Page 105 of Creatures that Breathe

Ten days of pain.

A long finger curls over my palm. “Leni,” Cross rasps. Weak. So weak.

I wipe my face again. “Focus on the king. Think of your mission. Protect yourself.”

“My only desire is to protect you.”

“No.” I’m tightening the restraint on his chest, sobbing. “I’m sorry, but you have to focus. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t apologize to me.” His low tone is suddenly vicious. Stronger. “Ever. Understand. I …” He jerks, pushes out a frustrated groan. “Undo the chains!”

Atlas slithers to my side, nods. “She’s done her job. Remove her.”

Lev’s heavy steps approach, bulky hands land on my shoulders.

I cling to the metal rails of the bed frame. “No.”

The bed splinters under Cross. He wrenches the frame’s bars apart, still welded around his hands, forces himself to sit, severing thick chains. “Let go of her.”

The Russian hesitates.

“Now,” Cross snarls, eyes darkening viciously. “She’s mine.”

27

Cross

MedBay HQ Foxtrot-Uniform-Kilo Pvt. Road, Colchester, New York, 12776

“Leave us.”

Leni knows my command’s not for her.

Sticky red drips down my fingers, my legs are numb from below the knee and my voice hits my ear like nails on glass, but if I must, I’ll fight two of my own to have a minute alone with her.

To look at her. Hold her. Inhale her.

Supplicate. Repent. Sacrifice.

Give whatever the Gods demand in return for her.

“It’s been a week.” Lev plants his feet like I’m an enemy, long wild hair caught in a failing braid. “You have to eat. And drink, and Zeke needs to check your vitals.”

Zeke played triage doctor once in the Civil War and thinks vital checks involve limb counts. I roll my eyes. “Since when do I need—”

“Since her.” Atlas doesn’t mask his disdain. “Since I your stitches broke again. Since you’re fucking bleeding out. Again. Since you—”

“It’s not on purpose.” My voice is rusty and catches in my throat. I’m sweating bullets, a headache is playing give the brain a pulse behind my eyes. I clench my gift, dig my nails into black smoke. “You think I like being weak and vulnerable? That I want to be a fucking liability for us? Do you think I don’t know what happens if I stray too far? Don’t realize who must pay for it?”

“It’s not about that,” Atlas insists, notching up the collar of his shirt to cover his twin bands. “I’d wear all of your tattoos today and always if it meant you were free. You know that. I sacrifice everything for—”

“Leave.” Talking to him is like spitting salt on a fresh wound.

He betrayed me. He threw Leni to the sharks.

To a monster.

I’m her monster.

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