Page 116 of Deck of Scarlets

Baron gathered the boxing equipment, organizing the gloves on the table. “No, I’m sorry about my comment from earlier. It was out of line.”

I wiped my tears away with the back of my hands, and Baron handed me a bottle of water. “It wasn’t that.” He waited until I continued, knowing there was more bottled up inside. “It’s everything, from my grams’ death to Heather not passing the Blessing. I’m losing control.”

“In what way?”

Tossing the water bottle aside, I threw my hands in the air. “Everything! Baron, how the fuck does someone go from having no idea any of this shit exists to being dead center, fighting for their life?”

“Your grand—?”

“Ugh! No! Okay? No. I had no idea. All I had was her will stating I must attend if accepted because it would be paid in full. That’s where her money mostly went.”

“But she kept this life a secret? Why?”

“I don’t know, and right now, I have zero energy to find out. I just need time to stop for a few minutes.”

Baron squeezed my shoulder in sympathy. “Nobody is perfect, not even the others. I’m sorry you’re feeling this way, and I’m sorry about your grandmother.”

I felt the weight of his words seep in, giving me a sense of peace for a brief moment. His kindness was genuine, just like his smile.

“You remind me a lot of my friend Jeremy,” I said.

A cocky grin spread across his face like a naughty little child. “Is he as good-looking as me?”

I punched his arm playfully. “Ass.”

A hearty laugh rattled his chest. “Do you want to continue your training… or?”

“Is it okay if I go see Heather?” It was time to switch and check in on her.

Softness appeared in his eyes. “Of course. I’ll go with you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to.”

“I insist.”

We cleaned the area before heading out to the infirmary, discussing future training sessions, when we noticed a smear of blood on the door to Heather’s wing. My heart quickened with each step, my fingers trembling over the doorknob, Baron next to me on high alert. A silent understanding happened between us as I slipped out my dagger; Baron had one of his own, keeping quiet until I completed turning the knob. With a slight push, it creaked open to more blood trailing on the floor, a body battered and bruised on Heather’s bed, except it wasn’t Heather. All the air escaped my lungs as the realization hit Baron; his face contorted in worry.

Ready to run inside, he held up an arm, blocking my path, signaling with his finger to be quiet while he surveyed the area. When the coast was clear, he beckoned me to follow him in, rushing to the body on the bed. Asher lay with blood-curdling from his mouth, his eyes rolling as he gurgled up his blood.

“Dammit!” shouted Baron, trying to cover what wounds he could with his bare hands.

“Do…n…t,” Asher choked, blood pouring down his chin.

“Remi, page the others! Quick!” he ordered in a rush.

I hit the panic button on my pager, which sent a signal to every member in the Order, pinpointing our exact location for help.

“Ul… ro…” Asher coughed some more, blood spewing out of his mouth like a sprinkler.

“Shhh, save your energy,” soothed Baron, putting pressure on the wound in his chest.

Asher gripped Baron’s collar, trying to get him to listen through his stuttering words. “Ulro… DAK.” The last part came out in a harsh cough, spraying Baron in the face with his blood.

The light from his eyes dimmed, and his mouth drooped, blood trickling from his blueish lips.

I slid down the wall to the floor, unable to keep my body standing with my wobbly legs. My stomach twisted in the tightest knot from the scene displayed before me, nausea bubbling in my throat. Heather was missing, and Asher was dead.

Not soon enough, Kal, Anna, and Father Benedict rushed in, halting just before the bed covered in Asher’s blood, then panned over to me hurling my guts onto the floor. Kal came to my aide, pulling my hair back as I emptied my stomach. Anna approached Baron and removed his hands from Asher’s open wound.

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