Page 11 of Possession

I try to figure out what I said wrong but come up empty. Aris is struggling to find the error as well. “There are two of us,” I finally say, confused.

“I know. The unity is something to remark on, is all,” Cera says. She pulls back her lips until all she is showing is teeth. She reminds me of a wolf, a true beast. “It’s interesting to make your acquaintance. You’re smaller than I thought you’d be.”

Out of the corner of my eye I watch a puddle of blood grow, seeping around the guard’s chair. I will myself not to look at the body. Interesting is certainly one word for this encounter.

“You killed him,” I say quietly, vision blurry from panic and tears.

“Yes, I did.”

“Why would you—I—” My breaths shudder, the words come out false, and I have to take a breath to steady myself. “How could you do that?”

I look back at her and hope my disgust will make her feel some kind of shame, but she only raises a brow, unimpressed. “He was in the way.” Her head tilts to the side. “And why do you care? He was holding you captive.”

“He was still a person.”

“And people die.”

She has a point, says Aris. All time is borrowed for your kind.

But she cut that time short. What gives her the right to make that kind of decision?

Skill, I suppose.

It almost sounds like you admire her.

Well, it certainly takes some skill sneaking into this facility.

“It’s strange meeting a celebrity,” says Cera, interrupting our conversation. She crosses her arms as she looks me up and down. “People have built you two up so much.”

“What are you, some kind of fan or something?” I shoot back. It takes an embarrassing amount of effort to keep my voice from shaking. But it’s worth it; she likes the spunk. Her next smile is less of a dog appraising its meal and more like a cat with its toy.

“Even I’m not that twisted,” she says. Her expression turns suddenly thoughtful. “Though, speaking of, I do wonder how badly he’s scrambled your brain.”

I’m not sure if the sudden irritation is my own or Aris’. Ask her what she wants, he says.

“Why are you here?” I demand.

She takes a step closer to the energy field, so close that if she moved just a centimeter, she’d be electrocuted. I open my mouth to instinctively warn her, but Cera reaches her hand through the field before I can say anything. A gasp tumbles out of my mouth and everything goes still as I wait for her to drop to the ground in pain, but she stays standing.

As if she understands the full implications of the impossibility she just overcame, her lips twist into a smirk. Cera takes a step towards me, through the barrier, and I immediately back up until I hit the far wall, concrete covered with a decorative tapestry. There’s nowhere to go now, and she’s still coming forward.

I fist the fabric of the decoration, my eyes huge as she stops right in front of me. “Are you going to run?” she murmurs. She is unpanicked, unrushed, as if she has all the time in the world.

Aris, what do I do?

He says nothing, but I can feel his attention. He’s watching.

I’m frustrated to tears that Cera passively watches trickle down my cheeks. You promised you wouldn’t let her hurt me!

What am I to do? he snaps back. He won’t help me—he can’t from inside. She’s faster, stronger, and obviously well-equipped in weaponry. What’s more, I doubt you’ll be able to pass through the barrier as easily as she did. Just pay attention—she may betray her intentions. We can use that.

An idea strikes me as he finishes, and I instinctively know that I need to act on it. I pull on the tapestry as hard as I can, sure that my hand has gone white from my grip. It immediately comes tumbling down, and I duck out of its path just in time. Cera, for all her skill, isn’t expecting the move and is soon covered, growling from underneath the cloth as she works her way free.

I use what little time I have to run across the room, searching for anything I might be able to use as a weapon. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything. I’ve never tried to kill myself, but the mages thought I might act spontaneously and ruin everything. Because of that, there’s nothing long that’s corded, nothing sharp, and nothing heavy. The outlets are covered, the furniture solidly put together and bolted to the ground. I’d have to be beyond creative to do some real damage to myself or anyone else.

There are, of course, my pillows, which I could smother her with, but Aris is right in assuming Cera is stronger. There’s no way I’ll be able to hold her down.

I told you to eat more.

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