Page 49 of Speak No Evil

I conjure the murdering fae some clothes, give her food and water, and lock the door behind me.

AJ says nothing. Not a single word, and that doesn’t sit well with me.

I’ve no knowledge of what manner of creature her alternate form is. Fae are notoriously secretive about their abilities.

And I can’t decide whether the fae truly has no knowledge of her actions, or if she’s merely play-acting, hoping to elicit an emotional response in Jade, and in turn, a lenient punishment.

Either way, it’s up to Jade, and Jade alone, how we proceed.

Though if it were me, I’d skin the fae monster alive, hang her bones from the light poles, and drop her boneless, skinless form back in the fae city as a warning to all others.

Fucking fae.

I return to the main floor to find Jade, once again in her lovely fuchsia skin and deer-like antlers, pacing in front of the basement door. Her fingers are in her mouth as she gnaws on her sharp claws.

I’ve never seen her so rattled. So out of sorts.

She doesn’t notice me until I grab her shoulders and stop her pacing.

Her eyes flash to mine. Such large, green pools of anguish, uncertainty. It pains me to see her this way.

“I-I checked on V. Thorne and Ryker tucked her into a guest room, and I think she’s OK.”

I nod, opening myself to take all she has, hear every fear, every doubt.

“Vrahs, what the fuck am I supposed to do?”

I stay silent, sensing she has far more to say.

“It wasn’t supposed to be her.” Tears rim her eyes, and she balls her hands into fists, ignoring, or perhaps enjoying, the claws digging into her palms.

“It was supposed to be a random demon no one cared about. Or a rabid, lone wolf.”

She collapses against me, and I catch her. “This should have been easy. Kill the being who killed Em.” Her words are but breath and despair.

“How am I supposed to avenge Em if AJ...” Jade’s demoness falls away, leaving her unconscious human body slumped in my arms.

I lift her in my arms and carry her to our room.

Sometimes the brain knows what’s best and simply shuts itself off.

Sleep will do her good.

I settle into the chair beside her, planning to wait as long as it takes.

Chapter 12

JADE

Vengeance.

It’s the first thought I have when I wake. I don’t open my eyes or make any sign that I am awake, in case there are onlookers.

Instead, I lie still, silent, absorbing, calculating, replaying.

Vengeance.

It blinded me.

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