Isaak watched me for a long time before he released my jaw and stood. “Very good.” He nodded at his men, and a second later, they were undoing my wrists and removing the pads. “See how easy that was?” he asked, taking me in. “Rest up. If it doesn’t pan out, there will be consequences.”
I turned onto my side, pulling my knees up to my chest, curling in on myself, my back screaming in pain as the tears flooded down my face. There was so much pain. Everything hurt in a way it never had before. My wrists were on fire, sparks shooting down every limb, every appendage. I couldn’t stop shaking. Whether it was from the chill, the electricity, or something else. I couldn’t stop.
“Olivia?” Malachi asked.
I covered my face, waiting until the door shut before allowing the tears to overcome me, the sobs to crack through me. “FUCK!” I screamed. I couldn’t do this anymore. I wasn’t goingto survive.
How many times could they stop my heart and bring me back to life before I justdidn’tcome back? How many more times could I handle the beatings, the drownings, that fucking whip? How many more times?
I wasn’t sure how long I laid there and cried before the tears finally stopped. Before I just stared at the dirt wall, emotionless, unmoving.
But pretty soon, I heard that squeaking again, and not a few minutes later, I saw a little brown mouse walk into my line of sight. Sniffing and watching, waiting, crawling, its beautiful little eyes dark and thoughtful.
I lifted my finger, watching it inch near me. Merlin had a nice bed now too. Warm. Maybe I could keep him warm, maybe I could save him.
I felt new tears slip slowly down my face, a new kind of feeling washing over me in waves.
I swallowed, my mouth dry, my lips cracked, blood coating my tongue. “Privacy,” I whispered, my voice cracking.
A few seconds ticked by before Azrael’s voice came over the earpiece. “It’s yours.”
I gently wiped a tear away with shaking hands before holding that finger out to Merlin, watching him sniff and then lap up the little bit of saltwater I was able to offer him. “Everett—”
“Don’t do this to me, Olivia. Don’t do this to me,” he begged. “Don’t give me some bullshit ‘last speech’, don’t you fucking dare.”
I needed water so terribly. Just a sip, just a drop. “I never told you the truth.”
“Olivia,” he snarled.
But I had to push through. He had to hear me. He would hear me. “I never told you that I knew it was you since that first time I saw you in that club.”
“Liv,” he begged, tears filling his voice.
“I didn’t want to admit it,” I kept going, “I didn’t want to feel it. Feel that…that pull, but I knew. I knew since that moment that you would be my undoing. I knew that you would show me how to live, how to fight, how to find my voice.” It was so hard to talk now. Every syllable felt like razors cutting up my throat.
“Olivia, please stop. I amordering youto stop.”
“I thought it was just in books, but I know now,” I went on, my voice thick. “It’s not just fairytales, stories made up by love drunk kids, it’s real. It feels like I’ve known you a lifetime, Everett.”
“Stop saying my name,” he ordered, trying to regain control.
“I wish we had more time though. We were supposed to have so much more, but I’m not as strong as you. As your sisters. I’m just not. All I have are stories. Stories of people like you. Of strength and power, but you, Everett, you have a whole life and a family who loves you. Who would rip apart empires for you.
“I can’t do that. I would love to think I could. It’s easy to say, that I could do something like that for you, but I can’t. All I can do is keep your secrets, protect the family, it’s the rule. Protect the family.”
I sniffed, Merlin inching closer to me as if he knew I needed comforting. “I’m not going to ask you to move on because I’m selfish. I’msoselfish,” I went on, my voice thick. “I want my memory burned into your skin forever. I don’t want you to ever fuck anyone else like you fucked me, but I know that’s a big ask with you being so young.” I paused and then laughed. “I don’t even know how old you are.”
“Olivia, please. Please, pup, please don’t do this.”
“Begging isn’t your strong suit, Ev,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “Stop doing it.” I inhaled a shallow breath. “Just…I don’t know, keep going. Keep fighting. Don’t crack apart because of me. I mean, I’m nothing. A blip in your life of impossibilitiesand nightmares, so just…fuck.” I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to preserve the only water I had left. “I love you, Everett. With all my heart, I love you, I love you, I love you, but the only power I have left is my voice.”
“Baby, please,” he pleaded.
I swallowed painfully. “I’m sorry. Azrael cut him off.”
“No.NO!Olivia, I lo—”
I blinked heavily, a weight settling over my shoulders, pulling me deep into the core of Hell.
