Page 42 of The Bonds of Indigo

“Ivy, it’s alright. I was the one that undressed you. We had to do a full body examination upon your entry.”

My jaw clenches, and as she leans in, I swear my blood runs cold. “There’s evidence of rape, and the scars⁠—”

“Shut up.” I pull my hand—the one with the tubes coming out of it—and start yanking them free. “He’ll hear you.”

“No, they can’t. These rooms are soundproofed to Dylox for patient confidentiality. Ivy, I promise I can protect you.”

A harsh chill runs down my body. “Did you tell anyone else what you saw?”

It isn’t like he’ll care, but these are my burdens to bear. They are mine to share as I decide to, and the last person I want to open up to about them is Butcher.

Regardless of that, the fact she would accuse him of doing what she saw to me, makes me irrationally angry. I don’t know him well enough, but I just don’t see him being the kind of man to do what was done to me. Considering his hatred for me stems from killing children.

She grimaces and fear slaps me across the face. “The authorities were notified, but because we—” I tear out the rest of the wires hooking me up to the machine. “Please stop, you can’t do that! Ivy, listen, it’s okay to be scared.”

She presses her hand onto my shoulder and pushes me down. I bite hard on my bottom lip, trying not to scream at how much that hurts. “Let me go. Neither of them did what you saw!”

The moment she pulls a capped needle from her front pocket, I know it’s a sedative. I slam down the barrier between Kayn and me and shout, “Help!”

Not even a second passes before the door is slammed open, the force so violent I don’t need to see it to know it’s been ripped from its hinges.

Kayn is hovering over us now, his shadow casting completely over the nurse and across my face.

Elaine immediately pulls her hands away, and I throw off the blanket, making sure to slip from the bed without giving him my back. I know these gowns open from the backside, and the last thing I need is Butcher catching sight of anything he shouldn’t.

“What’s wrong?” he asks as I turn back to him.

“She called the authorities on you. I don’t know when, but we need to go.”

He growls. “That’s why you were looking at us so strange. You think I did that to her?!”

My face turns cold as she says, “No, not her arm…”

Footsteps approach—it’s Atlas, rushing in and looking between Butcher and myself. “I envy your speed. What’s wrong?”

“We need to go.” I tear off the sheet from the bed and drape it over my shoulders. “Elaine, I promise he didn’t do anything to me. Is there any way to undo what you told them?”

“I had to make the report. I’d have to say I mistook what I saw, and⁠—”

“Stop. Okay… fine.” The moment I’m limping around the table, Atlas rushes to my side. “Odds are they’re here already, and were probably waiting for my confirmation on her… accusation.”

“Well, that’s complicated,” Kayn groans. “Authorities are already looking for you, and if they see those eyes they’ll know it’s you. Then things are going to get very⁠—”

“Bloody.” I sigh.

One look at Kayn says there’s no question he would rather annihilate an entire army than have to drag my ass out of prison again.

“Sit down, please,” Butcher says to the poor nurse who has likely already pissed herself from fear. She does as he says, and sits onto the bed.

“Give me your phone.”

Without a moment of hesitation, she reaches into her pocket and hands it to him. He immediately crushes it in his hand.

“You’re going to wait here, and when they inevitably come in, you’ll tell them exactly what you’re about to hear. Do you understand?”

She nods her head quickly, and the moment that confirmation comes, he’s standing before Atlas and me.

“We are going to head to Sidence. I’ve got friends there to help keep us hidden.”