Page 37 of Sins of the Stone

Ramuz shook his head. “Not a fool, Ursulette. Just hurt.” She returned his nod, and they parted, observing the glowing sun fading away. The tickle of a final tear fell down her cheek, and he hoped it would be the last. The hues of the sky took his breath away—blush pinks and dusty purples topped the fiery glow of a large orange ember vanishing in a few more moments. But it was no match for her, even if she didn’t know it.

Once the sun faded, Ramuz entwined his bulky hand in hers. Ursulette smiled softly, and he hoped for once she felt at peace after all the chaos. She glanced down at her feet, and he followed her eyes, noticing their ankles caked in mud. Her gaze glided to his. With a smile, she spoke.

“Let’s go,” she said. “I think we could use a bath, or at least some cleaning.” Ramuz smiled and leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead. She alwaysknew just the right thing to say.

“I would love nothing more,” he said. “This time, will you not hide from me?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Chapter 24

Ursulette

The blur of exhaustion was glossed across Ursulette’s eyes as she rolled out of bed. Ramuz was snoring lowly beside her. She gave his sleeping form a soft smile, patting his muscular arm before her feet hit the floor. He sucked in a low breath, but he didn’t stir.

Over the past few weeks or so and since abandoning her people, she actually thought she was starting to feel better—dare she say normal? The pangs of worry and the acidic, boiling feeling in her stomach were fading more as the days went on.

She hoped that in a few more weeks, she would return to who she was before the village was returned to the earth. Then, she and Ramuz could move on. The trauma would take a backseat, and they could live a happy life free of persecution. That was all she really wanted. She saw that now.

Her feet dragged along the floor as she exited their bedroom, giving Ramuz one last glance before crossing the threshold. He looked so peaceful while he slept. One day, she wished to achieve such tranquility.

After that, she pressed her knuckles to her eyes and yawned as she made her way to the kitchen, ready to relight the fire. Ursulette thought about how much she missed the summer, and she hoped the warm few months they experienced would return this year. It would be nice not to shiver when going outside for once.

As she made her way to the living room, a strange noise caught her attention, and she pulled her hands away from her face. Just then, a startlingchill crawled down her spine as the sharp feeling of a knife to her throat and a presence behind her ripped her from her groggy state. It was a feeling she hoped never to experience, but it was all too familiar. Her heart skipped as she felt a warm body press against her.

“Don’t scream.”

She recognized that voice. It was a sound that tormented her for so many years. One she hoped never to hear again—if only life was such a blissful dream. But this world was not so kind as it had proved before, and this was no storybook. Happy endings didn’t always happen in real life—she knew that well enough already.

Omar’s mouth pressed to the side of her face, his leer gazing down at her with pure malice. His warmth made her skin crawl as she wanted to separate herself from his grasp, but the silver shine against her pale neck held her in place better than any binds.

“I knew you were up to something,” he spat. “I just didn’t realize it was so…disgusting.” There was one burning question on her mind, and she decided to speak it, praying that it would not be the last words that came from her lips.

“How did you find me?”

“Strange footprints in the mud and a bit of wandering,” he said. “I knew you weren’t as smart as you claimed to be.” The knife never moved from its place against her. “You chose a monster over me?”

Ursulette’s fists curled. She wondered if breaking the law was his real motivation. Or perhaps it was love, romance, or a choice. Would jealousy instead of sin cause her death? Now was not the time to be shy. She knew the consequences of his desperation.

“I would choose anyone over you,” she hissed.

“You’re fucking it, aren’t you?”

No words came from her lips, but the bright pink coloring of her face said it all. His eyes lowered in an expression of pure hate.

“I should execute you right here and now for your unlawful, filthy behavior, monster lover,” he said. Just as he spoke, the blade pressed harder against her flesh, making her cry out.

“Don’t—” Before she could scream more, he slapped a hand over her mouth and forced the edge to her cheek, opening her skin and exposing the red flesh below. Beads of crimson dripped down as her muffled cries turned to whimpers. A tear fell down her face, and a drop of blood followed.

“If you wake it, you’ll never take another breath,” he hissed. “There are people outside who will come slaughter the two of you if you scream.” Defeated, Ursulette nodded, and he reluctantly removed his hand from her mouth. The only sound she could hear was Ramuz’s low snore, indicating that he was not coming to her rescue. Her heart shattered, terrified and pondering what horrors he had planned.

Before she could ask, Omar stuffed the blade into his pocket and pulled out a coil of rope. Without a sound, he seized her wrists before binding her hands. Never before had Ursulette felt so hollow. Once he was done, he pointed to a chair in the kitchen, and she obeyed his command.

While she sat with her eyes on the ground, Omar began to rifle through their home. He made it to a side table, scooped up the extra paper and quills they had taken from the village, and brought them to her so that she could see what he was writing.

Come to the village if you want to save your woman.

The words were poignant, sharp, and to the point. There was nothing left to interpret, and she dreaded to think about the journey back and what would happen when each of them arrived. And then, once they were together, they would be reunited until death ripped them away and joined them again. Her stomach fluttered.

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