Page 107 of Bones
Something flashed through his eyes. “Let her know.”
“Mac—”
“No, I mean it, Bones. Keep it. I’ll be fine.”
We stared at each other for a few breaths, but finally, I nodded and he released my wrist.
“We’ll get you out,” he promised as he stood.
I nodded, my lips pressed together to keep from begging him to stay. He gave me a final look before he turned and strode away. I wrapped his jacket tighter around myself and attempted to engrave the words he’d given me into my mind.
“You’re a river. You don’t break, you bend.”
16
Maybe the jacket, food, and water helped or maybe exhaustion just caught up to me, but I managed to get some real sleep. I slept so deeply that I didn’t even hear Sax’s heavy footsteps approaching. I jerked awake at the sound of the cell door creaking open and panicked at the sight of a large silhouette reaching down to yank me to my feet.
“Get movin’,” Sax growled at me.
I obeyed, my legs shaky after days of limited movement. As we passed the cells, I got a glimpse of Mist's pale face peering through the bars and felt a surge of relief and guilt. We continued up to the meeting room on the second floor. Mac waited outside the door, his face impassive. He took my arm from Sax who gestured that we go into the meeting room.
As we began to enter the room, Mac leaned down. “Don’t do anything stupid,” he muttered in my ear.
Anxiety pulsed in me, and I glanced at him once more as we came to a stop in front of the table. He stood like a soldier once again, with no sign of the man who'd held my hands and let me cry.
Madame sat at the table with Nemo and Zana, and armed men filled the room. I saw Madame take note of the jacket I wore before looking pointedly at Mac. He wore a different jacket, but sheknew.I didn’t dare look at him, keeping my eyes on Madame.
“Well, Bones.” Madame looked irritated as she flicked her grey dreads over her shoulder. Her fingers drummed a chaotic beat on the table. She cut her eyes sideways to Nemo for a moment, something like disgust crossing her face. “Time to get back to work.”
I glanced at Nemo too. He wore a slight frown, a deep furrow wrinkling his forehead, but he didn’t react to the look she’d just given him.
“The council seems to think the people have grown dependent on your healing,” Madame continued. “So you may return to the clinic to work, and the rest of your sentence will transfer to Mac.”
It took me a moment to register what she’d just said. I looked up at Mac next to me, and then back at Madame, my heart pounding.
“Mac was only allowed to add you to his crew so long as he was willing to take responsibility for your actions, isn’t that right, Mac?” Madame asked.
My stomach clenched in horror.
“Yes ma’am,” Mac said, his voice flat. “I take full responsibility.”
“Good,” Madame said with a cruel smile. “Ten lashes.”
“No!” I burst out in panic as her men stepped forward.
“Bones!” Mac jerked on my arm, but I ignored him.
“Mac didn’t do anything! It was all me! I take responsibility.”
“Bones, don’t—” Mac growled, his hand tightening even further on my arm, but Madame held up a hand, silencing him.
She studied Mac with those ice-cold eyes, tapping her fingers on the table again.
“He can’t work for you if he’s injured. I can,” I added, and I could feel Mac’s fury like the heat of a fire.
“Madame—” Mac tried again.
“Another word out of you and there will be even worse consequences,” Madame said in a sharp cruel voice, silencing him once again. When she turned to me, she smiled again, and the hair rose on the back of my neck. “Well, Bones, since you’re so desperate to take responsibility, I’ll let you have it. You can take Mac’s lashes.” She turned to her men, waving a hand in our direction lazily. “See to it.”
