Page 20 of Last Rites

Rosie shooed the kittens away and stood. She frowned, and the light from the fireplace cast across her umber skin. “Kit, I⁠—”

“It’s getting late,” he cut in. “I’ll walk you home.”

It was nearer midday than evening, but Rosie didn’t argue. She didn’t move, either, waiting in the pause that followed to see if Kit’s rational thoughts would catch up to his blind panic.

“Spread the word, would you?” He still wasn’t looking at Rosie or me or anything in particular. “To the others. No more meetings. No more recruiting. We need to lay low. I need to figure things out.”

Despite having offered to take her home, he made no move toward the exit. His gaze fixed on something not in this room. Not tangible at all. Like he could see the thoughts racing by and was trying to catch one.

“Tell everyone to stay in their homes,” he continued. “And don’t come to ours.”

I’d seen the look he gave her in the square. Practically begged her to bring me back here. And now he was dismissing her with the scarcest thanks. It wasn’t like him and, thankfully, she knew that. Knew him well enough not to let the dismissal offend her.

“Kit?” She stepped up to him and laid a hand on his arm.

It was what I should have done. Hugged him, held him, helped him cope with this, but I felt too like I was drowning, and I feared I would only drag him to the depths with me.

“Rosie.” He shrugged off her touch. His expression remained steely and his voice level when he met her eyes. “I appreciate everything you’ve done in our absence, but I’m afraid it ends here. I’m not willing to risk any more lives over this.”

Her brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

A shuddering breath filled then fled his chest. He looked smaller without the robes around him. I hadn’t realized the impact a piece of clothing could have. Especially the piece of clothing I’d seen my half-brother parading around in for the last half-year. Seeing that mantle pass onto Kit’s shoulders was chilling. That had been the plan all along, but that didn’t make the reality of it any easier to stomach.

“Merrick is aware of our plan,” Kit explained. “He’s targeting the resistance and has made it clear he’s willing to murder anyone who strays into his path.”

He turned toward where I lingered near the cloak rack. Beside the door, as if I intended to slip out of here. Break out of this prison and take Kit with me.

“And he intends to start with you,” Kit said, startling me back into the conversation. Furrows cut into his brow with long, hard lines. Another deep breath left him. “I’ll be left alive to bear witness. As if I don’t already have enough ghosts to haunt me.”

Rosie stayed near him, similarly mired in thought and the feelings that pulled at my feet like a ship’s anchors. “He can’t do that,” she said at length.

Kit snorted. “Who will stop him?”

“We will!” Rosie retorted, but Kit came back just as determined.

“You’re missing the point.” He rounded on her. “Merrick holds all authority now. His word is law. He can order your death as it pleases him. Any of you. All of you.”

His throat bobbed with a rough swallow before he glanced at me again, almost apologetic. “I won’t allow it. Now, I’m taking you home.”

Spinning, he strode toward the door, past where I stood to tug it open and admit the harsh glare of daylight.

Rosie paused and looked from him to me. I skirted her glance while pinning my lower lip between my teeth.

My avoidance prompted her to make an aggravated sound, and she squared her shoulders. “I can walk myself.” She stormed toward the path Kit had cleared, then stopped between him and me.

“But, Kit?” She kept saying his name, pleading with him, and I realized, in this instance, she was the bravest of us.

Kit must have heard it, too. Respected it, even, because his features softened as he looked at her.

“For what it’s worth,” she said gently, “I think you should give the resistance members the chance to make their own decisions. We all know Cortland didn’t murder Levitt. Merrick is responsible, and I’ll be damned before I follow a man like that anywhere. Or fear him.”

He nodded slowly. “That would be fine if all they risked was themselves, but Merrick said he would begin his extermination with Penny, and I won’t…” Another skittish glance my way. Another pull of undertow. “Rosie, I believe him.”

“He’s been threatening my life for months,” I muttered. Less a defense and more statement of fact. “He’ll keep doing it as long as it works.”

Kit’s grip on the door handle went white knuckled. “And it will work until you’re dead,” he snapped.

“He won’t kill me, Kit,” I said. “Not as long as he can use me against you.”