It was truer now than ever.
“I know. I was there. I came.”
Nikhail had fulfilled his promise eventually… but he’d been too late.
All her therapy, all her mantras, all her training and stolen moments pretending to be normal had all come down tothis.
River had called another storm, this one in Golden City. Nearchildren.
She pulled her hand from Nikhail’s, drawing her knees up to her chest. Her muscles ached from disuse, and the movement caused ripples of pain to race through her, but she didn’t make a sound.
She deserved this pain, and so much more.
Pressing her forehead to her knees, River tried to quiet the screams playing on repeat in her mind. She couldn’t seem to make them stop, though. If anything, they grew louder.
Each cry of distress left a mark on her soul.
How long?
How long had her new victims cried for help while water filled their lungs? How long had they suffered? How long had they fought back?
Another question entered her mind. One that was even more horrifying than all the others.
How many had she killed?
This, she knew, would ruin her. It would tip her over the edge into insanity. She’d already taken so many lives; adding to that quota would be the end of her.
But as much as she wanted to, she couldn’t hide from the truth.
Because this…
This was the cost of her curse.
It took her minutes, or maybe hours, before she was able to force her lips to move. “Did I… The people, I mean. How many are…”
Dead.
The word was silent as it bounced around them.
“None,” Nikhail said.
“What?”
That was… no. That was impossible. How could that be? River had called a storm. She lost control. She wascursed.
Nikhail’s lips lifted briefly.
“No one died, River.” Nikhail moved from the chair he’d been occupying to perch on the edge of the bed. “Can I hold you?”
She nodded numbly, her mind still replaying his words. How was it possible that no one had died? Nikhail’s arms wrapped around River, sturdy and strong. He tucked her against his side, his warmth emanating through her.
“You didn’t kill a soul,” he said.
Nikhail was a fae, which meant he was physically incapable of lying, as was she.
But these words.
What he was saying…