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SARIEL HEARD FOOTSTEPS COMING FROM UPSTAIRS. He ran for the door, faster than he had ever run in his entire life. He slammed into the front door, wrestling with the knob.

It was locked. How could it be locked?

He cried out when the bronze seared his fingers, leaving thick blisters. He sunk to the floor, daring to look behind him.

Nothing was there.

He squeezed the welts on his palms, still in a state of shock. Was this all in his head? Was any of it real? He cradled his face in his hands.

Hot breath fell on his face.

“Sariel Lorne.”

Sariel couldn't pull his hands away from his eyes. His body froze, unwilling to allow himself to see what he knew he would.

“Stand up and face your fate, human,” Judas spat, driving his foot into Sariel’s side. He heard him kneel down, lifting up Sariel’s chin with his thumb. “I don't know who you're supposed to be, but Fancy wanted you dead. Who am I do deny my lord?”

A fierce tremble shook Sariel to his core. He wanted to lay down and die, to let Judas do whatever he wished. But another, more primal urge bubbled to the surface.

He was going to fight.

In one quick swoop, Sariel grabbed the fire extinguisher from beside the door, slamming it into the side of Judas’s head with a shout. Judas crumpled, falling into a bloody heap on the floor. Every ounce of stress and agony Sariel had felt for months slipped through his makeshift weapon, beating Judas mercilessly into the floor.

Abruptly, he stopped, letting the fire extinguisher roll across the floor, leaving a streak of blood. Judas was barely recognizable. Sariel began to shake, gazing down at his handiwork with growing nausea. He was dead, he had to be. He was safe.

Judas’s hand twitched. His arm, twisted and broken, snaked its way to his head, a silver light burning in his palms. His head began to reconstruct itself, bits of bone and flesh drawing back together. His palm brushed against every inch of his battered body, the bruises fading and blood evaporating.

“What the-” Sariel whispered as Judas stood, dusting off the front of his hoodie.

“That wasn't very nice, Sariel.”

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