Page 91 of Us Dark Few

She needed to escape.

If Khalani stayed in his presence a second longer, she would explode. Every single emotion inside would shatter against the cold floor, staining every corner in her pathetic tendrils.

She rushed past him.

“Where are you going?” he demanded.

“Leaving. Like you wanted. And just so you know, Takeshi.” Khalani whipped around, her heart forming into a block of solid ice. “The only thing laughable is you thinking that I would ever believe there was something between us. God wouldn’t be so cruel.”

Takeshi’s eyes tightened, a surge of pain flashing across his face, but he quickly recovered. “Glad to hear it.”

She hastily left his room, a cluster of nerves swarming her fingers, face, and chest. The weight of loathing and embarrassment threatened to pull her under, like a chunk of cement was hog-tied to her heart.

“Is it this way?” She’d already started barreling down the hall, refusing to make eye contact.

“No.” Takeshi soundly shut his door. “The other way.”

With all the dignity she could muster, Khalani turned and started walking by his side.

The callous dismissals manifested physically between them, like magnets repelling one another as they marched toward her cell in complete silence.Takeshi severed any peace or connection that rested between them. Words faded by morning. It was better that way. She was not upset.

She was just fine.

The heat of blood rushed to her face, and a pinprick of tears reached the corner of her eye. She gritted her teeth and discreetly brushed her eyes, wiping away any signs of emotion.

How could she let this happen? When did this happen?

Why did it hurt so much?

That could be the exact wake-up call she needed. She was starting to care for the one person who locked the gates to her home. What an idiot.

He played her for a fool and won.

They made it to cellblock seven in record speed. With a click of his electric pad, the metal bars slid open and she brushed past him without a second glance. Khalani fixed her gaze on the marked walls of her cell, feeling the sharp pangs of ruin grind what was left of her heart into splinters.

The bars slammed shut behind her, and Takeshi walked away without a word or utterance of regret. She wanted to scream into the cold air. Her lips trembled, but Khalani refused to cry. Refused to let Takeshi have any more power over her.

Takeshi understood the game; it was past time for Khalani to read the rules. Pieces shift, but the board never changes.

Braderhelm was no place for delusions or misguided fantasies.

That was her home. Her reality.

Heartless, cold, and cruel. Just like him.

And just like her.

****

Khalani raced up the stairs to the library. Whenever Takeshi slithered through her brain, she dug her fingers into her palms to raze those unwanted thoughts. At that rate, her hands would permanently bescarred with nail marks.

The memory of his deep voice cutting her down was like barbed wire chafing against her skin.

“Look at you, Kanes.”

Khalani grimaced and didn’t bother knocking on the library door, letting herself in. The warm aroma of books helped calm her erratic mind and reminded her of the critical task at hand. She needed to talk to Winnie about the crops and their plan to contact Hermes.

She could confide in Winnie. She trusted Winnie with her life.

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