"She would have killed you." Callie seemed more curious than angry.
My grip tightened before I forced myself to relax. "Not her fault. She was scared."
Callie's smile was sad. "Aren't they all?"
There was a story behind her smile, one I didn't have time to delve into.
"She's not a threat to you," I pressed.
Don shuffled forward, his posture almost protective. Callie's gaze flicked to him and away in dismissal.
"Mercy from your line; how unexpected." Callie's gaze swept over the trail of blood I'd left across my living room floor before returning to me. She brushed a piece of hair from my forehead, her expression sympathetic.
The breath she exhaled was weary. "You'll find humans undeserving of such consideration."
"I was human once." Maybe I could appeal to the sympathy she seemed to have for me. I didn't know why she cared, but I planned to take advantage of it if I could.
She set a hand on my cheek, her thumb sliding across my cheekbone. Her eyes flicked between mine, her snakes rearing back to stare at me too.
Callie gave me a pained smile. "Oh, my darling. You were never that."
My mind went quiet as everything in me stilled.
"What are you talking about?" I asked through numb lips.
Callie didn't answer. She straightened, her attention landing on Pelt.
I was losing her.
"What do you mean I wasn't human?" I demanded again.
Don hovered next to me, the tentacles uncurling and flexing around his head.
"Your father. He was one of the Scattered," Don said.
I shook my head.
No.
My father’s name was Bryan Volsk. Maybe not the best of men since he'd walked away when I was a baby and never come back, but he'd been human.
"Surely you must have suspected," Don said, sounding puzzled.
My head kept shaking, denial a hard rock in my throat. Under it was the fear that he might be right.
Callie snapped her fingers at us. "She's going to be stubborn. Take her to the others while I finish up here."
Don sighed. "Don't dawdle. The rest are already impatient."
She waved her hand in agreement.
A pained whimper came from Pelt, all she could manage as gray crept into her face. A single tear rolled down a cheek that had already turned hard and smooth. She wasn’t dead yet, but it wouldn’t be long. Once the petrification reached her heart and lungs, it’d be over. As a human there was no way to survive that.
"No," I crawled forward. I couldn't fail. Not again.
Pelt’s breath slowed, shuddering from lungs that no longer wanted to work right.
I snapped.
