Demons are so like their creator.
“Did he tell you why?” she asked.
I shook my head. “He told me you stole something, but wouldn’t give me any information beyond that.”
Her gaze finally met mine, the sadness giving way to anger. “And that was enough for you? You could sell your soul based on that one accusation?”
I had no words to defend myself, so I kept my mouth shut.
“Can I at least know what your soul is worth?”
I mumbled under my breath, averting my gaze.
“What was that? I didn’t hear you?”
“Ten million,” I said louder, and she barked out a cold, mirthless laugh.
“Well, I suppose that’s plenty. I’m sure you’ve sold it for less.”
Ouch. But true.
“I’m assuming we need to go, then?”
Where was that hit of dopamine I always got once my bounty was in hand? The familiar tingle was absent, and in its place was merely regret and dread.
“Yeah, I have a little over a day to get you back to Noctis.” I got up and offered her my hand, not surprised but still hurt she didn’t take it, getting up on her own and brushing the dirt off her clothes. She groaned as she noticed a large tear in her cardigan, and shrugged it off.
I gasped in horror at the scars covering her skin, unbidden and plain as day. Each arm was marred by several deep bite marks, the one on her right bicep so deep the attacker had taken flesh, and her wrists each had one, long gash running up the vein.
“Fucking Ravaric. What happened to you? Was… was this Victor?”
Was this what everyone had been trying to tell me? To warn me about? Did more of this await Sage once I returned her to him?
“No,” she replied. “Most of his scars aren’t physical.” Then she smiled at me darkly. “So don’t worry, you won’t have to feel too guilty while you’re swimming in millions.”
Her ire, her hatred, her vitriol… I deserved all of it. But I still couldn’t find it in me to sacrifice my life and let her go. My sense of self-preservation was too strong to be noble enough to spare this woman her fate.
I led her back to my car, our walk through the woods uncomfortably silent. “Do you want to grab anything from the cabin?” I finally asked. I was trying to be accommodating, at least.
She laughed again. “What would be the point? He’s not going to let me keep anything.”
“You have a cat, though…”
Her eyes began to glisten. “He’ll have a better life with Selene, where he’s not cooped up. Um…” Her voice wavered, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Is she okay? And Morgana? Did you… hurt them?”
Fuck. Of course she thought I was the kind of monster who’d heartlessly mow down those in my way. Why would I have given her any indication to believe otherwise?
“They’re fine, really. Morgana and the crow might be a little groggy, but I didn’t—”
“His name’s Vesper.”
I cringed, taking note of the bitter tone to her voice. A witch without a familiar… must have been a sensitive topic.
“I didn’t know his name. Vesper, then. You don’t have to worry.”
With a deep sigh, she dabbed her eyes and kept going, and I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that none of this was right. That I was making a horrible mistake.
I paused, holding out my arm to stop her from moving as well. “What did he do to you? Everyone I’ve met so far on this case only vaguely references what you’ve been through, and I just want to know.”
