The needle punched into my vein.
White-hot pain shot up my arm—
—and the room tilted, dissolving into a cold, suffocating blur.
I didn’t even get the chance to cry.
Chapter 16
Ash
Where was she?
I waited for her at dinner.
I waited for her in the common room.
I waited outside the girls’ wing until a guard threatened to tase me.
She didn’t come.
I was five seconds from tearing the doors off every room in this place when I finally saw her—slowly making her way down the hall toward Night Block.
Something was wrong.
She moved like every step hurt. Like her ribs were bruised. Like breathing cost her.
Cold rage crackled through me.
“Who hurt you?” I demanded.
Whoever it was—
I’d skin them.
I’d feed them their own teeth.
I’d decorate the fucking courtyard with their insides.
She jumped, startled, like she hadn’t even noticed me there.
Then—
She smiled.
It was soft and tired and meant to sootheme, which made me want to burn down the entire institution.
“I’m okay,” she said gently. “I’m just tired, Ash.”
“Was it Marr?” I hissed.
My fists clenched so hard I felt bone grind. Marr. The rat bastard with his needles and his smile and his fucking fascination with her. I imagined ripping his spine out through his chest. Maybe wearing it like a scarf.
“No! No one hurt me, I promise,” she insisted. “I’ve just had a long couple of days. I want to go to my room.”
“Can I come?”
I didn’t even pretend to play it cool.
