The Last Hope

40 - Favour

SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER - A little wicked, Valerie Broussard. Linked above! I really hope I haven't used this song before. At this point, up is down, down is up and the sky is yellow. Enjoy :)

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Whilst the temple ceiling was high arching, the roof of the hotel facade was flat, with a rusted fire escape curling around its perimeter. Its frozen fingers clawed her legs and seared themselves into her spine as she leaned against it. Mercy sat with her legs dangling over the edge, aware of the height but not feeling the fear. Not feeling much of anything other than awful, gut-wrenching betrayal.

Beneath her, fanning out like paint spilt on a canvas, the city hummed with life under twilight. Horns honked as cars passed, festive music floated up from distant bars and clubs, squeals of joy and shouts of laughter rising over the top of it all. Snow clung desperately to the rooves of buildings, curling around streetlamps, but thick worn paths of slush now stained the street, washed away by splattering's of rain that had ceased earlier this afternoon. All that remained of the wet weather was the numbingly cold wall, seeping up through the fabric of her jeans.

Sebastian had been lying to her. He'd killed Leslie Duncan, all so Mercy could become more powerful, and Mercy had been stupid enough to never question him about it. She hated him. But she hated herself more for trusting him. For thinking he could be her friend. For thinking he could be anything more than the monster he was raised to be.

Her jaw clenched, and beneath her fingers on the cold stone wall, ice fanned out in spindly spinifex patterns. It crackled beneath her fingers as she pulled her hand away and wiped it on the leg of her jeans.

"You're not out here to jump, are you? Because my mom said if you jump off a tall building - I have to jump off a tall building. Well, actually she said bridge, but same difference."

Felix's voice sounded behind her, and she turned to see him carefully pick his way along the slippery roof. It, too, was coated with frost. "Is this you, Ice Queen?" Mercy put her head in her hands as Felix deftly jumped over the metal railing, taking a beside her. He shivered, dangling his legs over the lip of the building. He may be human, but Felix had never been afraid of heights. He'd never been afraid of anything, really. Since they'd been children, Mercy had always admired that about him. He'd always been fearless and brave - he was the one who should've found out he had a kingdom to rule - he'd have done a hell of a better job at it.

He was silent for a moment, appreciating the city beneath them. Thick, silvery clouds peeled across the sky, tangling in the spires of tall buildings in the distance. A brisk wind played in his hair, throwing it over his face. He pursed his lips and said quietly, "Mona filled me in on what happened."

Mercy nodded silently. Felix continued, "she told me that you threatened that lowlife - about time if you ask me. He's an absolute-"

"Fee, can we not? I'm not in the mood for bitching right now."

He mocked looking distraught, "oh shit, it's really bad then."

That elicited a weak laugh from Mercy, she nodded half-heartedly. Felix shifted closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "how are you holding up?"

"I had just started thinking, maybe stupidly, that Leslie could come off my list."

"Your list?"

"The list of people who've died because of me. But apparently, Leslie is right up there at the top."

Felix put a hand on her shoulder until she looked him in the eye, "no one died because of you. Devin and Dylan were killed by Grunts. You did everything you could. And you didn't even know Leslie Duncan existed. How were you supposed to know?"