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Soft, padded footsteps sounded coming down the stairs to the dungeon, just out of sight. Cy held his breath, waiting for the inevitable. Someone come to harm him, to gloat, to taunt.
But instead, Haven’s agile form appeared at the end of the hall, framed in the low light of the prison. He approached, holding himself together though Cy knew he wanted to break.
“Why are you here?” Cy asked, his voice tenuous and quiet.
Haven didn’t speak as he drew nearer, grasping the bars with shaking hands. Slowly, Cy rose to stand directly across from him. He winced at the pain. His body resented the movement.
“You look like shit,” Haven said. There was no inflection in his voice.
“I’m aware.”
“Quite the predicament you’re in now.”
“Did you come down here to torment me? To shame me, reprimand me for being such a stupid, careless human?” Cy couldn’t take it. His heart already ached.
“I…” Haven stuttered. He looked so small, so unsure of himself. “No. I didn’t come for that.”
“Then, what?”
“I knew. I knew who you were. That all you really wanted was to escape this place. Still, I told you my story. Told you what they did to me.”
Cy’s heart clenched. “You did. I’m not sure why. But what happened to you...I’d never stand for it. The Veritas isn’t like that—”
“Aren’t they?” Haven growled, his crimson eyes wild. “You expect me to believe that you would have prevented what happened to me because you’re different? Would you have protected me? Stopped them from breaking my mother?”
“I would never have allowed it. I won’t see women and children tortured and killed while I still have breath left. That’s why I won’t stand for what the vampyres are doing. That’s why I stand with the Veritas.”
Haven straightened, his eyes going cold. Without warning, he slammed a fist against the bars with a force that would have broken any human hand. “You told Thorne that Dahlia visited you? That she’s a part of the Veritas.”
Again, pain in Cy’s chest. “Yes.”
“Is it true?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you do that?”
“I…” Cy clenched his eyes shut tight. “The boy I told you about. The human boy. Wren. Thorne had him. Threatened to hurt him. I couldn’t see him do that.”
A thin blond brow cocked as Haven assessed him. “Wren is a vampyre now.”
“Yes.”
“You spilled your guts, incriminated yourself and the De Raises for a vampyre child?”
“Yes.” Cy hated himself for it.
“You’re such a damned fool! Why are you like this?”
“Like what?”
“So willing to throw your life away!”
“I could ask you the same question. You do the same. You can deny it all you want, but I know how badly you want to die. You do everything in your power to hurt yourself, endanger yourself. You want the Cure so you can die. Don’t you?”
Haven gasped, swallowing. “What the hell did you say?”
“The Cure. I know you want it. And I know why. You want to be turned human again so that you can more easily end your life. Are you that miserable?”
