Scarlett Romero has spent her entire life as an ordinary citizen; going to school, getting a job and definitely not killing people in the middle of the woods on a Friday night.
Until one Friday night, she does.
All she can remember is acting out of...
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Chapter Thirty-One "Suspicious Trees"
Scarlett's POV:
Monica turns out to be all bark and no bite. Looking for her missing mother with only the trees as guidance would be a suicide mission, and she knows it. So, when everyone else in the house refused to go with her, she stormed out to search on her own.
She came back within ten minutes.
I laugh a little, the pout on Monica's face more childish than angry. She ignores me, grumbling to herself and tracking wet footprints on the way to the room she's sharing with Natalia.
Natalia sighs, watching her sister leave and making no move to stop her. There's a tightness beside her eyes that I don't like, a forced indifference she's trying hard to keep there. It's her mother out there too.
"We need you two to help us," Natalia sounds bone tired, and I feel a sharp pang in my chest. When we first met, she was bubbly and bright, but all that goodness has faded into doing whatever it takes to survive. "Monica knows that. She just doesn't want to wait for you to heal, hell, she doesn't want to wait for herself to finish healing."
Alexander grunts, throwing a protective arm over the back of my shoulders. After Monica barged into his room, Kylie and Natalia both came running. Only when the situation diffused did Alexander let me move without trying to smother me. He also put on some pants – I don't know how I feel about that one just yet.
"I can't really judge her for the whole 'making impulse decisions' thing," I mumble lightly, knowing I have a tendency to do things as knee-jerk reactions instead of thought-out plans.
Natalia doesn't say anything, giving us a lonely smile before leaving the room, feet dragging beneath her.
"I actually need to tell you all something," I blurt before I can stop myself. I want to make sure Natalia knows she has friends with her, ones who won't abandon her. Feeling alone when you're surrounded by people sucks. "If you'd be willing to stay, that is."
"Sure, what is it?"
I falter, shoulders slumping. Perhaps I shouldn't have said I needed to tell them something when the only worthwhile information I have is about Lyon. A man more sadistic than Tolkien, the real top dog of Citadel prison.
"Uh, something Meredith told me," I start cautiously, feeling Alexander stiffen beside me. For a moment I consider sitting in his lap, to stop him from punching a hole in the wall when I tell him about Lyon. He could reopen my wounds if he moved too quickly, and his concern for hurting me would outweigh his need for violence.
I decide against it when Alexander gives me a warning glare, like he can read my mind. Or maybe he just knows anything Meredith told me isn't going to be good.
