The Hunter Beside Me

19: Souvenirs

Owen

Catriona shook her head at Lilla and sighed. "You never thought past the obvious implications of a spell."

Lilla's brow furrowed, but she didn't respond.

"What does that mean?" I asked Lilla.

Catriona grinned and answered for her, "It means, no matter what happens here, I'm still winning this little feud."

"She's trying to trick us," Lilla said. "She's the source of the spell. End her, end the mimics."

"Well, you're partly right." Catriona smirked. "The spell came together inside me. My body was the first."

Confusion crossed Lilla's features before her eyes widened. "No."

"What does that mean?" I yelled.

Before anyone could answer, Emory grabbed a pen from the nightstand and stabbed the monster holding him in the leg. The mimic cried out and jerked Emory to the side to check the injury.

As soon as Emory wasn't blocking the mimic's heart, a knife flew from Becks' hand, landing in her target with a thump. My mouth fell open as the mimic crumbled.

Lilla waved her arm, and the book flew from Catriona's grasp. "Now, Bash!"

With Lilla's spell dropped, Catriona raised her hand, and Bash and Lilla lifted into the air, but it was too late—he'd thrown the knife. The blade sank into Catriona's heart as my friends slammed into the wall. A red stain spread across Catriona's white shirt, and Bash and Lilla fell to the hardwoods.

Catriona grabbed the knife, but her fingers were already too weak, and she collapsed into the chair with a moan. Her gaze found the mimic standing strong and whole in the corner and her mouth curved into a smile before her lips crumbled like sand. Her last breath escaped with a laugh.

This was it. We'd done our job, and now Lilla and I would die too. My heart rate spiked, and the sound of my blood rushing in my ears blocked out everything else.

Bash gripped Lilla's arms and lifted her to her feet. Her knees gave out, and he pulled her against his side. Tears filled Bash's eyes, and Lilla gaped at me with terror. She crossed her arms tightly in front of her as though she could hold herself together.

We braced for the end, but nothing happened. My hands shook as I ran them over my face and chest; I was solid. I drew a slow breath as our panic became confusion. We were still alive.

Catriona's bloody shirt draped across her chair, and a pile of dust and bone spilled from the seat to the ground with her jeans—she definitely died. Why didn't we?

"Um, shouldn't this guy be dead?" Emory asked, oblivious to our situation.

Turning, I found Becks watching us closely while Emory guarded the very alive mimic. "Lilla, what was Catriona talking about?" I asked.

Lilla backed away from Bash and rubbed her fists together, facing her shoes. "I didn't realize. I swear I didn't know."

Bash stepped closer and lifted her chin. "No one's blaming you. What happened?"

"I've always thought of Catriona as the first mimic. When I found out about Shay, I didn't think it through..."

"What about Shay?" I asked, trying to control my tone. Bash was right, and I didn't blame her; but I did want to know what the hell was going on.

Her voice trembled. "The spell was on Catriona's body, but she was pregnant with him when she was cursed, and he changed with her."

Bash's eyes widened. "That means..."