Page 70 of Ramshackle
Fuck.
Of all the people, it’s theone personI can’t use my gift on.
I raise my hands up and to the side, and she watches as the reddish glow of my gift dissipates.
Instead of lowering her weapon in response, she just smirks and moves the blade up to my neck.
Great.
“I forgot you made that promise to Dane. But he’s not here right now. You can’t be so stupid that you wouldn’t try to fight to save your life. Because I’m taking it now. Youowe meyour life.”
My mouth flattens as I realize that this could very well be the end of it. But she’s just as much a fool if she thinks I can only fight with violence. I stare at her, taking in her amber eyes that look back at me with a sense of desperation. I remain completely still under her, which is how I notice the fine tremble of her body. There’s a manic energy about her, and it reminds me of the time Dane had held a gun to my head.
“I’m not breaking my promise to him,” I reply slowly, as one would a cornered and dangerous animal.
She applies more pressure to the knife, and a sharp sting echoes back. “No, you will. Your life is more important to you, just like anyone else. But if you tell me where the Guild is, I’ll make this less painful than I want it to be. I’ll make it quick.”
A bead of liquid slides down my neck, warning me that she’s broken skin.
I’m too afraid that talking loud or fast will result in a sliced neck before either of us gets what we want, so I keep my voice low and calm. “Vera. I know about Royce. Tell me about him. Is he controlling you? Is he why you’re with GE? We want to save you, Vera. Just tell me how, and we’ll do it.”
She bares her teeth at me. “Shut up! Why would you try to save me now? It’s too late! I already know how you feel about me. You want me dead.”
More liquid runs down my neck.
“No, I don’t. Killing you was an accident, I swear. I never meant to hurt you. I would never wish for you to be gone.” My voice thickens with emotion, but I’m too scared to swallow it down and risk a deeper cut. “You were like a big sister to me, Vera. Losing you…was one of the hardest things.”
Vera’s eyes widen. I concentrate on keeping my breaths shallow as she processes what I’ve said. Her face blurs as I struggle with the limited oxygen. If she doesn’t decide what she’s going to do soon, I’m going to pass out and be completely defenseless. I can’t let that happen. Should I buck her off? Does that count as hurting her?
Sorry, Dane, but that can’t count against me.
She leans back, bringing the knife with her. I gasp, heaving a deep breath to fill my lungs.
Vera narrows her gaze and then stands. “Get up. Either tell me where the Guild is or fight me, Rae.”
I stand, keeping my hands open and to my sides, and shake my head. “I’m not going to fight you. Tell me how we can help.”
She scowls and slashes at me with the knife. It cuts across my chest, drawing blood, but it’s shallow. Her face darkens more when I don’t retaliate. “Give me Dane, or give me the Guild!”
“I can’t do either of those. How can I saveyou, Vera? Is Royce the answer?”
Vera cuts me again, this time on my left cheek before she snarls and shoves at me. “Why won’t you fight back?! Dane isn’t here! He wouldn’t even know. Fight me!”
Another cut on my forearm. Stomach. She pushes me back against the bookcase, holding the knife back to my throat. Her eyes are wild as she glares at me, the V-shaped scar over her eye looking longer and darker now that she’s so close. A foul smell wafts by, but then it’s gone before I can look around to see where it came from.
The knife at my throat again also steals my attention from anything else.
“How can you say you want to save me if you won’t give me anything?” she spits at me.
“But—” I stop. Has she been telling me how to save her? Is she in danger if she doesn’t get one of those things? “Are you—”
“Raegan!” Aiden’s voice commands nearby. Others shush him, but when he calls my name again with the same tone and volume, he makes it clear that he doesn’t give a shit about their silence policy.
Vera and I stare at each other. Aiden’s coming. She could kill me before he gets here. Her knife is already flirting dangerously into my skin, so I can feel the sharpness of the blade. I haven’t given her anything she wants, and she should know by now that I won’t give her any of those things even with more time. What reason would she have to keep me alive, then?
Killing me, getting revenge, it’s something else she needs, isn’t it?
She presses the knife a bit further in, and her gaze flickers with some emotion. Then she hesitates, freezing when we can hear Aiden’s footsteps scuffing across the carpet and getting closer.
