Page 114 of Bones
“Ok,” Raven barked, startling me. “What the fuck happens to you when you get a narc?”
I winced. I’d been expecting this. She’d held it in longer than I would have guessed.
“I don’t want to talk about it, Raven.” I forced my voice to be even.
“Well too bad,” she snapped. “This isn’t just about you. So start talkin’.”
I bent my head farther over my mending and stayed silent. I could feel her frustration building like a physical force.
“You wanna know what I think?”
“No,” I muttered, knowing she’d ignore me.
“I don’t think anything happens to you.”
I focused hard on my stitches.
“Did youwantto break Trey’s heart, is that it?”
“Raven!” Sky hissed.
“If you don’t want to be with him, just fuckingtellhim that,” Raven continued ranting. “Stop stringing him along and then dropping him whenever you feel like it.”
My eyes were burning, but Irefusedto let any tears fall.
“Trey’s a good person. Might be the best damn person I know, and he does not fuckin’ deserve this.”
That was true. Trey didn’t deserve this, and I would never forgive myself for what I’d done to him.
“Really?” She sounded furious. “You’re not gonna sayanything?You’re such a selfish bitch!”
I heard her stride to the door and leave, slamming it hard enough to make the windows rattle. The silence she left behind felt awkward as I struggled not to cry and Sky nervously continued straining the flowers. Only about a minute passed before the door opened again. I glanced up, bracing myself for Raven to yell some more, but instead, I met Mac’s grave face.
“Madame wants you.”
17
Istared at Mac, trying to process what he’d just said.
“In the dungeon?” I asked.
He nodded, his eyes stormy with anger. I couldn’t stand for longer than ten minutes, but I knew Madame wouldn't give a shit.
“Ok.” I gingerly stood, leaving my blanket and the shirt I’d been mending. I wore the long brown skirt Sky had found for me, and I had to admit Raven had been right. It made using the outhousemucheasier.
“The dungeon?” Sky repeated in a tiny voice.
I glanced at her, shame souring my stomach at the fear and surprise on her face. As far as I could tell, most people were unaware of what exactly Madame did in the dungeon. Madame had never told me to keep it quiet, but maybe she knew my role in what she did wasn’t something I would ever voluntarily share.
“You gonna be able to walk all the way there?” Mac asked. “I can go get a horse, but it’ll make us more late.” His expression stayed even, but I could hear the worry in his voice.
"I dunno," I said and then paused, startled at my honest answer. “I’ll be fine.”
That muscle in his jaw ticked. “Let’s go then.”
I made it almost halfway before I had to stop, leaning on a tree with stabbing pains shooting up and down my back. My puffs of breath made clouds in the cold air, and the wind made my eyes water, stinging against my skin. Mac swore under his breath, running a hand through his dark hair.
“I can sit on the floor when I get there if I have to,” I said, dazed by the pain. “I just gotta get there.”
