Page 141 of Decimation

“You know what Ezekiel did,” I say, my voice breaking. “You must know everything, so stop fucking pretending.” I scream the last of it, and my words echo off the solid walls back at me.

Lazarus takes a slow step towards me, his movements deliberate. “Tell me,” he says.

I snarl, my grip tightening on the gun. “Don’t,” I say, my voice trembling. “Don’t pretend you care.”

He takes another step, his gaze never leaving mine. “Tell me,” he repeats.

I shake my head, my hands trembling. “No,” I whisper.

And then he launches at me.

The gun goes off, the sound deafening but the bullet misses him, embedding itself in the wall behind him. We struggle, our bodies colliding as we fight for control of the weapon. He’s stronger, his grip firm and he wrenches the gun from my hand, shoving it under my chin.

“Tell me,” he says, his voice low and dangerous.

I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. His eyes are dark, his expression unreadable but I can feel the anger radiating off him, a storm waiting to break.

And then I break.

The words spill out of me, a torrent of pain and rage that I can’t contain. “Ezekiel is the one my parents sold me to,” I say, my voice trembling. “He’s the one who worked with Isaac. He’s the one who…”

I can’t finish the sentence, the words catching in my throat.

Lazarus stares at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment I think he’s going to pull the trigger, that this is the end. That I’ve gone too far, and now my recklessness will be the death of me.

But instead he tosses the gun aside, the sound of it hitting the floor echoing through the room.

He scoops me up, his arms strong and steady, and carries me away. I struggle against him, my fists pounding against his chest, but he doesn’t stop.

I think he’s going to lock me in the dungeons, that he’s going to punish me for what I’ve done. But instead he carries me to his room, laying me down on the bed with a gentleness that surprises me.

The room is quiet, save for the sound of Leandra’s shaky breaths and the faint rustle of the sheets as she trembles beside me. Her body is coiled tight, her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. She’s shaking uncontrollably, her emotions a storm that I can feel radiating off her.

I watch her, my gaze steady, my own emotions a tangled mess that I can’t quite unravel.

“Did he fuck you?” I ask, my voice low, almost a growl.

I don’t know why I ask the question. Maybe it’s because I need to hear it from her, maybe it’s because I need her to tell me what I already know.

She freezes, her breath catching in her throat. For a moment she doesn’t answer, and I think she might not but then she whispers, “Yes.” Like she doesn’t want to admit it out loud.

I feel a surge of anger, a rage that threatens to consume me.

“He was the one who took my virginity,” she continues, her voice trembling. “He-he, my parents gave me to him as a Bride of the Covenant.”

A fucking bride? I feel sick, disgusted by the cruelty of it, by the way he clearly used her, by the way her parents clearly used her too. I grab her chin, forcing her to look at me.

“How old were you?” I ask, my voice tight with barely contained rage.

“Eighteen,” she whispers.

I let out a low breath, my grip on her chin softening. I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly, my body warm against hers.

“He wants me to spy on you, he wants me to report back on what you do. He’s planning to kill you, to become Grand Master himself.” The words come out half muffled from how she’s pressed her face into me, but I hear the fear in them, I hear the truth too.

“Oh, he can try.” I murmur, and he will try. I know what he has planned, I know the little trap he has already laid for me in the not-so-distant future, but I am smarter than him. I am better, and more importantly I am blessed by God, not him.

“Ezekiel will never touch you again,” I say, my voice firm. “He will never be left alone with you again. I will never let anything happen to you. Do you understand that?”