“And then what?”
Shufen doesn’t answer. She doesn’t have to; we all know the answer already.
“You’ve known about this all along?” Basili’s voice is venomous. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you right here, right now.”
“I don’t want this either, Basili.” Shufen’s voice is calm, defiant. “Because I’ve been trying to save that boy since the beginning. And because I’m as much a victim of my father’s plans as you are.”
“That’s not good enough —”
I grab at his arm, holding him back. “Basili, no.”
“I know.” She finally looks away. “I know it’s not. But that’s all I have. I can’t help you this time. I’ve done everything I can. The rest is up to you.”
Basili stares at her for a long time, and I see the war going on behind his eyes. Rage, pragmatism, emotional exhaustion, and strategy all fighting one another.
Finally, he takes a deep breath and steps back to stand beside me once more. “When I destroy your family, and trust me I will, you will be the only one I leave alive. Only because you helped Emmanuel,” he glances down at me briefly, “and you helped Chloe. But you’d better prepare yourself because I’m going to burn the Triad to the ground. Your father, your brother, everyone who touched my family — they’re all dead.”
Shufen nods slowly. “I understand.”
“Do you?” His voice is dangerous, lethal. “Do you understand?”
“I do.” She looks at me. “I’m sorry, cherry blossom. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more. For either of you.”
I move before I can stop myself, pulling her into my arms. She stiffens for a moment, then relaxes, her arms coming around me.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “For trying. For saving him the first time. For warning us.”
“I wish I could do more.” Her voice breaks slightly. “I wish I were as brave as you. That I’d run too.”
I pull back enough to look into her face, and that’s when I see them — bruises on her neck and arms. Dark purple marks, finger-shaped, unmistakable.
The same kind I used to wear.
I want to say something, to comfort her, but she catches my gaze and shakes her head slightly. Not here, not in front of Basili.
“I have to go,” she says softly. “Before Father realizes I’m gone. And be careful. He’s desperate, which only makes him more dangerous.”
“Come with us,” I beg, but she shakes her head again.
“No. I have to go back. If I disappear now, he’ll know I warned you. He’ll move Emmanuel. Hide him somewhere no one will be able to find him.” She squeezes my hands. “I can still help from the inside. Trust me.”
I want to drag her away from that house, away from our father, from the life that’s slowly killing her, but she’s right. We need her on the inside.
“Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“You too, little sister,” she says with a small smile.
“Chloe, we have to go.” Basili pulls on my sleeve, dragging me back toward the stairs gently. I follow with only mild hesitation, looking back at Shufen standing alone against the railing.
She looks so small. So fragile. So much like the woman who used to look back at me in the mirror.
In minutes, we are back in the car, speeding back toward home. We’re both quiet at first.
“He’s abusing her,” I say quietly. “Just like he used to do to me. She has bruises on her neck and arms. I saw them when I hugged her. Just like the ones I used to get from him, grabbing me.”
Basili’s hands tighten on the steering wheel.
“We have to help her —”
