I clench my teeth and shift my gaze to his as he pulls back marginally, our eyes connecting. But all I ask is, “He’s up here?” And nod toward the staircase.
Cosmo’s brows pull together in what looks like frustration, but he nods once, slowly.
My heart rate quickens.
I think of Sullen’s body on top of mine.
The pool of blood. The bandages on my throat from the knife held there.
How viciously Sullen murdered my attacker.
“Do I need this knife?” I ask quietly, pushing those thoughts aside and refusing to turn to Cosmo again as I focus on the wooden stairs. They trail up into what looks like oblivion, judging by the absence of light.
“Is that a trick question?” he counters, his voice low. “Do you think he’s going to hurtyou,or me?—”
I whirl on him, narrowing my gaze as he shuts up with my sudden movement. He doesn’t back down, but his brows lift, likehe’s surprised. It’s only been a few days since we last saw one another, and yet in so many ways, I feel changed.
I bring the knife up quickly between us as if I might stab him in the sternum and he flinches, but he doesn’t lift his hands to protect himself as I prick the sharp point along his black jacket.
“Am I going to have to hurtyou?” I clarify, holding his gaze.
I watch his throat roll as he swallows and a sense of satisfaction courses through me, seeing his nerves.
But still he says, “Drop the knife, Karia,” his tone flat.
I don’t look away for long seconds, neither of us moving.
Then I decide to keep the blade. I back away and lower my hand, and he darts his eyes to it, but he doesn’t try to take the weapon from me.
I break eye contact, then begin walking up the stairs on unsteady legs.
“You’re afraid of him, aren’t you?” Cosmo calls after me, his steps causing the wood to creak below me.
My pulse hammers hard in my chest, but not from Cosmo’s question. Instead, I am thinking about seeing Sullen exposed, and what I will do to cover him up.
But all at once, ringing through the quiet, I hear him before I see anything at all.
“No.”A single word repeated too many times. It blurs together in a run-on sentence.“Nononono.”A breath of denial, desperate urging scraping up a hoarse throat. It sounds as if he is frightened, being alone with himself in this horribleroom.
Every limb in my body is tense. It feels as if my heart is breaking, hearing him hurting.
I ascend faster, practically running, shakiness overtaking my frame. I’m worried I will slip.
Then Cosmo is at my side, as if he can’t let me go, and we come to the apex of the stairs in a strange way that feelstoo soon.
This house is all dark, gleaming wood, golden trim, and here, at the top of what feels like a tower, there is a door more sorry than the rest that I didn’t truly see while I was at the bottom of the stairwell.
It is pale white, as if it was never painted at all beyond a base coating. There is a golden knob that has been dented many times. The wood flooring is dirtier here. I can feel grains of dirt or sand under my bare feet. It is like this place is drenched in neglect.
There is nothing else on this floor. Just the door at the landing.
Cosmo’s arm brushes my shoulder.
I grip the knife tighter, my palm clammy.
“No, no,no.” Sullen sounds terrified. Like he is stammering. Shaking.
He is inside there.
