Page 14 of Bones
“Again,” Madame ordered.
She plunged the knife into Hojo’s chest. Hojo let out a pained wheeze. Madame pulled the knife back out and smiled at me.
“Or he dies.”
I lurched forward and fumbled at the wound. Hojo’s eyes closed, his face twisted in pain. I tried to find any remnant of my power inside me, but nothing remained but wisps of smoke. The room tilted, darkness creeping into the edges of my vision. I tried to focus on Hojo, tried to blink past the darkness, but then, nothing.
3
Murmured words were exchanged over my head. I’d never felt sodrained.I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t seem to remember how.
Red silk fluttered across my vision. A warm wet cloth wiped my face. I heard the sound of water pouring and tried to turn my head to look. Pain spiked behind my eyes, and I groaned.
“Hush now,” a soft voice said, “you’re?—”
But everything faded away again.
* * *
“I didn’t want to,” I whispered through chapped lips and chattering teeth. I had no idea what I was saying. Was this a dream?
“I know,” a male voice said gently.
Fear sliced through me, and I managed to focus on a face framed in wavy brown hair. He smiled a little, but sorrow lingered in his gentle eyes.
“It’s ok, you’re safe,” he murmured.
I furrowed my brow, staring at him. My brain waded through thick mud as I struggled to remember his name. Trey. His name was Trey. Gods, I felt like death. Was I dying? A fresh wave of chills rattled through me, and my breath caught in panic.
“What’s wrong with me?” I managed to say through my chattering teeth.
“You have a high fever,” Trey said and his mouth twisted in a worried frown.
His face swam in my vision for a second. “I don’t get sick.”
“Ever?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.
“Never.” I grimaced. “It feels awful.”
A grin crossed his face. “Yeah, it does, doesn’t it?”
I licked my dry lips. Gods, I was so thirsty. As if he’d heard my thoughts, he grabbed a small wooden bowl of water. He slid one hand under my head and lifted it just enough so I could drink from the bowl that he brought to my lips.
“Maybe this has somethin’ to do with your powers then,” Trey muttered thoughtfully. “Mac said you healed until you passed out.”
Hojo’s screams filled my head along with Madame’s cruel smile and my breath caught. My eyes welled up and overflowed. Trey glanced back at me as he set the bowl down and alarm flashed across his face.
“What’s wrong?”
“I tortured him,” I sobbed.
“No, Bones.” Trey’s hand wrapped around one of mine. His eyes met mine. “You healed him. Madame tortured him.”
“I can’t…I can’t do it again. Please…please don’t make me do it again.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said, soft and pained. “This is my fault.”
“Why can’t I just do good?” I choked out through the sobs. “I don’t want to hurt people. I always hurt people. I’m never gonna do enough to make…make megood.”
