Page 89 of Our Violent Ends
Juliette swallowed hard. “You will.” She placed the copy of Tyler’s novel at Alisa’s feet. “Look after this for me, would you?”
Tyler had promised to give Alisa back at the duel’s end, regardless of the result. So far, he certainly seemed to have kept his word. Alisa was unharmed—at most, she only looked annoyed to be here.
Perhaps, it occurred to Juliette suddenly, Alisa didn’t even know that her brother was being summoned for a duel.
Footsteps sounded from the road outside the alleyway. Juliette inhaled sharply and straightened, her fists clenching hard. If Alisa didn’t know why she was here, she would soon.
Roma and Benedikt appeared. They were visibly tense, coats pulled up to their necks to brace against the cold. For a moment, Juliette wondered if Roma might be wearing something protective underneath, but then he unbuttoned his coat, showing merely a pristine white shirt. There would be no tricks here. Tyler would see through any attempt.
“Tyler,” Juliette snapped. Her voice drew Roma’s attention, summoning his eyes to the back, where Alisa was being held. He lurched forward, but Benedikt grabbed his arm, warning him against any sudden movements. Another cold gale blew into the alley. The Montagovs were twin reflections of the same picture—one ablaze as a study of contrasts and shadows, the other a faded, blond replicant.
“No need to chide me,” Tyler replied, striding toward her. “I’m getting into position.”
Just as he started to walk, there was a loudbang!from nearby, and everybody in the alley flinched. No matter how blasé Tyler acted, he was just as tense as Juliette was. Where Juliette stood taut in fear, he stood white-knuckled to prepare for blood.
“Only a rickshaw runner, I’m sure,” Juliette said. She offered Alisa another glance, trying to communicate with her eyes that everything would be all right, before walking to meet Benedikt in the middle of the alley. As seconds, this was supposed to be their last chance to communicate on behalf of the duelers, to resolve the matter and walk away.
“Any success?” Benedikt murmured.
Juliette shook her head. “No luck. What about with Roma?”
“He won’t back down.”
Knowing that they were speaking about him, Roma kept his gaze trained on Juliette. His expression was blank, revealing nothing.
“Roma,” Juliette whispered. She knew that he could hear her. Even if she mouthed every word, Roma could probably read it. “Don’t do it.”
“I must,” he said. There was no other argument. It was as simple as that. The blood feud was fated to run deep. Even Roma, who had hated the idea of it, couldn’t resist its draw. It would pull him in, force him to kill.
Remember what you used to say,Juliette wanted to scream.Astra inclinant, sed non obligant.
She remained still, her breath caught in her throat. Her heart was pounding, so loud that it had to be audible, so loud that it was all she could hear. But Roma—Roma only idly turned and took his position at the end of the alley, sparing no second glance at Juliette or Benedikt.
The moment Juliette turned on her heel and started to walk, Benedikt snapped to attention too. He hurried to Roma and grabbed him by the elbow, hissing something that Juliette could no longer catch. With every three steps, she glanced over her shoulder, trying to make sense of what was happening, but each time, Roma did not look responsive. He only shook his head and brushed his cousin off.
“Tyler,” Juliette called.
“Step behind me,” Tyler replied. He did not look in Juliette’s direction. “Unless you want to be within firing range?”
One breath in. One breath out.
“Tyler—”
This time Tyler did give her his attention, his pistol dangling at his side. “Yes?”
And Juliette’s tongue stalled. What was she to say? Was she to beg for Roma’s life? Was she to plead, drop to her knees, do all that Tyler expected her to do as that weak-hearted girl he had never thought could lead?
Juliette swallowed hard. She could not. Shewouldnot. She was the heir to the Scarlet Gang. Heir of mobsters and merchants andmonsters, each and every one of them, blood frothing at the mouth. She kneeled to no one.
Tyler smiled. “Take your place, then.”
ButGod, she wished she weren’t. She wished she could just be a girl.
Juliette walked to the back of the alley, stopping beside Alisa. By now Alisa was starting to frown. She was putting together the pieces, watching Roma and Tyler face each other at opposite ends of an alley, pistols in their hands, as Benedikt said, “Tyler Cai. You may approach the barrier at your own pace.”
“What’s happening?” Alisa demanded suddenly. “Is this aduel?”
A crack dashed across Juliette’s heart. She felt the gouge form like it was a physical sensation.
