Page 534 of Coal Hearts

The only one who seemed determined to die was Kirk.

His fight had ended with Suri.

He didn’t speak a word to any of us.

He stayed on his own, sleeping or sitting on the balcony with its black barred birdcage trapping him, denying him the chance to jump and join Suri.

He had the same hollow look in his eyes that Henri did.

I froze.

Henri...

Was that what the broken-hearted look was? A reflection of all the shattered pieces within?

Does he want to die?

He’d tried once before.

The scar on his leg revealed evidence of that desperation.

Could he...could he do it again?

Urgent fear. Terrible premonition.

God, how had I not seen it?

Before, this place was a playground for demons. Now, it was a heavenly holiday for the jewels.

Henri was the only demon left in their midst, and it showed.

Everyone ignored him.

The guards didn’t go near him, the staff stayed clear, and the jewels darted away if he came close. He acted as if it didn’t bother him to be so blatantly unwanted, but...every day, he retreated a little more, sank a little more, became a little less alive than before.

“I-I have to go.” I backed away.

Panic fizzled in my blood.

What if he’d done it?

What if he’d hurt himself all while I’d been too focused on escape to notice he’d fallen so far into his own imprisonment?

“You’re going to ask him?” Rachel arched an eyebrow.

“We’re running out of time,” Peter whispered. “We won’t be able to keep meeting like this when the Masters are back in residence. We’ll probably have hell to pay once Victor sits down and sees how often we’ve come into the kitchens. Hopefully, he’ll just think we’re being pigs and indulging in food while he’s not here to enforce his smoothie rule, but...we need to get everything locked away so we all know our jobs and can keep working without checking in with each other.”

I nodded. “I know.”

Stepping into me, Peter murmured, “Don’t be afraid of using him for your own ends, jaanu. You have to know how he feels about you. Use that to your advantage. Don’t let your goodness get in the way of manipulating him.”

I hid my shiver at the thought of being cruel enough to wield someone’s emotions for my own gain.

But...it wasn’t just about me.

My shoulders rolled and honesty spilled free despite myself. “I think whatever you saw the night he killed Kyle might’ve died in that cave too. He can barely look at me anymore and...and the truth is.” I looked down, unable to keep eye contact. “I asked him to play along with me the night of Emerald Bruises. I was as high as a kite and let my guard down. I practically begged him to choose me. I said if the guy who asked me to play along with him was still in there to play with me now.”

Peter sucked in a breath. “What did he say?”