Page 50 of Magpie
I love you, pretty bird.
“I love you, too,” I whisper, standing naked before him, holding the dress tightly in my hands.
He’s buttoning a white dress shirt, but his fingers still at my words. He slowly turns. He gives me that crooked smile that I love so much, then walks over to me and tilts my chin up, snaring me in his ruby gaze.
“I know, pretty bird. Which is exactly why I need to get you out of here.”
I swallow hard, but nod, because he’s right. This house, my lessons with Alister—they are killing me. Not the final kind of death that puts you in a grave, but the damning kind. The death of living endlessly in a hopeless loop, numb and empty, severed from the joy of life.
I tug the dress over my head, pulling it into place as Sean holds a hand out to me. I rest my hand in his, and his fingers wrap around mine, giving them one gentle squeeze before he leads me from his room.
My heart is in my throat, making it difficult to breathe as we walk down the short hallway leading to the front door. I do not remember existing outside of this house, and I’m not sure how I’m going to make it, but I grip Sean’s hand tightly, knowing he will be with me to keep me safe.
The stained-glass window lets moonlight in, dusting the floor in dark colors and shifting patterns. We step underneath the light, the different hues illuminating our faces as we stand looking at each other. He finally pulls his hand from mine, opening the front door to reveal a long driveway winding down a sloping hill. City lights glitter in the distance, like twinkling stars scattered across the ground.
“I know who you are,” Sean whispers. I turn to him, confused. The look in his eyes is so sad I nearly reach out to comfort him, but he stills me by saying, “You’re Maggie.”
Maggie, Maggie, Maggie.
The name is called to me, shouted to me,screamedat me, the voices sounding like those of friends trying to bring me back from a dark pit, and I have no idea why.
“What did you say?” I whisper, my eyes growing wide.
“I only heard it once, spoken to you by someone I think cared a lot for you. Someone who will have missed you, if he was allowed to remember you at all. Someone from a life that was stolen from you.”
“I don’t understand,” I say, shaking my head.
Sean pulls his hand from mine. He pushes on my back, steering me gently forward as he says, “Goodbye, Maggie.”
I whip my head to him, pinning him with a panicked stare. “Wait, you’re not coming with me?”
Sean gives me a sad smile, shaking his head, his eyes hurt but resolute. “Someone has to take care of Alister, but I have to get you out of harm’s way first.”
I open my mouth to respond, to tell him I can’t possibly make it on my own, that I can’t survive without him—
“Care to tell me how exactly you plan to ‘take care’ of me?” Alister asks.
Sean spins around, stepping aside and giving me a full view of the wide-open front door. Alister is leaning against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets, his posture completely at ease.
But he has death in his eyes.
“Alister…” I whisper. When he holds a hand up to silence me, I am ashamed to instantly obey. Snapping my mouth closed, I tremble under his rage-filled gaze. He buries me under the weight of it until I can no longer breathe, before he slowly turns his eyes to Sean, and I am filled with a whole different fear.
“Come here, Magpie,” Alister demands, still holding Sean’s steady gaze as he emphasizes every word.
Sean does not move, meeting Alister’s glare with a hatred I have never seen on his face before. He takes one small step, placing himself in front of me, blocking me from Alister. I hear the growl reverberating through Alister’s chest, and I’m terrified for that anger to be unleashed on Sean.
“Alister, please, let me explain this,” I say quickly, darting around Sean and walking toward him. Alister wastes no time, striking out at me like a viper and snaring my wrist in his grip. I shout as he yanks me forcefully toward him, causing me to stumble into him. He snakes his arm around me, binding me to him.
“Don’t fucking touch her!” Sean snaps.
As quickly as Alister ensnared me, he releases me, shoving me behind him into the House. I trip, crashing down hard on mybackside, my wrists crying out in jarring protest as they slam onto the ground to break my fall. I’m facing the open door, with a perfect view as Alister grabs Sean by the throat and slams him against the wall. There is a deadly energy pouring off him, snaring Sean entirely. He’s squeezing so tight I can see his arm shaking with the effort, undeterred as Sean struggles to break free from his grip.
I’m scrambling up and by his side in an instant. I grab his arm and tug uselessly against his immense strength. He is far too powerful, stronger now because of every lesson I have fed into his greedy flame.
“Alister,stop, please. I won’t leave, I promise—just let him go!”
“Your promise means nothing to me, you traitorous little cunt,” Alister sneers, gripping Sean’s throat tighter. I see rivulets of blood running down his neck where Alister’s fingers have dug into his flesh, and I say the only words I know will hold any sway over him.
