lady whimpered.

The donkey fainted.

And they could swear someone was literally pissing their pants.

Velor exchanged a glance with Kieran.

No words spoken, just a subtle questioning glance.

Kieran didn’t respond.He was still staring up the tower...

Eyes wide...

Jaw clenched...