Page 119 of The Cannibal

“Get a hold on yourself.” I only spoke as harshly as he did.

His shoulders rose and fell as his chest heaved. He was seething. I thought venom would come from every pore in his body if he let it simmer long enough.

“Stay here.” I pointed to the place he stood before pushing past him.

My body jolted when he grabbed my arm.

His face was in the light now.

Instead of the unbridled rage, the snared teeth and carnal violence—all I saw was pain.

He was struggling. More than I had ever seen or known him capable of.

“Don’t go.” The words were so grave, I thought they may have been desperate. “I need a moment.”

He let go of my arm.

The room emptied finally, footsteps disappeared until it turned to the chiming of cutlery a few rooms over.

I pulled him around to the dark hallway by the private study, someplace closed off. Only a large potted fern at the end of the hall to keep us company.

“Are you well?” I angled my head to try to catch his gaze. “Silas, talk to me.”

“It’s my mother’s,” he finally said, looking at the box in my hand, “and all the others after her.”

I shook my head, the gift becoming more perplexing with every detail that unwrapped it.

“I do not think it is by chance”—he swallowed, getting angrier as he thought about it—“that we met.”

“What are you saying?”

“Since the beginning,” he laughed. “Of course.”

“There is no time for riddles, speak plainly.”

“He wouldn’t allow Phoebe a friend out of kindness. He didn’t allow any outsiders. No exceptions,” he sneered. “But for what reason he would break his rules, I do not know.”

“Well, it makes sense with all the time my father spent with him. Between all the time in the lab and the research funding.”

Silas stilled.

For once, he looked quite sickly, a bit feverish.

“Look at me.” I forced eye contact, holding his face. “We will get through this. He is trying to get to you. Remember what we said about the fingers in the wounds?”

He nodded.

“You are doing phenomenal.”

“I can’t do this.” He shook his head. “I can’t.”

“You can.” I leaned close, to make sure every word was perfectly understood. “You are the most stubborn, wicked man I know. If anyone can do it, you can. We can, together. I promise.”

His breathing only got faster, more agitated. His hands were shaking, begging to strangle or bury the knuckles into someone.

“We will get through this Appraisal, then we can disappear together. Just you and me, the rest can be left behind,” I pleaded with him. “We finish our responsibilities then our work will be done.”

The silence between us was enough to hear even the faintest snap of static. His breathing did not calm, neither did mine.