Page 117 of The Souls Harvest
I push my chair back, getting slowly on my feet because my stomach threatens to jump out of my mouth if I move too quickly. “That doesn’t make any sense.” I hear myself mumbling, ignoring the background voices asking me to sit down.
“I know, my child, but Roden is not seeking sense. He desires a rebirth, a clean cut. He was only waiting for the right time to come and for his patience to run out.”
“I’m nobody’s child.” I snap at Jyn, my hair slapping my face as I turn to point a finger at him. “A tool, this is what I am. A weapon—”
A hand lands on my shoulder and slides down my arm, gently inviting me to lower it.
“You’re July Sofia Crimson,” Kristyon’s voice brushes my cheek like a sweet spring breeze. “You love the feeling of ladybirds crawling on your fingers and the sound of thunder when you’re about to fall asleep.”
He lets his hand rest on my arm, waiting for me to decide if I want to break the physical contact.
I lower my eyes to the floor. “I am his daughter. His blood runs in my veins. How could you ignore that and remain so close to me?”
“Because we—”
The bubble of quiet bursts, pricked by a groan that quickly turns into a muffled scream. I spin around, but the source of the sound remains invisible to me, shielded behind Kristyon’s body. Nothing good, judging by how quickly Merya reaches for her brother to drag him away from the table while he fights to break free and run to—Galen.
“He’s trying to get to him. Let me go!” Mack twists his upper body, trying to escape Merya’s grip. “He’s not wearing the key. Where the fuck is the key?”
“Get him out of here. Now!” Tabitha shouts over Mack’s words.
“The key?” I bring my fingers to the silver chain around my neck. “It has a twin…”
Shutting off Tabitha and Merya’s alarmed voices, I push Kris out of my way, lunging for Galen, who’s now bent over the kitchen sink, pressing his palms against his temples and groaning like a wounded beast.
“Is this what Mack means? Is this what you need?” I make to slide the chain over my head, but Galen throws his arm back, stopping me from getting any closer.
“No…” he growls in a voice that I almost do not recognise. “Roden is on Horigos, and he’s trying to get inside my head to findyou.”
The sudden silence rolls down my spine like a drop of liquid ice. I let the chain fall back on my neck. “But that means—”
A hand rips the veil separating me and Galen from the others and lands heavily on my shoulder.
“That our time here is up, and we have to move. Fuck—this is worse than I thought.” Tabitha doesn’t sugarcoat her worry and pulls me away from Galen, who’s, in the meantime, fallen on his knees. “Whatever happens, you do not take that necklace off, understood?”
She spins me around, pointing a finger in my face and not moving until I nod. “Good girl. Now—you go with Kris and Mack. Merya and I will take care of Galen. If we’re lucky, we probably have until sunrise tomorrow to understand what the fuck is going on, and come up with a last-minute plan.”
Merya steps towards us, with Mack in tow, followed by Kris, who seems ready to catch him should he decide to act wild again.
“He’s strong,” Merya states, nodding at Galen, who’s curled up against the kitchen counter. “But do you really think he will be able to hold out until tomorrow morning? Tabitha, we need to give him the key—”
“NO!” Kris and Galen shout at once, the first stepping before me, towering over his brother.
“I’ll take July and Mack to The Mother. That will buy us some time,” Kris says, earning a subtle nod from Tabitha but alsomanaging to relight Mack’s fire.
“Absolutely-fucking-no! I’m not leaving Galen like this. I’m probably the only one who can help him.”
“You don’t have time to create another key. Stop being so sentimental.” Merya hits the counter with a fist, searching the room for Jyn, who has not yet expressed his opinion.
“Stop punching things,” Mack yells before shrinking and turning away when Jyn stomps towards him.
“Come on, boy, time to go, either on your own legs or on my shoulders. Your choice.” Jyn puts himself between Galen and Mack, fists on his hips.
“Mack, please.” Galen’s voice reaches us, weak as if coming from a dimension far away. “I’ll be fine. The tunnels will give us some cover, and Roden won’t be able to detect me. At least until we are all ready to go.”
It pains me to see him like this, struggling to get back on his feet as if he’s just been hit by hundreds of bullets. But it mostly hurts me to see Galen forcing a reassuring smile when his own face is so ashen and his eyes red.
As I try to make sense of everything, I start playing with the key at my neck. “Why are you not wearing yours?” I ask, even if I still don’t know how such a small piece of metal can be a barrier between Roden and our minds. Not that I ever thought something like this was even possible.
