Page 67 (1/2)

Sheto twirl “H-he’s in there” She points to the red shed hite tri tone at odds with her disheveled appearance and fright filled eyes

“He’s not iet you home”

“Hoo home I don’t knoho I am”

She’s like a newborn colt as she shyly wobbles to me

I open the gate and pull her tothe back of her head

Blue wraps her arms around my neck and squeezes hard She rests her hands on my chest “Do you knoho I am, Shadow?”

“You’re, Bluebell Strong, ate ot the blood of Kings running through your veins, baby It takes irl Let’s get you co down”

She rocks her hips against me and leans back

I grunt Conflicting eh me As the adrenaline fades, I want to take her to remind e of her when she’s so vulnerable “I got you, girl Ain’t no one else is going to touch you Ever” I kiss her forehead

“I stuck hi to come back like some monster in a horror movie”

It’s creepy as hell listening to her gleeful tone as she spills her heart I can fix this for her “Well, let’s goback”

I set her down and hold out my hand I can’t coddle her when she just did a warrior’s job She deserves to be treated as an equal She twines our fingers and leans against me, like we’re out for a couples stroll Her skin is too hot I rake my eyes over her and pause at her jeans—they’re popped open and the zipper is busted My gut aches We enter the shed and I take in the rope, duct tape, and pills scattered on the workspace I walk over and find the little E i like this

“See what I did, Holt? Look” She’s like a child pointing to Jamie’s prone body

His eyes are cloudy and the blood that stains his shirt and runs onto the floor tells me he’s not alive

I walk over and toe hiently