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“Come on, Tori,” Royal mutters over and over. “Open those eyes.”
Gemini’s using the towels to cover Tori’s bare arms and shoulders. I’m not sure if it’s to protect her skin from the heat of the water, or if the towels are to make sure the water stays there. Then he starts rubbing his hands over her.
As he does, I’m distracted by a metallic clanging. It takes a moment before I realize it’s caused by the metal collar, the chain dangling down below Tori swinging against the marble walls.
Pieces of a puzzle come together.
The black thing I saw in the snow was hooked shaped. I’d seen the box against the wall but not processed what it was at the time. Someone had staged the scene to make it look like she’d hung herself using my collar, only the hook hadn’t been able to take her weight.
Whoever did this hadn’t stuck around…
The chain smacks against the wall again, but I recoil like it hit me.
The chain… the collar… I put that around her neck.
Something inside me snaps, and I pull the key from my pocket, pushing my way around Royal.
“What are you doing?” he asks me.
I don’t answer, instead, finding the lock on the collar. My fingers fumble, but I manage to unlock it. The lock and key fall to the ground as I focus on pulling the collar off her.
Free of the thing that I’d once taken great pleasure in putting on her, a thin purple line remains around her throat.
“This isn’t working,” I snap at Gemini.
He ignores me.
Color slowly starts to return to Tori’s cheeks, and finally, Gemini turns the water off. He pulls back the soaked towel and takes her hand in one of his. With his other, he presses the back against her forehead, then to her cheek.
“Now what?” I ask.
“We dry her off, put her in warm clothes, and keep her warm.”
“Is she going to be okay?” Royal asks.
“I don’t know.” Gemini looks up, staring uncertainly at the both of us. “We’ll have to wait and see.”
