Page 29 of Fangs
I tried to focus on taking deep breaths in through my nose and out through my mouth.
“Ember!” He sounded like he used to when I was a kid and wasn’t listening. “Where the fuck have you been?”
My stomach flipped with anxiety. There was a good chance he knew who the Reapers were, their reputation, and what theydid.“It doesn’t matter.”
“It doesn’t matter?” His voice darkened even further.
“Wolf,” Sable warned, placing a hand on his leg.
“I have spent the last twelve fuckin’ years searchin’everywherefor you after you ran away,” Wolf snarled, ignoring him. “So I’d say itdoesfuckin’ matter.”
“I didn’t run away,” I repeated wearily, wondering why I even bothered.
“Right, because you wereexiled.” His voice dripped with scorn.
Hopelessness swept over me. I had no way to prove I didn’t run away. It would always be Pa’s word against mine, and Wolf would never go against Pa.
“You know, I expected you to have a better lie all planned out after all this time,” Wolf said, his voice bitter.
All of this was just so fucking pointless. My entire life was fucking pointless. I had these healing powers, but everyone I ever loved still died. I suffered, but it didn’t atone me for anything. I killed Madame. I killed Juck. I spilled their blood and let it stain my soul to keep them from hurting anyone else, but it was always too little too late.
I kept trying to do good, to make up for everything I’d done, but all I brought was death. Maybe I deserved to die for all of it. Maybe that was the only option left for atonement.
But not at Carth.
“I’m not goin’ back.”
Wolf’s eyes snapped to mine. “What?”
“I’m not goin’ back to Carth.”
My brother’s eyes flashed like green fire. “I don’t recall askin’ for your opinion.”
I felt my temper rise in response, and it was such a relief to feelsomething. “If you want a trial,fine.Give me a fuckin’ trial right here. ’Cause I’m not goin’ back there.”
“You’ll go wherever I decide you’ll go,” he growled.
“You try to take me back, and I’m gonna fight you every single fuckin’ step of the way.”
Something like amusement flashed across his face. “I think the six of us can handle you.”
Rage burned hot behind my eyes, but my stomach dropped. He was right. They could handle me. I could fight as hard as I physically could, but it would probably still be fucking easy for them to drag me back.
“Has it ever fuckin’ occurred to you that you might be wrong?” I seethed.
“Why do you think I’m tryin’ to ask you questions?” he snapped. “But you won’t tell me anything!”
“You’re not actually asking! You’re tryin’ to manipulate whatever I say into whatyouthink happened!”
“That is not true, Ember.”
“Youneverlisten to me?—”
“I listen!” he shouted. “Ialwayslistened. I listened to you lie over and over, Ember! What the fuck else was I supposed to do?”
“Then why are you asking me any questions at all?” I shouted back. “Why fuckin’ bother if you’re so sure I’m just gonna lie?”
“Because I keep hopin’ one of these times you’ll tell me the fuckin’ truth!”
