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exact same thing. Two days later, she's meat. You're allmeat. You're just too stupid to know it." Wagner turned and beganto walk away, shouting orders at his men as he passed. "Ten of youstay here. No one is to take down this warning. Kill any whoattempt it."

The Rage boiled over inside of Hadder, a need tofeel Wagner's death rattle against his cheek. In a fit of anger,Hadder bent down to pick up a rat who had enjoyed his fill ofKamaria before stumbling across the Skirt. Hadder chucked theswollen rat into the air, and internally rioted in laughter when itstruck the back of Wagner's head with a dull thud. To Wagner'scredit, he did not dignify the insulting assault with a response,merely choosing to continue his trek into the Rising, back to TheKrown, no doubt.

Cal came up to Hadder. "What now?"

Hadder looked up at his giant ally. "I must tellRoyal and the others."

"Tell them what?"

"That we're out of time."

Hadder hurried back to The Royal Jelly,stopping at a few select Bars he knew Royal's supportersfrequented. The message he left at each was short and to the point- ready yourselves for battle; the Risers are coming.

As he walked, Hadder tried in vain to erase theimage of the beautiful and powerful Kamaria turned inside out, leftas food for emaciated vermin. The Rage coursed through his veins,demanding retribution in the form of Riser blood, threatening totake over his actions. Hadder fought it back with difficulty,reminding himself that there would be a time for the Rage to takecontrol, but this was not it.

Hadder slowed when he entered the lawn surroundingThe Royal Jelly, hoping to catch his breath a bit before herecounted the despicable scene he had witnessed. As usual, the yardwas empty this time of late Solay, with everyone off preparing forthe upcoming Haela's concerts and festivities. Taking his timeacross the lawn, Hadder was beset by an unsettling feeling, as ifunseen Risers were hiding all about him - under the hammock, atopthe Golden Bees, laying flat against the carefully mowed grass.Looking around with uncertainty, Hadder finally waved away hisfears, chalking it up to the remnants of a troublesome Solay.

Just then, a scream cut through the air like a spearand brought those fears back in a rush. A scream that came fromThe Royal Jelly. A scream that came from the mouth of LillySistine.

Hadder took off in a sprint, running faster thanever before, dark images spinning through his head as if on acarousel slide projector. A tiny hand sticking out from twistedmetal, Reena Song's beautiful head laid carefully on her lap,Kamaria's eyes screaming things her mouth could not. He took thestairs three at a time, was at the top in a blink. He crossed theporch and threw open the heavy double doors, sending them crashingagainst the outside wall. He ran blindly into the Bar, not givinghis eyes a chance to adjust to the unlit space, not caring aboutwhat sort of fiend he may discover inside.

Two long strides into the Bar, Hadder's feet flewout beneath him, and he fell heavily to the hardwood floor,plunging into something wet and sticky. As Hadder's eyes quicklydilated, he looked at his hands and found them to be covered inblood, still warm. The floor was coated in gore, running the lengthof the upper level, with splatter marks on the walls where brutalslashing had obviously taken place. Hadder's mouth stood agape ashe took in the gruesome scene, so much blood in so many places.

"Marlin?"

Lilly's sweet, soft voice ripped Hadder from hisshock faster than a dousing in ice water. Searching aroundfuriously, Hadder finally found his love huddling in the corner ofthe Bar, covered in red stickiness. Knees pulled up into her chest,she shook uncontrollably and rocked back and forth as if willingherself to another time and place.

Hadder ran to Lilly in a panic, took her head in hishands, pulled her face up to look him in the eyes. "Lilly, it's me.It's Marlin. Are you hurt?" As he spoke, Hadder uncoiled the woman,looking for any signs of cuts or stab wounds. He found none.

"Marlin? Oh my god, Marlin. It's so horrible." Lillywept openly as she spoke, her words running together in atear-soaked jumble.

"Are you ok? Lilly! Are you hurt?"

Lilly shook her head in the negative, took a deepbreath to calm herself. "I'm ok, Marlin."

"Is someone here? How many? Where are they?" Hadderlooked around desperately as he asked, not wanting his own blood tojoin that which already painted the Bar's floor and walls.

Lilly again shook her head. "Gone. They're gone."Her words came out in bursts as panic refused to allow herbreathing to normalize. "But. Marlin. Royal. Oh my god, Marlin.Royal." She broke down once more, words dissolving intoindecipherable sobbing.

Hadder wiped the snot and tears from her face."What, Lilly? What about Royal? Please, tell me."

Still unable to speak, Lilly simply pointed to theupper-level bar with a trembling hand. Hadder was scared to ask thequestion, frightened as to what he may discover. "Lilly, is Royalbehind the counter?"

Tears continued to pour as she nodded before pullingher knees back up and hiding her head in her lap. Hadder rosecarefully and turned to face the upper-level bar. He could see ariver of red liquid emanating from behind the counter, runningacross the floor and down the stairs to the lower levels. Haddermoved towards the bar, anxiety slowing his movements, making eachstep feel like a slog through water. Eventually, he reached hisdestination and peered over the counter. And discovered preciselyhow Galba must have felt in his final moment as his chest cavedin.

Behind the counter, in a lake of his own blood, laidRoyal Winters, bleeding from a hundred wounds across a dozenlocations. Royal's eyes went wide when he saw his friend, andHadder recoiled at the realization that his companion still lived.After recovering from the brief paralysis, Hadder dove to the floornext to Royal, put his face close to the other man's.

"Royal, it's Hadder. I'm here, buddy, I'm here.You're gonna be ok. You hear me?"

Royal shook his head, blood flooding from his mouthas he attempted to speak. After several attempts, clearing liquidfrom his punctured lungs, Royal