Page 13 of Rook of Ruin
“I’m sorry.” I hear his voice whisper in my ear as my old dagger pushes against my throat.
Panic and fear ring through me. Matron won’t let me free, and I can’t move with the dagger pressed to my throat. The burn of the blade cuts into my skin, and tiny droplets of my blood fall on Matron’s hands.
You’re sorry?!My mind is whirling. He could just leave us here; he doesn’t have to kill us.
Heal, damn it!My brace’s glow spreads, brightening up the room as if the sun is shining, but does nothing to stop the green-black veins from weaving throughout Matron’s body.
The dagger cuts deeper. I did not see this double cross coming.Heal! Please!
I thought—I thought—
More blood drips down the dagger and onto Matron’s arms. She is crying now.Why are you crying? Don’t cry. It’s okay. I’ll heal you.
The dagger slices farther into my neck.Just slice me open! Kill me quickly!
Matron is sad, not scared, sad.
I don’t want to die.
More pain, more blood flows. Tears are hitting the side of my face. Are those my tears?
I’m dying. This is how I die.
I feel a pull at the back of my mind . . . and then I understand.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers.
Like lightning jolting through my body, I awaken in shock. I was doingsomething.
Pain shoots through my neck. Why is my neck bleeding? I touch the wound. It’s not as deep as feels; if I went to a regular healer, it would be several stitches. I’m fucking lucky—it could have been my artery. I should heal myself, but my brain is working too slow. It’s as if my mind is searching, noreachingthrough thick, syrupy sludge for—
There’s a soft touch to my hand, and it’s Matron. Horrified, I gasp at the green-black veins weaving their way through her face.Remember.I was doingsomething. . . Was I healing her? How did she get hurt? How did I cut myself? My mind is a foggy mess as it tries to grasp my surroundings. The last thing I remember is Matron standing in front of me after I castrated that—
“O!” Matron yells. My mind snaps back into place. “You need to unlock the doors and go get help.”
“Matron, what happened?!” I try to heal her, my brace softly lighting up, but nothing changes. I start to panic. “Matron, I—it’s not working!”
“You’ve been trying to heal me. Now, O, please listen. Get help,” she pleads. I look around the mortuary, and there’s a Rook on the floor, blood seeping out around her.What happened?I move towards the Rook. “Orlaith, she is dead. There is nothing you can do other than to get help. Trust me.”
“Right.” Gently, I pull on the cart, unlock the doors, and fling them open, pushing Matron through. Once we are in the hallway, I start yelling for help and running with the cart. We make it to block nine with no response, no Rooks.Why were the doors to the mortuary locked? Where is everyone? There are always Grey Sisters in the mortuary. What the fuck happened in there? To me? To her?
“Orlaith.” Matron’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Please.”
Stopping, I peer down at her. She looks so much worse. The green-black veins have multiplied, and the corners of her eyes are turning the same terrible shade. She lifts her hands and struggles to get the cowl off her head. Pulling it gently, I carefully remove it for her. An envelope falls to the floor. “Give that to Ossian. Only to Ossian. Do you understand?”
“Matron, give it to him yourself. You’re—”
“Rook Orlaith Verlan, swear to me you will give Ossian this letter.” Her voice is clear and severe.
“I—”
“Your word,” she says sternly as tears flow down her face.
“Yes, Matron. I swear. You have my word.” Tears prickle my eyes, and I pull the clasp of my leathers protecting my chest. My hands shake as I unbutton my shirt and slip her letter into the binding that holds my breasts. I blink back tears while I fix my fighting leathers.
She touches her beautiful silver-grey hair that fell around her face and smiles softly. “No one has seen or touched my hair in such a long time.”
“I don’t know why not, you have beautiful hair.” I smile down at her, suppressing my panic for this tender moment, and smooth her hair back from her wrinkled forehead.
