Page 118 of The Souls Harvest
Kris clears his throat to call my attention and the others. “Because he gave it to me.” He digs two fingers beneath the collarof his shirt, fishing out a leather lace with a key identical to mine in shape and colour.
We all turn to face Galen.
Me: mostly curious to understand why he did such a stupid thing, knowing now what the key protects us from; Mack, on the other hand, openly showing defeat on his young, freckled face.
“You gave up. That’s the only explanation. Stupid, if you ask me, and—nope, just stupid. I’m—fine,” - he quickly waves Jyn away - “I’m not going to lash out again.”
“Yes.” Galen snaps. “I was going to drop everything and leave July, my brother and everyone I love at Roden’s mercy. Think again, you silly genius! Why do you think Evelyn gaveherkey to July?”
I gasp.Her key…but the others ignore me. Except for Kris, who brushes the back of his hand against mine.
Mack’s eyes widen.
“You get it now, right?” Galen bites his last words as if they’re struggling to come out. He grunts, seeking the edge of the sink with his left hand. “We weren’t hundred percent sure, but Evelyn noticed something had changed in Roden’s behaviour. Lately, he was more secretive, even with the Chapter. And then—he let July make that stupid deal with him as if he’d ever set her free. We’ve never seen Roden acting so erratically. He was just covering all the bases—” He spins around, coughing in the sink.
When he faces us again, fresh blood gleams on the corner of his lips, stretched in a wicked smirk, his eyes - those beautiful explosions of silver and rich browns - veiled as if trapped under athick layer of ice.
“Hello, my children. It is not polite to start a family gathering without yourfather.”His voice coated in century-old, almighty smugness.
“Nobody move…” Tabitha opens her arms, a human barrier between us and Galen. “Hello, Roden, you decrepit piece of shit. I was wondering when I would hear your voice again. Such a shame you’re not hereyet; my hands are thirsty for your blood…” She tries to force a stern tone, but the tips of her fingers are shaking.
Galen’s head cocks to one side, a lock of hair falling over his Harvester eye as he studies Tabitha head to toe, clicking his tongue. “You’ve aged, my dear. Tell me, is that little lamb of yours still around? Or did you eventually give her away? I’d understand if you did—after all, she’s half-bastard with no powers—”
With an explosion of strong muscles and a mass of loose silver braids, Tabitha lunges for him. But Merya’s response is quicker than our surprise. The young woman shoves me out of the way and pounces to grab Tabitha by her waist, followed by Mack, who dashes behind her before Jyn snatches him back towards the secondary door.
“You stay here, or I knock you out, boy.” Jyn rumbles in his chest, never losing eye contact with Galen. When Mack opens his mouth to voice his complaint, a final glare from Jyn shuts him up.
“Don’t get down to his level. This is what he wants,” Merya implores Tabitha, holding her with one hand while the other is slowly caressing the holster looped around her thigh.
Kris’ fingers flutter against mine, and I remember to breathe.
Unmoved by Merya and Tabs’ reaction, Roden chuckles through Galen’s mouth, “He’s fighting, you know? He’s actually telling me tofuck off—”
For a split second the Roden-Galen creature flinches, and I see my chance.
“Galen, I know you can hear me. Tell me what to do, tell me—” I step towards him, but Kris catches my hand.
The familiar green eyes that I saw almost every night stare into mine, not letting me think about the nightmare that has just barged into our reality.
“July? It’s going to be fine. Don’t look at anyone but me, and keep hold of that key.”
This must be a dream.
Blood thrums loudly in my ears, but I can’t get hurt.
This is a dream.
“Ah, how romantic. But not even Mack’s mind can create something so powerful to break the bond between a father and hispreciousdaughter.” Roden’s voice, coming out of Galen’s mouth, congeals the blood in my veins; Galen is gone once again.
“What more do you want from me?” I spit the words out with the same poisonous tone the woman in the green dress had used for me. “Make another deal? Serve you Kris’ soul on a silver plate? Join you on the throne to help you turn every soul alive red—puppets you can play with when you feel you’re no longer needed?”
Galen’s eyes widen, and something - pride - flickers on his grin, but I cannot say if that belongs to my lifetime friend or to Roden.
“You’re too ahead of yourself, my child. I created you, but do not think you’re special. If I haven’t toyed around with another Nistares to repeat my first success, it was only because I found it more entertaining to watch you and this,” - he waves a hand at Kris - “Mistake—falling in love every time I sent you back to him. Seeing him voluntarily donating part of his soul to you, suffering every time while you harvested a single kernel thinking that that was the very first time while you were - indeed - draining him to death… Ah, that was delightful.” Roden forces Galen’s hand to his mouth and sucks on a finger as if coated in chocolate.
He stares at me, flashing his sickening smirk between Tabitha and Merya’s heads as the two women try to create a wall before me.
The vortex of panic spinning in my head halts. I open my mouth to gasp, but air and words get stuck in my throat.
