Page 129 of I Will Mend You

Dolly marches over to his desk and places her headband on its wooden surface. When it’s my turn to step forward, my heart sinks into a pit of dread. Cass ripped it off my head. I didn’t think to pick it up before we escaped.

Mr. Delta raises his brow. “Where is it?”

Tears well up in my eyes. I swallow over and over, struggling to stay composed. Three Fates girls don’t cry. We also don’t make excuses.

“I-I left it behind,” I stammer.

Mr. Delta’s gaze hardens, his eyes piercing through my chest. “Do you realize what this means?”

Nodding, I loosen two fat tears that spill down my cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

Beside me, Dolly stiffens. I can’t stop thinking of what Dad said about us being a package deal. We’ve both screwed up. Dolly killed her target, when she should have left him unconscious for the police. I left behind my headband.

Mr. Delta leans back in his seat, his cold eyes fixed on mine. “You failed on multiple counts. You didn’t strike fast enough. You froze in the face of challenge.” When he turns to my sister, only a fraction of the tension eases. “And Dolly, you failed too by saving Amy from the consequences of her stupidity.”

Dolly’s hands ball into fists. “But we completed the mission.”

“Barely,” Delta snaps, the word cutting like a blade. “I’ve already informed your father of the sub-par performance. You won’t leave Three Fates until every mission you complete is flawless.”

My stomach plummets at the implication of further ordeals. “But that’s not fair.”

Ignoring me, Delta turns to Dolly, his expression stern. “As a sole operative, your performance on its own was passable. You’ll need to be stronger to compensate for your sister’s weakness. Do you understand?”

She nods, her face set with determination. “Yes, sir.”

“Dismissed.”

Kappa steps forward, placing a comforting hand on Dolly’s shoulder. “You did well. I know you’ll do even better next time.”

I trail after them into the hallway, my feet dragging. Failure hangs over my head like a dark cloud. I can’t believe it’s me who’s screwed up. It’s all my fault.

We reach Dolly’s dorm, and Kappa opens the door, letting my sister in. “Good night, sweetheart.”

When the door closes, she stares down at me, her features hardening. “Delta doesn’t give second chances. Don’t waste it.”

I nod, my heart shattering. At this rate, we’ll never see Mom and Dad again. Never meet my new baby brother. Pulling up my shoulders, I steel myself for more training, more missions.

Next time, I won’t fail.

SIXTY-FIVE

XERO

I kneel beside Amethyst, my heart pounding as I check her pulse. She’s breathing, but she’s out cold. Each second feels like an eternity as I wait for her to wake up.

Camila crouches beside us, breathing hard. “Xero, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t.” I squeeze my sister’s arm. “This is what she wanted.”

Turning my attention to Amethyst, I place a hand on her shoulder. The warmth of her skin reassures me that she’s still with me. “Baby, can you hear me?”

Her curls have spilled loose, fanning around her beautiful face like a halo of darkness and light. The sight of her, even in this vulnerable state, takes my breath away. My heart squeezes. She’s so brave, wanting to face her sister, but she’s doing too much too soon.

Stirring, her lashes flutter. Then she gazes up at me through dilated pupils ringed with a tiny circle of green.

“Xero?” she whispers, her voice weak. The sound of my name on her lips is a lifeline.

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