My guard lets go of Jacob, another stepping forward to hold him in the same position. On his knees, looking down at his own body with his insides hanging out and seared in places. Gray fetches the barrel of fire closer to us and stands Jacob up, presenting him to me as the other guard backs away. It takes no visible effort for him to stand Jacob’s weak body up and I love howheis the one helping me.
I put my hands on Jacobs' insides andpullwith a slurping, popping, wet sucking sound. I drag it all into the fire, most still attached to him. Gray holds Jacob’s head up and aims his sight at the barrel so I can see the flames dancing in Jacob's eyes.
Jacob’s eyes turn to my own, almost nothing left there. I stare at them, and I wait. Nothing else matters right now. I can't hear anything, I can't see or focus on anything else right now, other than watching his life leave him. I flick my eyes to my guard’s; pure blackness meets mine and I look back to Jacob’s. His gaze is focused on mine, and I see it. I see his eyes lose focus, I see the light wink out, like someone pinching off a nearly burnt-out candle… I see his life leave his pathetic body.
That kill,his soul, ismine.
Gray and I inhale a breath at the same time, our eyes meeting.
Richard comes and stands next to us and we both look at him at the same time and stand, Gray stepping slightly in front of me.
“Can I help you,Constable Richard?” Gray spits the words at him, towering over him and Richard starts to look a little uneasy.
“I am taking over from here.Youshould pack your things andleave.” Richard looks to me. I nod my head and make my way off the stage. My guard follows me and I hear him grunt towards Richard as he passes, making me smile a little.
I didn’t get the whole package of this hung, drawn and quartered method but I got the death. Jacob’s soul. Now, I’m content to take my leave and figure out what to do while I laylow, finishing off my blacksmithing jobs and taking care of my beautiful animals. Sounds quite nice.
I turn around to face Gray, but he’s gone and I am once again alone. I sigh and make my way to collect Ada.
I am full of food and mixed feelings. Richard makes me feel so uneasy, on edge, and I don't like it, and Ada is scaring me. Her mane, tail and coat are changing so quickly to grey. I don't understand what this means. I really hope she isn't sick, I don't know how I would handle having to put her out of her misery.
But Gray helped me today and we got to kill together; he gave me my own blade to take the life.
I sigh, pushing my empty plate forward on the table and looking outside my window. The night sky dances with the sparkles of the stars and the moon is coming up to full.
I fall into my bed, pull the covers up high and try not to think too much about this past week. I've lost my girls at De-Vil’s, I lost my job and now, I might lose Ada.
I must not lose Gray too.
My Gray.
Mine.
Chapter Fifteen
The smellof bacon hits my nose as I wake and I open my eyes, sitting up in confusion.
Gray.
He’s cooking. He turns to look at me, such a wide smile on his handsome face. His hair is tied up on his head with a strip of leather, and his black tunic is open deeply, I can see quite a bit of him.
“Good morning, my beautiful queen.” He comes over to me, holding kitchen utensils and making me chuckle.
“Why are you here? What’s going on? Has there been a death nearby? Oh! Am I going to kill someone?” I jump out of bed and start to get ready. Gray stands in front of me and holds up his spare hand and I stop. I frown at him and sit back on the bed. He is actually here, in my home. It feels like a dream.
Anoh so gloriousdream.
Reality soon hits and I remember everything that happened yesterday. My job—gone. I can’t kill anymore, well, not legally. I fall back onto my bed and sigh. What am I going to do now? What is Richard going to do? What do I do about Ada?
“Come, eat.” I get up and move towards him as Gray places a plate of bacon, eggs and lightly fried bread on the table. Before I sit, I look at my sleeping attire: a thin, flimsy nightdress. It doesn't hide me much, I'm nearly naked. I’ve never bothered to make something new, as no one’s ever seen this side of me, but now he has. Gray’s eyes wander from my face and down my body and I suppress a smile, sitting down and admiring the food, my stomach growling with anticipation.
I tuck in.
“Why are you here? How are you here?” I ask around a mouthful of food. Gray sits in the chair opposite me. No plate of food of his own.
“Because, Evelyn, I bring you a gift.”
“I don't do gifts. Take it back.” I smirk as I make some bacon crunch. Gray chuckles.
