Page 62 of She Who Was Once the Sea

"Garrett." My voice broke in desperation. "Please."

He shook his head. "Lucas can finish the job himself. I’m done."

He didn’t meet my eye as he pushed past me, following Ordina’s path to the door, gathering his clothes and pulling them on as he went.

I tried to follow him. I ran across the room, grabbing his arm with both hands, tears streaming down my face. "Wait, please," I sobbed, begging the words to dislodge from my throat.

He rounded on me, ripping his arm from my grasp. His breath came out in harsh staccato gasps as he glared at me, and I couldn't fathom how quickly this had all gone wrong.

"Don't." The word came out sharp, but his eyes closed almost immediately, like he regretted it. He turned away from me. "I need to leave."

Chapter 27 - Garrett

Lucas wasn’t in the common room when I finally made it home. After hours wandering around the city, glaring at anyone who crossed my path until the sun finally began to rise, I found myself near the Fratelli house.

I debated briefly about whether it was a good idea for me to go inside. I'd gotten away with it the first time, but eventually, one of the other men would recognize me for what I'd become.

Then again, maybe it wouldn't be the worst thing to be put out of my misery.

What I really wanted was to talk to Lucas.

I stalked through the hallways with my head down, smiling thinly at anyone who made eye contact and mumbling excuses about not feeling well whenever one of them tried too hard to speak to me.

He wasn’t in the common room, and he wasn’t in the dining hall. I tried knocking on his door, hammering loudly enough that his neighbor shouted at me to shut up, but there was no answer.

Finally, I wandered back towards my own room, hands in my pockets, playing the events of the last twenty-four hours over in my head on constant repeat.

I should shower. I was sure I smelled terrible, and it was a way for me to pass the time until Lucas returned from wherever he was.

But then I thought about the last few nights. Of Marella stretching out beneath me, of her eyes taking hold of mine and her fingers wrapped up in my hair, and, despite everything, I couldn’t bring myself to wash away those memories.

When he learns that you bargained with his freedom.

I slammed my bedroom door shut behind me, wincing at the sound before sitting on the bed and letting my head fall into my palms.

What did she mean?

It was obvious that it had something to do with the Stone Witch. But why would she be interested in me, of all people?

It’s because you helped her.

I rubbed my temples, trying to fight off an impending headache. If I had never approached her with the police, if I had simply walked away with Lucas and let her fend for herself, then none of this would’ve been a problem. Jesus Christ, if I’d just stayed in Chicago, if I’d ignored the nagging sensation in the back of my brain when I came across the information about the Fratelli… I wouldn’t be wondering how my freedom had been compromised.

And you would never have met her.

Yes, and that would have been a good thing.

Would it?

With a shout, I stood and kicked the wardrobe in the corner of the room. The feeble material cracked like it was made of cardboard, and I swore under my breath.

That’s when something on the floor caught my eye.

I hadn’t noticed it when I’d entered the room, but beside the door, as if it had been slid through the crack between it and the floor, was a small, folded piece of paper.

Still breathing heavily, I bent down to retrieve it with shaking fingers. I recognized Lucas’s handwriting before I read what it said.

Figured it out. Meet me at the library. Bring your knife.