6
Halo
The nightmare flickered, like staticky snatches of memories and emotions patched together.
“I have to do this, Halo,” Kassius said, his voice steel and his expression cold.
“No, you don’t!” I cried. “You have a choice, Kass, and you’re making the wrong one!”
A brief flicker of torment crossed his face. “Do I? You took away my choice when you did - when you didthat.”
The venom and disgust dripped from his voice. I winced at the accusation - but Kass wasn’t wrong. I’d done exactly what he said.
And I’d do it again, too.
“You don’t understand,” I argued, shaking my head.
But before I could continue, Kassius cut me off. “No, Halo, I don’t understand. I don’t understand how the man I loved could do something so horrible. I thought I knew you. I thought - that you weren’t like that.”
My skin prickled. “What are you saying, Kass? Just spit it out.”
He set his jaw. “I’m sorry, Halo. I have to tell the Knights.”
“Tell them what?” My voice cracked as the panic began to build. “What are you going to tell them, Kass?”
He turned to me, his eyes unloving and hurt. “That they were right about you all along.”
“Kass - ”
“You’re a monster. And everyone needs to know.”
* * *
I wokewith a gasp that ripped the air from my lungs. In my panic, I jerked against the cold restraints before I realized where I was - and why I could barely move.
Groaning in frustration, I yanked my handcuffed wrists upward and tightened the chain. Maybe if I pulled as hard as I could, they would break. But I had no such luck. I threw myself back down with an agonized, exasperated sigh. Nothing could ever just be easy for me. Ever.
“Are you alright?”
The familiar voice made me wince and sit quickly upright. Kass sat a few feet away at the table, watching me cautiously as his spoon hovered above his steaming bowl.
That’s right,I thought bitterly.Kass is here. That’s probably why I had that horrible dream about him.
Except it wasn’t a dream. It was all real, just like the vivid flashback I’d had before. My unconscious brain was forcing me to remember the moment Kass betrayed me and ruined our lives.
To top everything off, upon gaining consciousness, the bruises on my face from being hit earlier began to bloom with pain.
I scowled at him and raised the handcuffs. “Do I look alright to you?”
He frowned. “I’m just asking.”
“And my answer is no.”
With a roll of his eyes, Kass looked away from me and focused back on his soup. For the first time since getting myself into this situation, my stomach growled - embarrassingly loud. I grunted, hoping Kass didn’t hear, but of course he did. He shot me a curious glance over his shoulder.
“Hungry?” he asked.
“No,” I lied.
