Page 179 of Where the Snakes Sleep

Henri spits on the floor, then stares up at Camille and says, “She left me no choice.”

Camille’s knees nearly buckle. I grab his arm, helping him.

The next breath Henri takes is ragged and draws my attention. As I look at him more closely, I see that his posture has changed, like he can no longer do anything but slouch.

Fear is in his eyes as he pleads, now to me, “Help me.”

“No,” I answer plainly.

“You can keep me stable, at least,” he tries. “You know where the antivenom is, don’t you? Be a good boy now, Ryan.”

“Oh god, do not call me that.”

Henri looks toward the mercenaries, trying every avenue to survive. “Take me to a hospital.”

One of them answers, “No. We’re leaving.”

Henri’s expression becomes almost comical. “You are what?”

“Leaving.”

“You cannot leave.”

“We can.”

“I paid you.”

The man sighs. “Yes.”

“Then do what I tell you.”

“That isn’t how this works.”

Henri’s face reddens. “That is precisely how it works!”

The mercenary looks toward the front of the estate. “Police will be here soon. The evidence is already out. The retrieval failed. You’re apparently about to die. There is no reason for us to remain.”

Henri points at me. “He attacked me.”

The man glances my way, and I give a little wave. “Hi.”

Camille turns his head slowly toward me.

“What?” I question.

“This is not the time to be charming.”

“I wasn’t being charming.”

“You waved.”

“I panicked?”

The mercenary actually grins. “And with that, we will be leaving.”

Something breaks in Henri’s expression, almost pitifully so. And as the men start toward the door, Henri yells, “Stop!” When they keep going, his voice rises to a shriek. “STOP!”

In under a minute, the corridor falls silent. They’ve vanished as if swallowed by the walls. No thunderous shootout. No last-minute betrayals. Henri Voclain stands alone—abandoned by the men he believed were his to command.