I walk out of the dungeon with blood drying on my hands and a hurricane twisting in my chest.

The interrogation gave me nothing. Nothing but more questions. Nothing but more rage. Nothing but more pressure sitting squarely on my ribs like a stone trying to crack them open.

I wipe my hands on my pants, even though the stains won't come off, but it just feels weird having her blood staining my hands. It feels almost wrong.

Behind me, Lola's sobs echo down the hallway, but I don't look back. I can't.

Raven follows silently at first, her steps soft and careful, like she's approaching a wounded animal.

"Sadie," she whispers.

I stop walking. Mostly because my legs suddenly feel too damn heavy to move.

She steps closer until she's directly in my line of sight. Her gaze is steady, but I can see the concern pooling under it.

"You okay?" she asks.

A humorless, ugly laugh escapes me.

"Do I look okay?"

"No," she says plainly.

And there it is. No sugarcoating. No cushioning. Just the truth.

It somehow makes the ache in my chest a little worse and a little lighter.

We make it out of the dungeon and end up in her room. She sits me down on her bed before sitting beside me, thigh pressed to mine and then she waits.

Raven knows me well enough by now to know I'll talk eventually. After I've sorted the mess in my head and gotten rid of the noose around my throat.

And after a full minute of trying and failing to steady my breathing, the words tumble out raggedly.

"Last night," I whisper, "was supposed to be special."

She nods, her expression softening. "You looked happy. Both of you did."

I stare down at my hands, still faintly trembling "I was. For the first time in so long, Tactually felt hopeful Everything felt different like it could finally work. I don't know. It felt like something was finally shifting."

"Because it was," Raven murmurs. "I've seen it. I felt it. Things were shifting and you were both heading in the right direction."

My throat tightens, and my heart sinks. I breathe in, trying to push down the hurt, but it's almost useless because it keeps bubbling back up almost instantly.

"And then Lola showed up," I force out, and the memory punches me all over again, and it feels like my heart has been ripped straight out of my ribs once again.

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I thought the pain I felt three years ago was crushing... but this one right here? Feels worse. Maybe it's because three years ago it was. more physical than emotional, don't know. All I know is thatthis, I time it feels like my very soul is

being shredded to pieces?

Raven doesn't speak, but her hand slips over mine, grounding me.

"The moment I saw her on him..." I swallow hard. "It was like three years ago all over again. Every wound reopened. Every scar torn."

My voice cracks and her grip tightens, providing me with the anchor that I need so that I don't lose it.

"And the worst part?" I whisper. "I felt her before I saw her. Something wrong. Something... off. Did you feel it?"

Raven's eyes widen, almost as if she's relieved I said it first.

"Yes," she admits. "I felt it the moment walked into the dungeon. Her energy isn't normal, Sadie. It's twisted. Like a shallow, of a void."" Something about her feels really wrong."

I knew it. I felt it, and part of me had convinced me that it was my jealousy talking,

but hearing Raven say it confirms what my instincts screamed, sends chills running across my skin.

Raven continues. "It's like she's cloaked in something. Or someone has touched her with something dark. I can't explain, but it's there."

Her words coil around my gut like wire because all the while we were down in the dungeon, I'd felt the same thing.

"Did you see her eyes glow?" I ask. "Because I swear, for a moment when I was torturing her, I saw them glow.

"No, I didn't... but I felt like she was holding back for some reason. I can't fucking explain it, but it feels she was restraining herself."