Page 81 of Crucible
Once I’m in my room, I strip off my shirt and, out of habit, run my hand over the raised scars marring my abs and chest before shedding my jeans, too. Walking into the ensuite, I turn on the shower and lament the shitty water pressure once again. It gets the job done, I guess.
Aurelia enters my thoughts not a moment later.
What does she think of the home we built with our bare hands?
I have no doubt it’s nothing like what she’s used to, but she could be happy here, couldn’t she? What would it take to make sure that happens? Yes, it would be easier to make herwanttostay rather than forcing her, but how would we even go about it after the start we had? First impressions are hard to shake, and Aurelia was well within her right to try to take us out tonight.
These thoughts stay with me as I crawl into bed, and I spend the night tossing and fucking turning just like she said I would.
AURELIA
Someone is crying.
At first, I think it’s me. I think I’m sobbing in my dream like a wild animal that’s been wounded—except the voice those cries belong to doesn’t belong to me. And I’ve learned a long time ago to cry where no one—not even me—can see.
For the longest time, I thought that I wasn’t able. I thought it was just another thing my uncle had taken from me. I didn’t even cry when my plane went down, and I knew I was about to die.
If that’s not a sign something is seriously broken inside me, what is?
Another hoarse scream jars me awake this time, and I sit up with a gasp. The den is dark, so I can’t see a thing at first. My eyes are slow to adjust, so the strangled sounds are even more terrifying as I wait out the dark.
Crawling to the end of the couch where the lamp that’s now off is, I yank on the string repeatedly to no avail.
Shit.
Bulb must have died.
Some of the darkness in the room recedes, so I search for the source of the sounds.
Seth’s turned onto his side away from me, and he’s shivering inside his sleeping bag even though the cabin is pretty warm.When I touch his arm, his skin feels clammy, and worry pierces my armor as I wonder if he’s sick.
Oh, God. He didn’t eat the mice stew, did he? Not even Seth could be that reckless.
“Seth?” I try to shake him awake. “Seth, are you okay? Seth, wake up. Seth!”
His eyes fly open, and they’re frantic as they search around before finding mine in the dark. They’re wide with panic one moment, and the next, I’m being yanked off the couch and body slammed onto the footlocker. My back smarts from hitting the hard surface, and it dazes me long enough for Seth to get his hands around my throat.
God, his strength, his rage…
I…I can’t breathe.
My nails claw his wrists and face, but it’s not enough to make him release me.
“Why can’t you sick fucks leave Zeke alone?” he shouts. Seth uses his grip on my neck to lift my upper body, only to slam me back down. I almost black out right then and there. “I did what you asked! You…can’t…have…him!” he yells after every slam. “You can’t have him! You can’t have him!”
“Seth,” I struggle to get out. “P-please.”
The edges of my vision are just starting to fade when the light in Khalil’s bedroom flicks on.
My head is hanging over the edge of the table now, so I can see him rubbing his eyes when he shuffles into the den. “Whatever the hell you guys are doing in here, keep it down. Some of us are trying to fucking sleep.”
Khalil’s hand drops, and then he viciously swears when he sees us and rushes over.
“Seth,” Khalil says gently. “Seth, let her go.” He starts rubbing Seth’s freaking back like he’s the one being strangled. “She’s not going to hurt you, brother. She’s not one of them.”
Seth tightens his hold, and I feel the fight in me fading as my eyes roll back and I start to slip away. Khalil must notice because he curses, stands, and abandons his gentle approach.
He hits Seth hard as hell in the temple.
