Page 180 of Ink Deep Devotion

I scream. How could I not?

Ben’s body jerks and then falls.Thud!The sound tremors through the wet soil, crawling up my toes, ankles, and legs, and then it wraps around my neck, choking me.

She just…shot him!

Ben! Not a bird in the sky. She shothim!

“Look, Mila.” Camilla comes closer and grabs my hand as she places the gun in it.

Is this a test? Does she want me to try to shoot her? She probably has a sniper in the distance waiting for me to move. My fingers remain uncoiled.

“He lied to me.” She states coldly.

I lied to you.

“Have you ever put a bullet in flesh?”

Who says that? It’s not just flesh, blood, and bone. Ben was a human.

“No.” Camilla answers for me.“It’s time, Mila. You’ve been progressing, but fists will only get you so far. A gun,” she presses my fingers into it,“is your best friend. You’re small, and the men in our world will dominate you. You need weapons.”

I look everywhere but at Camilla or Ben. If I shoot her now, I’d still have to get off this compound alive and then get to a city. The chances are slim. This all will be for not.

“Shoot the body.”

“H…he…he was a person,” I whisper.Not a body!

“I suppose so.” She repeats without an ounce of emotion.“Now he is nothing. Shoot him and continue with me.”

My gulp is louder than the gunshot. Her hand drops, and, oh, my fingers grab the gun holding it.“Now aim.” She says so gently, like she’s pushing me on a toddler’s bike, ready to watch me wobble and ride off.

“I’m not trying to make you into a killer.” She purrs.

“What are you turning me into?” I pick my words carefully, giving her all the power to think I am being molded.

“A stronger version of yourself.” She steps closer to Ben and presses her dirty boot into his chest.“Someone who won’t be walked over.” She kicks the body and then steps back.

“Do it.”

I don’t bother hiding my trembling hand as I raise the gun, and boom! I think I just lost a piece of myself.

But I did it to save my family and friends. They can find that lost part of me and glue me back together again.

Chapter 65

Mila

“Wake up!” Camilla’s voice shatters my nightmare. She’s perched on my bed, rubbing my forehead like she cares.“You had a bad dream; it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not,” I mutter as I sit up. I grab my stomach.

“One day, they will stop.”

“What will?” I’m so dizzy; I rub my eyes, but that only makes the spots in them dance with fervor.The nightmare felt so real. I look at my fingers, expecting to see blood caked under the nails.

“Your dreams.” Camilla reaches for a bottle of water and places it in my hands.

My dreams? Why do I want them to stop?

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