Page 294 of Mayhem and Minnie

Finding a tree, I sit down and lay my back against the trunk, taking in big gulps of air.

Minnie paces around in front of me, fidgeting with her hands.

“You’re not well, Marlowe. And my blood didn’t help you at all. How is that possible?”

“I don’t know.” I close my eyes briefly. “I don’t know,” I repeat numbly, unable to even articulate my thoughts.

“There was nothing wrong with you before. Nothing,” she continues. “So what?—”

She suddenly stops. Her eyes grow wide as she hurries to my side. She pulls up my sleeve and inspects my arm.

“Oh, Marlowe,” she mutters in disbelief.

I look down and I don’t even have the strength to be shocked at the sight.

The place where Katrina tattooed the rune onto my skin is covered in dark spots, and they’re spreading. Already half my arm has turned black.

“I should have never allowed her to do this. I should have trusted my instinct,” she whispers.

“I don’t understand.” I frown.

“Me neither. Unless…” She trails off. “This was a release rune. I’m certain of it. It wasn’t a protective one.”

“What does that mean?”

Her lips flatten as she touches my arm softly.

“It’s not a rune that’s used by itself. It’s a pair. For a release rune to work, something must be contained first.”

“A disease?” I ask weakly. “Is this a sickness?”

“Your phone. Give me your phone,” she says.

Since I don’t have the strength to look for it myself, she pats my pockets in search of it. Once she retrieves it, she scowls at the shattered screen.

“What are you doing?”

“Your mother. Call your mother.”

“Press two and hold,” I tell her. “She’s on speed dial.”

Minnie nods and presses the number two, though it takes her a few tries to get it right due to the damage to the screen.

Eventually, she manages to start the call and put it on speaker.

“Marlowe? Is that you, darling? Where are you?” My mother immediately picks up.

Minnie shakes her head at me. If I speak, she’s going to know something’s wrong and she’ll worry.

“Simone? This is Minnie.”

“Minnie? Good God. Is Marlowe with you?”

“Yes, yes. He’s sleeping. We’ve decided to elope. I hope you’re not too mad about this.”

“Of course not, darling. But… Has he heard about Julien?”

“We have. I’m so sorry for your loss, Simone,” Minnie says.

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