Page 96 of Crossing Between
The thought burned like acid, corroding everything it touched. This monster had chosen her specifically, deliberately. It was a message written in the blood of someone I cherished.
When I had nothing left to give, I sat back, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. Kenji offered me a water bottle, which I accepted gratefully, rinsing my mouth and spitting before taking a small sip.
"I need to see her," my voice was raw and it hurt. "I need to know what happened."
Elias and Kenji exchanged a look, a silent conversation passing between them.
"It's not pretty," Kenji warned, his hand still on my shoulder. "Are you sure?"
I nodded, steel entering my spine despite the trembling that still racked my body. "I need to see. I need to know what I'm fighting."
Elias studied my face for a long moment before nodding. "Okay." He put the car back in drive, pulling onto the road with a grim determination I could feel echoing through our bond.
The rest of the drive passed in a blur. My mind kept replaying memories of Ruth. I couldn't reconcile those memories with the knowledge that she was gone, that I would never hear her voice again.
When we arrived at my building, the area was already cordoned off with police tape. Officers milled about, their faces grim. I spotted Varon standing near the entrance, his tall frame unmistakable even from a distance.
As we approached, his eyes found mine, and the sorrow I saw there confirmed everything. Through our bond, I felt his concern for me, his anger at what had happened, and beneath it all, a fierce protectiveness that would have been comforting under any other circumstances.
"Zoey," he stepped forward, his voice low. "You don't have to do this."
"Yes, I do," I straightened my shoulders, though I felt like I might shatter at any moment. "She was my family."
Varon's jaw tightened, but he nodded, understanding. He lifted the police tape, allowing us to duck under.
Quilith was already inside, their usual flamboyance subdued. When they saw me, their eyes filled with a sadness that seemed to span centuries. They crossed the room in flowing strides, enveloping me in a tight embrace that smelled of starlight and ancient magic.
"My dear one," they murmured against my hair. "I am so sorry."
I clung to them for a moment, drawing strength from their solid presence. Then I pulled back, steeling myself. "Where is she?"
Quilith's expression grew somber. "Are you certain you wish to see? Some memories are difficult to unwrite once seen."
"I need to see," I repeated, my voice steadier than I felt. "Please."
The familiar living room beyond was in shambles with furniture overturned, Ruth's collection of vintage beer cans scattered across the floor, the walls splattered with dark stains I refused to acknowledge as blood.
And there, in the center of the chaos, was Ruth.
Or what remained of her.
I stopped in the doorway, my breath catching in my throat. The room tilted dangerously, and I would have fallen if not for Varon's steadying hand at my elbow.
Ruth's body lay in pieces, literally torn apart. Her limbs were scattered like discarded toys, her torso rent open, organs missing. Her face, mercifully, was turned away from me, but Icould see her gray hair matted with blood, the familiar floral nightgown she always wore now in tatters and soaked crimson.
I closed my eyes, unable to look anymore, but the image was already burned into my memory. A sob tore from my throat, raw in its grief.
"She fought," Quilith voiced softly beside me. "There are defensive wounds on her hands. She did not go easily."
That sounded like Ruth. Stubborn to the end, refusing to give up without a fight. The thought broke something inside me, and I felt my knees give way.
Three sets of arms caught me before I hit the floor, supporting me as grief ripped through me in waves. I could feel their sorrow mingling with mine through our bond, amplifying and somehow softening it all at once.
"I need to check," I managed between sobs. "I need to see if her soul..."
"Zoey, no," Elias's voice was firm. "You're in no state to."
"I have to try!" I pushed against their restraining arms. "If there's any chance her soul is still here, that I can bring her back!"
