She’s not in here, but Crypt is on the bed, freshly showered and dressed in his usual attire minus the leather jacket as his markings remain lit up. His face is pinched, but when he sees me, he snorts.
“Forget something, Crane?”
“Reverium,” I blurt impatiently. “That helps your curse, so go and fucking get some. Don’t you see howiomadh thu—much you are upsetting our keeper?” I correct, scowling.
Baelfire opens the door of the bathroom connected to Maven’s room, wearing nothing but a towel, his collar and leash, and shimmering green goo. He sees me and laughs.
“So what, did you finally decide shifters are right about clothes being stupid? Are we all going to start hanging out in our birthday suits from now on?”
I realize I’m stark naked, but I’m so worked up that I just snap, “At least I’m not covered in slime, you fucking slob.”
Crypt barely holds back laughter. “The necromancer’s right, Decimus. Back to the shower your slimy self goes.”
Damn it all. I grimace. “That's in my head, isn’t it?”
“Whatever it is, yes,” Everett mutters, striding into the room in those ridiculous silk pajamas he always wears. He’s showered, as well, and looks exhausted, but he tenses when he looks around. “Where’s Maven?”
“She went to shower with you in your office,” I frown.
“She told me she would shower in here.” He swears, looking around for shoes as he’s clearly about to go look for her.
But there’s no need for him to go, because I hear Maven whisper from somewhere in this room. “You’re going to hurt me, Silas.”
“No,ima sangfluir,” I say quickly, which makes Everett pause as he realizes I’m talking to her. “I swear I won’t.”
My assurance is useless, and I know it. How could the words of a madman comfort anyone?
“You already hurt me before,” she points out. “I know you’ll do it again. It’s just a matter of time. Look—you’re about to hurt me right now!”
I turn to face where her frightened voice is coming from and—gods above, she looks terrified of me. I choke, staggering away and dragging Baelfire in front of me as the realization that I might hurt her cuts me to the bone.
“Stop me. Injure me if that’s what it takes.”
He’s puzzled, reaching up to tug at his collar absentmindedly. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Injure me now so I don’t hurtima thanafluir!”I shout, my panic mounting as my heart races.
Crypt’s markings have stopped glowing. He shrugs, sliding out of the quintet-sized bed. “Well, if he insists?—”
Baelfire casually shoves the incubus back onto the bed before folding his arms to face me. “Tempting, but Maven isn’t even in here right now, buddy.”
I check the spot where she just stood. Sure enough, there’s nothing.
“Daingeath,” I mutter. “I’m fucking insane.”
Baelfire and Crypt both look amused, but when Everett catches my eye, it’s far worse.
It’ssympathy.
“Don’t pity me,” I warn him.
“Too late. I always have,” he says quietly, looking away.
Scowling, I regard the three of them. “If our keeper everisin the room, and I pose a risk to her, do whatever it takes to keep her safe. If necessary, kill me.”
That sobers the other two before Crypt hums. “Our loon’s on the right track. From this point on, be it from ourselves or from something else, keeping Maven safe is what we do.”
Baelfire tugs his collar again. “Whatever it takes.”
