Windmilling a little, I grabbed the side of the window and hung on as I looked down at the scene below me.
Paul was sprawled on the stones.
Definitely dead.
15
CATHY
"Okay,well, I need to pee, so I'll be..." I trailed off as I darted down the stairs and away from the suddenly psycho Reynard. The hallway bathroom was the closest. I ran in, slammed the door, and locked it behind me, fully aware that if Reynard took it in his head to get in there, he easily could break the lock. Hell, he could probably break down the door without breathing hard.
But he didn't. As fast as my shaky hands would work, I dialed Roma's number but then thought better of it. I texted her instead so Rey wouldn't hear me.Rey has gone nuts. He killed Paul.
A reply came quickly back.On our way.
I shot back a message to let her know where we were, then sat on the toilet to try to steady my breathing. I'd just seen my sort-of-boyfriend murder someone. It wasn't easy to process.
A few minutes later, I heard Carissa's voice outside the door. "Cathy?" she called.
"Are you alone?" I asked.
"Yes, Rey is in the garden. I told him to get rid of the body." I unlocked the door and yanked her into the bathroom, then locked the door behind her.
"He's lost his mind," I said in a quiet voice. "I texted Andromeda and Bran."
She nodded once. "Good. Something is wrong with him. He's never been like this. Ever."
"Come out of there." Rey's voice from out in the hall sent a chill down my spine.
Rissa rolled her eyes and opened the door. "What?"
"You need to get her out of here. You were right. She doesn't need to be involved in any of this. Take care of her."
"And why not?" I asked from behind Rissa, then could've smacked myself for exposing myself to Reynard. I wanted to leave. Now.
"She's right about you being soft. You're easily broken." There wasn't one bit of compassion or emotion in his voice. He wasn't saying this out of care for me. "Mainly, though, you're a liability and a distraction. How can we get anything done when we're worried about you?"
He turned and went toward the stairs and waved one arm. "Handle it.."
"Wow." Rissa shook her head. "Dick."
"Something’s wrong," I muttered. "Could he have caught the virus?"
If he had, I couldn’t see a way to get Tanni to give him the cure, not while he was like this, not without a lot of help. His second knew him too and knew the virus’s effects on her people.
Rissa shook her head. “No. He’d have attacked you by now. But I don’t like how he’s acting, and if he injures you, he won’t forgive himself later.”
“Nice to know your priorities,” I snapped.
She gave me a sympathetic look, one of the rare times she wasn't frosty. "Okay, come on. Let’s get you somewhere safer around here."
As soon as we got out to the driveway, Bran and Roma pulled in. "Where is he?" Bran asked.
"Backyard," Rissa replied. “Be ready for a fight—he might challenge you.”
Bran ran off, and I let Roma wrap her arms around me as I leaned against her. "It was awful," I whispered.
"We know," she said. "It's going to be okay."
