Page 34 of Carved in Ice (Made of Steel 3)

“It’s too late,” V said. “It’s too late,” he repeated.

If he thought his words were soothing they weren’t. His words echoed around me as he carried me away from Eli’s motionless body.

Chapter 15

Thursday

I held my breath for one second as I watched the cops swarm the theater.

For two seconds. Why had I moved out of formation in the first place? I should have stayed behind the pillar.

For three seconds. Why hadn’t I listened to what Don was saying? He wasn’t there to hurt me. He was there to take away everything I loved.

For four seconds. My last thread of hope had been cut.

For five seconds. It was my fault that Eli was dead. I tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like I was choking.

V carried me farther and farther away until I couldn’t see the red and blue lighting up the sky. The whole time I reached out, trying to get back to Eli. Trying to remember what his eyes

looked like before they went blank. No. No!

The wind swirled, blowing some of the fallen snow around us, like it was trying to pull me back into my memories. Trying to pull me back into everything I had lost.

“They’ll find him,” Liza said from beside us. “They have to.” But there was doubt in her voice.

It’s too late. Those were V’s words. And I had seen Eli’s face. He was staring into nothingness. It should have been me. It felt like my tears had frozen against my cheeks.

“I need to go back,” I said and kept trying to struggle out of V’s grip. “I have to…I need to be with him…”

“I’m the only one that isn’t a wanted criminal,” Liza said as she stopped running. “I’ll go figure out what I can.”

“It’s not safe, Liza,” V said.

“He’s our friend, V.”

“The cops are going to recognize him. They’ll link you two together. You can’t.”

Liza shook her head. “He’s one of us. I’m going back. I’ll say I heard a gunshot. I’ll point them in the right direction before he bleeds out.” She started running toward the fire escape.

Before he bleeds out. I saw the death in his eyes. “V, please,” I said and tried to push V’s arms off of me. “Let me go with her. They’re looking for a brunette, not a blonde. Let me go.”

But he continued to carry me farther away from Eli.

“He needs me!”

V didn’t say a word.

“He needs me,” I sobbed. I wasn’t even sure if it was true. But I needed him. I desperately needed him.

***

“Put the apartment on lockdown, Athena,” V said.

A few seconds later, Athena’s voice came over the speaker system: “The apartment is on lockdown.”

He lowered me to my feet. As soon as he did, I collapsed to my knees. The tears were back, raking through my whole body. I didn’t even know I could cry so hard.

“Sadie, get up. You’re stronger than this.”

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