Page 58 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
Fuck it.
Drawing in a deep breath, I call out. “Horus!”
The passersby nearest me startle and throw me annoyed looks.
I ignore them.
My eyes frantically ping-pong to every bird.
“Horus!”
Is he mad at me for ignoring him earlier?
“Horus, please!”
Someone nearby shouts, “Shut the fuck up!”
Ignoring them, I turn frantically, searching.
Anxiety fists my chest.
What if he returned to Lucen’s and Lucen killed him just to spite me?
Would he be so cruel? As to kill an innocent animal?
I honestly can’t say. The realization makes my regret all the more bitter.
“Horus! I need you!”
“Excuse me, miss?”
I twist to find two of the local militia approaching me. Wariness lines their features.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Why don’t you come with us and we can help you find your friend?”
I have no doubt my father’s hands are deep in the local militia’s pockets.
The people around me stumble and startle away as my wings lift me swiftly into the air, and I shout again, panicked and desperate.
“Horus! Horus! Horus!”
The nearby birds squawk in response, but Horus is not among them.
One of them curses, and I twist to see the militiamen have drawn their palladium-spraying guns from their holsters to take aim. They pull the trigger just as Ifoldaway.
Back to Lucen’s.
I return to the balcony—the door of which is wide open. One of the drapes flaps in the breeze. My heart pounds so loudly in my chest, I can scarcely hear anything above it. Daring to peek my head around the balcony door, I see that, as anticipated, Lucen’s chair is empty. The room is spotless. You’d never guess what violence occurred there less than an hour ago.
I step back, hiding behind the door, scanning the surrounding townhouse balconies and roof ledges.
My voice is a desperate whisper.
“Horus.”
Silence.
