Chapter 4

Veronica’s POV

The silence around me only made my reality bloom in stark contrast to the night. I wanted to scream till my throat was raw and sore. It was so hard, so hard to breathe. My heart ached with so much intensity I never knew existed.

I had run back here as soon as the quiet one had ordered me out, but not before I caught his hands and face. The curse was taking effect, and the only sign of pain I could see in him was his tight lips.

“Roni,” I heard Ginny whisper just before her hand patted my back. “You scared the seven hells out of me.”

I reluctantly scooted over, giving her space to climb into bed with me. While it was against the rules for captives to socialize, Ginny and I always found our way to each other’s beds after lights out and the guards’ last round of check-ins. This was our ritual every night, but tonight I didn't want company. I just wanted to drown in my sorrow.

“Had fun?” she punched my arm playfully. She continued, not waiting for my response. “I thought you wouldn’t be able to make it back in time for curfew. I was already sizing up old wretched Darney. He was so eager, it made me want to gag,” she sighed dreamily. “I can’t wait for the bells to announce their death. I can almost hear it, you know. They had it coming, and you did good. Your Dever and sweet little boy would be so proud of you.”

A sob caught in my throat, and I fought back, not ready to let it out. I felt Ginny go still behind me just before she flipped me onto my back.

“Roni? What’s wrong?” Her voice sounded more concerned than terrified. I opened my mouth to speak, but the tears came spilling out.

She reached for me, wrapping her hands around me until my face was buried in her chest. Her gesture only made my sobs worse, drenching her gown with my tears. After several minutes of wailing and back rubbing, my tears subsided into hiccups. We stayed quiet, her holding me tight till my breathing returned to normal.

“I–I–” I started, but Ginny placed her finger over my lips.

“Not here,” she whispered fiercely, jumping out of the bed. “Come with me.”

I followed her lead, leaving the crowd behind. We shared the room with fifteen other captives, and you never knew who the intruder was. Ginny took a sharp corner, and a wooden door appeared before us. The door led us outside, and I inhaled the cool air greedily.

“Why haven’t you shared this with me?” I asked, feeling a bit offended. I had assumed we shared everything.

She stopped under a tree, a distance away from the building, and the shade from the tree hid us away. “A girl is allowed to have her secret,” she laughed, stopping when she realized I wasn’t joining in. “I was waiting for the right time, Roni, and you proved yourself today. Tell me what happened up there.”

I recanted everything that happened, omitting nothing. An awkward silence settled around us as I finished my tale. The silence made me uneasy. Maybe she thought I was lying. I wouldn’t blame her. I hadn’t stuck to the plan, and now I had a new target on my back.

“I guess I haven't been the only one keeping secrets.” Her voice sounded accusatory. “A healer, hmm?”

“N–not anymore,” I stuttered, lowering my gaze. “I lost my powers along with my wolf after the incident. I just–it was something I wasn't willing to share yet.”

“What do you plan to do now? Heal the brothers?”

“I can’t. No power.”

“And if you did?”

The cold tone of her voice snagged my head up. I caught her eyes, both of them trained on me. There was something within them I couldn't name. Hurt? Fear?

“I wouldn’t heal them. They killed my child.” The words left my mouth in ragged breaths.

Her shoulders slumped, and instantly, I felt ashamed. She was just as scared as I was, but she was scared of me.

“Ginny. You know I would never rat you out to the brothers. Never.” She nodded. “We just need a new plan, and I need your help. I can’t do this alone. We just have to distract the brothers long enough for them to claim Silverclaw, and then we can kill them just as we planned.”

She drew closer. “Did you really see the curse take effect?”

I nodded. “Just one of them. They look like…" I searched for the right word. “Monsters. He couldn’t turn fully, and he kept screaming. He was in so much pain, but not enough. I want them to feel every pain they put me through. I want them to burn… I want them to suffer.”

“And they will,” Ginny said, pulling me into her embrace. “We’ll spare none of them. I promise you.”

I hugged her back, holding on to her. My life was about to go into flames, and I needed all the help I could get. Ginny was my only source.

“Thank you,” I breathed out, shivering as the wind picked up.

“Let’s get back. Tomorrow we can plan better.”

We found our way back to the room and settled in for the night. I snuggled deeper into the bare foam, and for the first time since my world turned bleak, I felt lighter. Like everything was going to turn out well.

****

“That’s her!”

The screams pulled me out of my sleep just as hands roughly dragged me out of my bed. My gown hiked up, barely covering my thighs, as I was pulled onto the floor. Someone screamed right into my ear, removing the last dregs of sleep from my head. I knew it was the guards pulling me– the screams said as much–but I couldn't tell what they wanted. Had they found out about my little trip to the mansion? Or about last night?

I looked towards Ginny’s bed just as they pulled me across the room. She was seated on it, her hands wrapped around her thin blanket as they tried to cover her chest. She looked just as terrified as I was. I caught the word forming on her lips just before they pulled me out. Sorry.

My body felt ice-cold instantly. She would never, not to me. Not after what we’ve been through, after everything I told her. She promised me. Yet, something at the back of my mind nagged me; What if she did?

I screamed, thrashing my unrestrained legs, wanting to stop the thoughts forming in my head. The guards pulled harder, bruising every part of my body exposed as they dragged me up the hill. Above my screaming, I heard the sounds of keys clanging and a door creaking open.

“Pig,” one of the guards spat out just before he slammed the door shut behind him.