Page 60 of The Souls Harvest
Us?
He doesn’t let me overthink it and, having shouldered the door open, jerks his chin, inviting me to follow. I rush outside, where cleaner air makes my lungs sing with joy, but where we also look like desperate ants scrambling for safety.
The wound in my shoulder shoots pain down to my fingertips every time I move my arm as I run behind Galen.
As I fight for my breath, I blurt, “Has this got to do with the Chapter?”
There is no accusation in my voice. No expectation. But we both stop at the same time. Galen’s back is a trembling wall.
He slowly turns, but lowers his eyes to avoid mine. “Will you follow me if I say no?”
Right in front of me, the courtyard gleams as if ablaze. The reflection of the flames, that is, which have now reached the lower levels of the Wise and are dancing behind its windows, showering the round bushes of periwinkles and lilies adorning the perimeter in yellow and orange sparks.
The rain wasn’t that powerful, after all.
I shake my head, searching for Galen’s face, but he keeps his eyes on the ground. He’s panting so heavily that air comes out ofhis mouth in dense, dark purple puffs.
I sigh. “It is true, then. Not just an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.”
“How?” he finally looks at me, wincing like the slightest movement is costing him all his strength.
“When I met the Chapter, Popplewish confessed Roden is not new to using the power ofyourDeleteri on Harvesters. I believe he did something to me. To make me forget the details of our dinner and our car ride. But—I don’t know how; my subconscious retained something. And this morning, you looked so…Forcefullyunaware. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me…”
His brows furrow. “I thought you were passed out at that point. I suggested there was no need to wipe your mind clean. That it was too dangerous…” His hand, covered in dirt and scratches, reaches for mine. His curls, damp with sweat and water, are stuck to his forehead. He seems older—stronger. Someone I’ve never really known.
I take a step back. “You…You’re one of them,” I deflate. At once, the raging fire seems friendlier than the face before me.
He drops his hand. “Evelyn asked Roden to reset only bits of that night to avoid long-term damage to your memory.Wethought we did enough already—”
I clench my jaw to prevent my heart from leaping out of my mouth. Instead, it drops into such a dark place that I fear it is gone forever.
“How thoughtful…Then explain why, at breakfast this morning, you pretended you didn’t know my next destination. I’d already told you where they’re sending mebeforeour dinner.” I struggle to believe that the voice I’m hearing is mine.
I don’t intend to waste more time walking in the dark, putting together scraps of truth. I pretend the whole fucking thing.
I charge towards him and raise my hand, ready to slap him, but my fingers curl into a fist, nails digging into my palm. “For days, I’ve lived in fear, believing the fucking Chapter had completely messed up your brain as well, but you were probably just confused by all the lies you had piled up to keep me in check.”
Whatever the reason for the pain on his face, either his wound or my poisonous words, I enjoy it.
Galen puts some distance between us. His boots skid on the muddy path, and he nearly loses balance. Wincing, he hunches to avoid falling on his back, a hand firmly pressed to his side.
I don’t care. He deserves it. “WhileIwas gambling with my life, making deals to keep you safe and away from this shitshow, you were enjoying it from the first row, pretending to be my friend—”
I stare at him; tears and raindrops run down my face while the Wise roars in despair before the atmosphere in the courtyard turns sticky and heavy as if the Blind is holding in a big breath—its very last one.
We exchange a knowing look and duck just before the castle exhales violently, showering us with a mixture of stone fragments and colourful glass shards.
The rain has lost its battle against the fire.
“That wasn’t an act—” Galen struggles to speak.
We’ve both fallen flat on our stomachs, with our hands on our heads for protection.
“What?” I snap, slowly pushing back on my feet. I’m still wearing Galen’s jumper, which is now covered in mud and falling to pieces. A dark stain is also spreading beneath my jeans on my left knee.
Galen slowly peels himself off the floor, his legs shaking under his weight. “I wasn’t lying about Sector 43—I did not remember. That’s why I wanted to see you tonight—” he flinches again, hissing through his teeth.
This time, I can’t ignore the pain on his face, the silver specks in his eye losing their natural light, and I lunge forward to catch him should he fall. But another ominous sound and the ground shaking under our feet make us freeze. I look down at the thin cracks forming along the stone floor, one running right between my feet.
