Page 82 of Devotion

I had absolutely no idea. Not until this moment. But it makes sense.

Of course President Vincent murdered the former president even after he won the election.

Of course he did.

I’ve been woefully naive about far too many things for far too long.

I straighten up, keeping my hands on Gabriel’s shoulders. “Defying him so he kills you wouldn’t serve any purpose. He’d still have your plan to use exactly as he wants.”

“I know. He’s got my second copy in his office.”

“So there’s nothing you can do. Just play along for now. Maybe it won’t be as bad as we think.”

I don’t actually believe my words, and neither does Gabriel.

But what else can either one of us do but hope they’re true?

The restof the day is no better. Gabriel works, and I knit and brood. We eat a quiet dinner, and Gabriel doesn’t even go to bed at our normal time. He wants to keep working on the revisions he was ordered to make, so I go to sleep alone in my window alcove after letting my music box play a few times to comfort me.

It’s late. Very late—after midnight when I’m woken up by someone lightly shaking me by the shoulder.

It didn’t feel like I was sleeping soundly, but I must have been deep enough asleep that it takes a minute to fully orient myself. I blink. Stretch my neck. Pull away from the strong hand on my shoulder.

Gabriel.

It’s Gabriel who woke me up. He’s kneeling next to my window nook. “What’s going on?” I ask groggily. It smells like smoke in the room, but that can’t be right. Why would there be smoke? “Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry, baby. Can you wake up? I need to talk to you.”

My mind is still fuzzy, but I hear real urgency in his tone. I sit up and shake myself off. Swing my legs over the edge of the seat.

Gabriel remains kneeling in front of me, gazing up at my face. There’s tension in his mouth, his shoulders, his jaw. There’s something weirdly wild in his eyes.

“What is it?” I ask him, fully awake now and starting to tremble internally.

Something is about to happen. Something big.

I have no idea what it is.

I keep breathing in that smoky fragrance. Like a fire. What the hell could it be?

“I’m leaving,” he says with a lot of gravel in his voice.

“Wh-what?” I start to reach out for him, but he grabs my hands and holds them in both of his.

“Baby, just listen to me. I have to leave. Right now. I’ve done something, and if I don’t get away, they’re going to kill me for sure.”

I bite back a whimper. He needs me to be strong. Not fall apart no matter how much I’m tempted. “What did you do?” I whisper since he’s been speaking so softly.

“I…” He clears his throat. “I got into Vincent’s office and stole his copy of my plan.”

I try to inhale, but it lodges hard in my throat. Makes me choke.

“I burned it,” Gabriel goes on, nodding toward the fireplace against the far wall that’s never once been used. “His copy and mine. And all my notes. Everything. They’re all gone.”

“Wh—” I can’t seem to get a full word out. My vision is blurring, and my head spins. I cling to Gabriel’s hands desperately. If I don’t, I might actually fall over.

“I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to let them use my work to make the world worse. Iwon’t.” His hands and his arms and his chest have started to shake.

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