Page 367 of Once Upon a Fable

All the memories of my Fable sister’s screams and tears were no longer hidden behind locked doors. They’d been let loose the moment I’d attacked Jareth. Recollections of my own torture mingled with those that’d happen to Jareth, Wes, and Maliki.

They’d folded in on me as I’d blacked out. I’d hoped they’d return to the shadows.

But no such luck.

They’d been let loose and they refused to leave.

My head was fucking crowded.

I couldn’t shut them up or shove them away. They made Fables come alive again. I saw their ghosts around every corner. I heard their voices up the stairs. I witnessed the fear, the pain, and the never-ending monstrosities that were done to us.

I wanted to lock them away again.

I didn’t think I could cope with my past running amok in my head and Jareth infiltrating my present.

Even now, sitting silent and stiff in the games room, I couldn’t relax. I couldn’t let down my guard because I no longer trusted him.

He once owned a piece of my heart—just like all my family—but now...now, Gemma owned that heart. Her well-being came above his and I was torn in two.

Gemma flicked a glance at me as if sensing I thought about her.

The sky was lightning outside, signaling dawn wasn’t far away.

I was exhausted. Gem had shadows beneath her eyes and Jareth looked worse as the minutes ticked over. His bruising had darkened, his cuts still oozing blood.

I should tend to him.

I should’ve done it the moment we walked inside.

Clearing my throat, I went to stand, but my constant headache made the room swim. “Stay. What do you need?” Gem instantly came to sit by my side, her hand landing on my shoulder, her touch electrifying me, covering me in shame for how I’d treated her, run from her, made her doubt just how much she fucking meant to me.

What would she think of me if I admitted I’d been so close to ending it tonight? That I’d wanted her so fucking badly that I was willing to put myself out of my misery because I didn’t know how to be the man she deserved.

I didn’t know how to apologize.

I didn’t know how to love her without hurting her.

I would never get over how strong she was, how forgiving. I still didn’t understand how she could touch me, smile at me, care for me after I’d raped her. Those memories were far too sharp and savage. She’d fought me. She’d screamed at me. She’d stopped fighting me when I ignored her and took what I wanted anyway.

Fuck.

I flinched away from her touch.

Her eyes flared with hurt but she stood bravely and smiled. “I’ll go and get you guys some painkillers. I have no doubt your arm will be killing you—especially seeing as you’ve removed your splint.” Her eyes grazed over my arm before darting to Jareth sprawled in a button leather armchair by the fireplace. Animal hides darted the floor like islands between us. Antlers hung above the mantel, glinting sharply amongst the tarnished shields and swords decorating the walls.

A room of death.

Why the fuck were we in this one? Then again, were there any rooms in this place that weren’t touched with death?

“You’re not allergic to any pain meds, are you?” Gem asked Jareth, her voice stiff and strict. She might’ve protected him from my wrath and helped snap me out of whatever hate-fuelled bloodlust I’d been in, but she wasn’t his friend.

Jareth ran a hand over his jaw, pushing against a new bruise and swelling. “No. I have a tolerance for all drugs. Whatever you have, I’ll take.”

My eyes narrowed. What did he mean by that? We’d never been given drugs at Fables, apart from the odd painkiller when a guest got particularly nasty. We’d never been force fed chemicals to keep us inline.

Leaning forward, I shook away what I could of my headache and focused on him. “You use drugs?”

Gemma subtly left the room, taking my oxygen with her and leaving me with a thousand questions for Jareth.