Page 149 of Ashes

“And Seth is. . .?”

“A mirage,” I said, smiling at him as he glanced over at me. “He is he. He is we. He isn’t here.”

“You have him chained up inside your head?”

I laughed at that. “I do so enjoy these games. So many people have it wrong. It’s always been a good time for us.”

He sighed. “So you’re Asylum and Seth. Who else?”

“I’m only Asylum,” I said, cocking my head at him. “And you’re Sin. And the walls are puke green. I really much rather them be yellow.”

“I hate talking to you,” he muttered. “Why do you speak in riddles? Isn’t it exhausting?”

“Life is exhausting. This is simply me passing the time.” I grew quiet as I stared out the window with him. “You terrify her. It used to be me who scared her. Now it’s you. Do you like that it’s you, Sinclair?”

“No,” he whispered. “I don’t.”

I nodded. “Isabella. She never feared you.”

“She should have.”

I clicked my tongue. “Indeed. I did warn her.”

He turned to me. “What?”

“Her and I. . . we were friends. We went way back. I told her you were going to kill her. She didn’t believe me. Narcissism and all that had a way of blocking reality for her. Pity, but really, she had it coming, didn’t she? After killing the baby. After that little girl. After. . . Church.”

Sin’s bottom lip wobbled as he stared me down.

“It hurt, and for that, I’m sorry. But trust me when I tell you it had to happen that way so that you could stand here with me now. So that later, you could find what your heart was so desperately craving. A pretty raven-haired girl with big, colorful eyes. A siren. A ghost.”

His eyes glistened, and he quickly turned away from me and wiped at them.

“She says your name in her sleep,” I said. “Calls for you. Begs you.”

“Stop.”

“Her voice. It’s so soft and sweet. So innocent.Sinful. Please. Please, Sinful. Help me.That’s what she screamed in her head when she realized you’d trapped her with me. She begged to God for you to come back and save her from her fate.”

“STOP.” He punched the wall, cracking his knuckles open. His blood dripped out from the broken skin as his body quaked.

I smiled at that. “My point is, it’s easy to get lost in a nightmare. You’ll wake up, Sinclair, and all will be well. I promise. . . just as soon as I cut you free from the ropes.”

“If you’re trying to comfort me, you’re fucking shit at it,” he snarled, wiping the blood onto his pants.

I looked to my left and smiled at the quick flash of light.

Stop playing. Get back to Rinny.

You’re no fun.

Rinny. Now. Or I’ll go to her.

I sighed.

Fucking voices.

“You could always fuck Cady cat,” I said abruptly.

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