They branded the inside of her thighs with letters.
‘Used cunt.’ ‘Whore.’ ‘Cumsleeve.’
That was never done on any of the other victims, and it makes me sick to my stomach.
They thought they’d bested us. So they took their arrogance out on Evelyn—they upped their brutality while drunk on their victory.
Reuben steps between us—a valiant attempt to shield me from the cruelty—but it’s already seared onto the backs of my eyelids. I’m still as I hear the echo of Evelyn’s screams in my ears.
As I re-live the nightmare.
‘Shoot me!’
‘Christian shoot me!’
I should have.
If I hadn’t hesitated, a bullet to the head would have saved her from this.
But it would have doomed everyone else.
Turns out, some of what Xavier said was reason.
If I’d killed Evie and Philip, the darkness on this island would have continued. Year after year. Without anyone knowing.
But abandoning Evie… I can’t bring myself to believe that was the right choice.
I step out from behind Reuben’s back to caress Evelyn’s cheek with my knuckles. Forcing myself not to look away from her ruined skin and damaged corpse. Etching it into my mind so I never forget.
Feel free to curse me, from wherever you are. Curse my entire existence, for stepping into a life where I don’t belong, and saving you that day only to lead you to a crueller death.
“Take me to the Harvester.” Xavier’s eyes never once leave Aster’s face. I’m not even sure he bothered to look at Evelyn and the urge to grab him by the hair and rip off his eyelids to stare at the consequences of his actions, makes me gnash my teeth together.
Reuben’s grip tightens around my wrist, grounding me again, unnoticeably, and I have to force myself to calm down.
That evening, on an island I vow never to step foot on again, I watch the cottage and the warehouses burn to the ground, along with Evie’s body.
I watch victims who’ve been lost for weeks reunite with their families as the Taiga family handles everything, quietly.
The necklace I’d bought Evelyn for Christmas is missing, but the anklet I purchased for her during my recovery, remains tightly fisted in my hands as we say goodbye…
As I watch the fire eat her skin and bones away.
Later that night, when all is said and done…
When we’ve disappeared into locked bedrooms, with unspoken words still between us…
The Don decides to purge the Lesters.
But by then, I’d already slipped away into the night.
The Harvester—Philip Warren—is promised to Xavier.
His head, his life, his existence.
But the Lesters… The Taigas can try to get to them first.
But all they will find are the corpses I’ve deigned to leave behind.
