Page 96 of Veil of Dust
I want to punch him again.
I want to break every part of him that made this choice.
But I don’t.
I just press in close enough that my forehead nearly touches his.
“You should be dead for what you did.”
“I know.”
“I should kill you.”
“Then do it.”
I freeze.
The words don’t come out like a dare.
They don’t shake.
They don’t beg.
They just land. Heavy. Flat. Like he’s already accepted it.
His voice is wrecked, face swelling, one eye starting to puff shut.
“But I never stopped protecting you,” he continues. “Not once. Even when I lied.”
“You think that makes it better?” I ask, whispering now, all my rage curling inward.
“No. But it’s true.”
I breathe hard.
Hands shaking.
Blood coats my knuckles.
Sweat stings my eyes.
I stare at him.
His mouth barely opens, but his gaze doesn’t leave mine.
“I gave her scraps. Nothing that would hurt you. I didn’t tell her about Tiziano. Didn’t tell her about the storage run. Or the bayou hit. Or the ledger movements. I swear.”
“And the map?” I ask coldly. “You think she didn’t get it because she just forgot how to dig?”
“I didn’t send her anything new. Not since the coup started shifting.”
He coughs, and blood hits his lip.
I shove him once more, but weaker this time.
“You think that earns you points?”
“No.”
