Page 93 of Ashes

I loved my specter, and not having her with me was tearing me apart. I was close to losing my damn mind.

After taking the life of the rabbit, I built a small fire near a couple of tree stumps. It was a quiet day. Unseasonably warm. Or maybe I was just hot from all the running I’d done.

I carved away at my victim, not even noticing the tears dampening my cheeks until they fell into the small puddle of blood at my feet.

I wiped furiously at them, probably smearing my face with the blood on my hands. Once I put the meat on a stick, I arranged it over the fire and watched as it sizzled in the flames.

“I know you’re there,” I called out softly, not looking away from my dinner. “No sense in continuing to creep around.”

Footsteps crunched on the leaves behind me, and a moment later, Asylum sank down onto the stump across from me.

“Why are you here and not with specter?” I demanded.

“She’s with Stitches…again,” he answered in a monotone.

I raised my brows at that information and sat up straighter. “She is? Are they OK?”

He shrugged. “I assume so. Sully said Stitches gets her today for his treatment. I know they’re together because I saw the wards take them to the red room.”

“Red room?”What fucking red room?

“There’s a red room,” Asylum said, like he’d been reading my mind. “It’s where our treatments are. Usually, it’s me and Rinny. Today, Stitches gets her.”

“You’re angry about that,” I said, surveying him.

He seemed closed off, his blue eyes darker than normal. There wasn’t as much pep in his fucking step today.

“I’m not,” he answered softly. “I’m not upset because Stitches is with her. I’m simply angry because I’m not. I don’t like to be left out.”

“Well, I’m glad Stitches is with her.” I grunted, rotating the rabbit. “He needed to be with her. He was hurting.”

The news offered me some relief. It meant Stitches was at least able to think. I’d been fucking terrified since seeing him in his bed when my father was there.

“He was dying,” Asylum murmured.

I swallowed hard. “He was.”

We were quiet for a moment as we both stared into the flames. I still had nightmares about finding my brother dangling in his closet. As much as I tried, I couldn’t get the image out of my head.

“He’s still dying,” Asylum continued in a soft voice. “We all are. If we’re not careful, some will leave sooner than others. Very tricky situation we’re in. The. . .it’s not so clear anymore.”

I rotated the rabbit again.

“What’s not clear?” I asked, glancing up at him.

His blue eyes locked on mine. “Everything.”

I was quiet for a moment, contemplating my next words. “Do you. . . see the future or some shit?”

He looked to his right, his gaze darting around. I wasn’t even sure he was going to answer until he snapped his attention back on me.

“No.”

“No?” I raised my brows at him. “Then what is it? You really just get lucky?”

His forehead crinkled. “No.”

I sighed. He was difficult to talk to.

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