Riot’s vision went gold. His hands found the windowsill, ready to haul himself up, ready to tear through that room and—
More whimpering. More blood. The wet sound of something being pressed against skin. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t fucking see what was happening, and his mind was filling in the blanks with images that made him want to scream.
I could be up there in three seconds. I could have my hands around his throat in five. I could—
“Please.” Cass sounded so small, barely recognizable. “M-may I seek solace, Brother Matthias?”
The silence seemed to stretch for years. Then: “You may.”
Shuffling sounds. Fabric rustling. And then more muffled sobbing—the particular quality of sound that came from someone pressing their face against another body. Against the person who had just hurt them.
“Seeking solace” means he’s hugging his torturer. He’s crying on the man who just—
Riot slammed his fist into the brick wall, feeling skin split and bone jar. The pain helped. Barely.
“Remember that spiritual growth requires sacrifice,” Brother Matthias said. “The pain is negative energy leaving your body, making space for divine light.”
I’m going to kill him. I’m going to take my time with it. I’m going to make sure he understands exactly why he’s dying.
“Now,” Brother Matthias continued, “I’m afraid I have another missionary to attend to, so I can’t provide the usual care. But you’ve done this often enough to manage on your own, yes?”
“Yes, Brother Matthias.” Cass’s voice was barely audible, hoarse from crying.
“Good, dear one. And remember—” A rustle of robes, footsteps crossing toward the door. “If you can bring back at least one recruit, you’ll be allowed to come home and be the partner Sister Honey deserves. But if not...” The lock clicked open. “We may need to explore whether she should enter the Chrysalis program to correct the incompatibility from her end.”
Whatever Cass said in response was too broken by sobs to hear. Then footsteps, the door closing, and terrible silence.
Riot forced himself to stay pressed against the wall. His hands were shaking so badly he had to press them flat against the brick, trying to make the gold in his vision fade. He needed to see Brother Matthias’s face clearly.
He circled around to the front of the building and watched as an Elysian man emerged from the entrance, every detail etching itself into his memory. Average height. Soft build that suggested desk work and comfortable living. Flowing, layered robes in muted earth tones. His blue eyes held the particular emptiness of someone who’d learned to fake warmth so completely they’d forgotten what the real thing felt like.
Brother Matthias walked past Riot’s position without a second glance—then paused, nostrils flaring slightly, and turned back. Then he smiled and nodded with the smile of someone who’d never faced real consequences for anything he’d done.
Riot smiled back.
I am going to kill you.
He waited until Brother Matthias turned the corner, then crossed to the hotel entrance, blood still drying on his knuckles, murder still singing in his veins.
The footsteps approaching the door were too slow. Too careful.
When Cass opened the door, his face was red and blotchy with tears, snot running down his chin in a way that should have looked pathetic, but it just made Riot want to gather him up and never let go. His hands were curled inward, like he was protecting his fingers from contact, but his face lit up the moment he saw Riot. That brilliant smile breaking through the evidence of tears like sun through clouds.
“You’re back!” He tried to wipe his face with the back of his wrist, wincing at the movement. “I—sorry, I’m a mess. The consultation was more intensive than usual.”
Intensive. Is that what we’re calling it?
“Can I come in?”
“Of course.”
Riot stepped inside, unable to stop himself from noticing all the little details. Cass’s robes were disheveled, hastily retied at his side. There was a smear of red on the door knob leading to the bathroom. And Riot could smell the blood.
The silver circlet sat heavy in Riot’s jacket pocket, pressing against his chest like an accusation.
I let this happen. I climbed out that window and let this happen.
He sat in the room’s single chair, hands shaking with the effort of not grabbing Cass and checking every inch of him for damage.Of not going back out that door and hunting Brother Matthias down and making him scream.
