“Kane must have a sixth sense for ruining moments,” I mutter, swiping at the screen, then wince. “Ah, there it is. Some angry texts, a couple of death threats, and an ominous‘Get here, now, or else’as the finale.”
She huffs out a laugh as I scan through the messages. If Kane’s texting, that means he’snotin the Pit, which means Julien is alone—
Geeklord Supreme: Kane’s back in the Pit, waiting for you.
I knew they wouldn’t leave him.
“What’s wrong?” Red asks, her fingers brushing against my chest.
“Looks like big man needs both meandDaddy Darkness today. So Kace won’t be seeing Amon again.” I shake my head. Poor fucker. I knew what it was like not seeing Red for a fewhours; Amon has barely seen Kace at all. “Which means you won’t be seeing Kane either.”
“Oh.” That one sound is filled with so many things.
Because it means she wanted to see him, and that helps ease the ache already growing in my chest at leaving her.
“It won’t be like this forever, Red,” I murmur in a promise, touching her face one last time.
“I want to help, Sai.” Her eyes flash brighter. “Just… ask them again, please. For me? Just ask them if I can see him.”
I know it’ll be pointless, I know they’ll say no, but I’ll still do it.
I nod, and she smiles again, and that’s the image I’ll cling to, somehow, that makes it easier to breathe, makes facing the friend who once pulled me out of the dark, out of that cage, a little less daunting.
Not easy, just maybe less likely to end with me missing a limb.
Chapter 21: Jasmine
Four days since Sai shared his past with me.
Five since Kane had me trapped between his arms.
Six since I last saw Ezekial, though he stays next door every night, I never actually see him.
Seven nights without Julien.
Each day, the weight of it all presses heavier against my chest. Each night, the edge I’m teetering on grows sharper, more perilous. Because Julien is still in the Pit, and I think about it constantly.
Even when I try to sleep.
New nightmares, but not the kind that wake me with screams, not ones I’ve ever had before. They’re dark, brutal things that don’t feel like dreams at all.
They feel real, like I’m seeing through Julien’s eyes, living his torment while I lie helpless in bed.
Sai still sees me every morning, but that only makes it worse. Because I can see what it’s doing to him. He’s exhausted, so much that even at a hundred years old, he can’t keep his mental wall up.
Without meaning to, he shares glimpses of the Pit with me, of Kane and Ezekial. Of their suffering.
Whenever I say their names, their distorted images appear, the darkness corrupting their features.
The horrific memory of Kane’s face marred by dark lines is no longer a memory, it’s happening again. But now, they’re spreading, to Ezekial, Julien… to all of them, except Sai. Instead, he just… fades, his colour leeching away.
Every time I look at him, I’m reminded of his past, of his mother, of the cage. The need for revenge burns deep inside me,but it’s subdued by something stronger, the need to get Julien back. Now I know the depth of what they share, how Julien saved him from an eternity of loneliness, how they’ve been together ever since.
And now Julien’s gone, consumed by his darkness. Chained in the Pit.
I keep asking to see him, to help, to share the burden. To ease his hunger, to force him to feed if I could. But every time, I’m refused.
I could push harder, remind them they promised me anything. But I see the exhaustion in their faces, feel it hanging in the air.
