A dark chamber, guarded by the cross fixed to the wall. Part of me finds it amusing that Ames and Eliah would tease each otherabout venturing inside as children. They would shove each other over the threshold and run, laughing hysterically.
Now, it’s their final resting place.
“I have news,” I tell them before I have even crossed through the doors. I pad quickly to stand between them as I have from the day I was born. My palms settle on each of their lids. “We’re going to have a baby.” I pause like maybe that news is enough to wake them. To have them pushing out of their caskets. When nothing happens, some of my joy flickers even while I fight to cling to it. “I don’t know how or when, but…”
I glide my palm down my front and over the incline, molding my dress to my skin as if to let them see the bump.
At the back of my mind, the nagging questions persist. They claw at all my happiness as if trying to drag me back into that darkness I’d been living in since my boys died. That annoying voice begging me to see reason, to consider useless things that don’t matter.
Maybe this is a normal rate. I’ve never been pregnant. I haven’t been around anyone who was pregnant. Aside from what I learned during my lessons, I am very unfamiliar with the processes, except that we had wanted a family. Ames, Eliah and I. We wanted so many babies. If I hadn’t been weak and pathetic, we probably would have had a house full by now. It’s because of me that they will never get to see the life we created.
So, no, I don’t care that it happened so suddenly.
I don’t care that nothing else about me has changed.
I don’t care that none of it makes sense.
This baby is all that matters.
All I want.
This part of the two people I love more than my own life.
It will be beautiful and loved.
So loved.
And I will protect it from all the dangers in the world.
Starting by finishing what I started — eradicating the Duval Family. They all have to die before my baby is born. I can’t bring this life into a world where those monsters exist. I won’t let them take anyone else from me, especially not this gift I’ve been given.
Fueled by a purpose, by a fresh surge of hatred, I start to turn. To head out and find Marcus.
But the door is gone.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lenora
Iblinkandscanthecrawling shadows drifting lazily along the damp walls and soaking across the floor. The filmy light pooling against the filthy windows has a faint, red tinge that bleeds with the lingering indigo from the multicolored bits of glass.
In the distance — too far to be real given the room is barely large enough to hold more than a handful of people — liquid drips.
Drips.
Drips.
Little plops that echo much too loudly in the stagnant silence. A silence faintly disturbed by the whisper of metal chains clinking together.
I stand my ground and stare into the curling shadows along the far wall. My hands have reflexively moved to cover my stomach. While I don’t believe they would hurt me, I’m not stupid enough to let my guard down.
“Stop hiding,” I mutter. “Show yourselves.”
The puddle of darkness groans like a beast finally stretching his legs. The twin figures emerge from its folds as grotesque and terrifying as the last time I’d seen them.
“You’re quite a ways from safety, little human,” the one with no skin purrs, crimson eyes a vicious red in the dimness.
I don’t understand how they look like this when Veyn is so beautiful. How can they be nothing like him when they were made from him?
