Page 122 of Fangs
“Theyallknew?”
My fists clenched in my lap, trembling with rage. My crew knew Clarity was like this, was obviously ill, and they hidit?
“Bones,” Clarity’s voice trembled, and the plea cut through my anger. “Let me explain.”
The door opened, and running footsteps entered the clinic. Lee glanced below.
“It’s Sam and Jax and that girl who’s scared of us,” he said.
Clarity muttered a curse, and I gave her a sharp look, but Sam’s head popped over the loft.
“Fuck,” he gasped, clearly winded. Then he glanced at my face and grimaced at my furious expression. “Fuck.”
“Sam, move,” someone said.
He climbed the rest of the way up into the loft, edging around Wolf and Lee, and Sky’s head appeared from the ladder. Her hair was growing back after being crudely shaved before they threw her in the Pit, covering her head in tight black curls. She froze when she realized Wolf and Lee were upstairs, her eyes widening.
“Sky, it’s ok,” I said, trying to temper my anger. “Come over here.”
Wolf and Lee stepped backward, pressing themselves against the eaves to give her more room. Sky hesitated a moment longer, but then she scurried up the ladder and darted to where I sat on the mattress. I hadn’t seen her since before Wolf stole me away, and I took a second to scan her. Like all the kids, she’d put on some much-needed weight, and her brown skin was glowing with health. If only her mental and emotional wounds were that easy to heal. She wedged herself behind me and eaves like she was trying to hide, but then she shuffled forward enough to grab Clarity’s hands.
“Clare, are you ok?” she whispered.
Jax followed her up, his eyes wide and nervous. Sam sank on the mattress beside me, and I turned to him.
“What thefuck—”I started angrily, but Clarity gripped my wrist and stopped me.
“No, wait, don’t be mad at them,” she whispered, her brown eyes—Trey’s eyes—still swimming with tears. “It’s my fault.”
I stared at her, hurt and guilt filling my chest. “Why didn’t you come to get healed?”
“I couldn’t bear to face you,” she whispered.
The pain in my chest squeezed my lungs. I was right. She blamed me for Trey’s death and?—
“It’s my fault Trey’s dead,” she continued, and then her eyes overflowed again.
I blinked, my brow furrowing. Sky wrapped her arms around Clarity, holding her tightly.
“What?” I finally managed to get out, my head aching with confusion.
“It’s my fault,” Clarity repeated through sobs.
“Clare, it’s not your fault,” Sam said, his voice gentle.
“No, it’s not,” Sky affirmed.
Jax crouched beside Sam. He didn’t say anything, but his face was so serious. I had no idea what was going on.
“What are you talking about?” I demanded. I knew my voice was still too angry by how Clarity winced. “It’s not your fault, it’smine.”
Clarity’s eyes snapped to mine, a hint of matching anger flashing through them that surprised me. “No, Bones, IsawTrey’s death, and I failed to stop it from happening.”
“Saw? You mean you were there?” Did she see me just standing there like a fool when Madame killed her brother?
“No, I mean, Isawit weeks before it happened,” she bit out through sobs. “I saw Madame kill him, and I thought if he left with you, maybe he’d escape that fate, but it didnothing?—”
Her voice broke, and she covered her face with her hands. I turned to Sam, anger and confusion making me nauseous.
