Page 52 of Sinful
Because you always know. Sisters always know.
She settles beside me, back against the same tree, our shoulders touching.
For a while, neither of us speak.
"Mom's sedated," Elfe finally says. "Fenrir got the doctor. She's... she's not handling this well."
"Is anyone?"
"No." She turns to look at me. "Helle, what are you doing out here?"
"Trying to breathe."
"Bullshit." Her voice sharpens. "You've got that look. The one you get when you're planning something stupid."
I almost laugh. Almost.
Instead, I say, "I'm leaving."
"What?"
"Tonight. As soon as everyone's distracted with the rescue prep." I force myself to meet her eyes. "I'm turning myself in to Los Coyotes."
The silence that follows is deafening.
"You're—" Elfe stops, starts again. "You're going to do what?"
"Trade myself for Dad. They want whoever killed Andrés. I'm whoever."
"Helle, that's—no. Absolutely not."
"It's the only way?—"
"No." She grabs my arm, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. "You're not doing this. I won't let you."
"You can't stop me."
"The fuck I can't. I'll tell Runes. I'll tell Fenrir. I'll lock you in a fucking room if I have to."
I pull away from her grip. "Then Dad dies. Is that what you want?"
"I want you both to live!" Her voice cracks. "I can't—Helle, I can't lose both of you."
"You won't lose Dad. That's the point."
"You don't know that. You don't know they'll honor the trade. They could take you and keep torturing him. They could—" She can't finish.
I know what she's imagining. The same things I've been imagining for hours.
Los Coyotes cutting pieces off me while I scream.
Sending those pieces to my family.
Making everyone suffer because I had to play vigilante.
"I have to try," I say quietly. "Elfe, I have to. This is my fault. All of it."
"What do you mean, your fault? You dated the guy. You didn't know?—"
