Corrupt

Chapter 28

At the force of the punch, Daeva stumbles backwards. When I pull my fist back, there's a bruise on their cheek.

A twinge of guilt flares in my chest, immediately stifled by my rage. I didn't realise I was... That strong.

"What the fuck, Lynette?" they mutter, regaining their composure, confusion flowing from their expression. "What was that for?"

"What was that for?" I reply hysterically, uncontrollably. Daeva's eyes are wide with bewildered fear. "That was for you lying to me, for you killing my best friends, for you using me! I can't believe I fell for it!"

"Lynette, what the- Where's this come from? You know-" They try to reach a hand towards me, but I slap it away. They wince.

"Stop it. Stop it! Stop fucking lying to me!" I force myself to ignore the shocked pain flitting across their face. They're acting. They're always acting. Always fucking lying. "I fell for it once, okay? Fool me once, blame's on me." I throw my arms up. "Okay? But you're not going to fool me again."

"Princess-"

"Don't you dare call me that!"

"Will you listen to me? Please?" 

The utter desperation in their tone silences me. 

"Lynette, I don't know what's happened to you, but you have to believe me, okay? I have no idea what you're talking about. I've told you before... I would never... I'd never do any of that. Alright? If this is Nikolas... You know he's lied to you before, Lynette. You know he's lying."

I don't reply. I refuse to hear them right now.

"Lynette. You know he's lying. ...Right?"

"I know somebody is lying. I know my friends are dead. I know you can use a knife." 

"What do you mean?"

"My best friend was killed, Daeva. She was stabbed."

They pause for a moment, hand lingering on their bruised cheek, eyes wide. 

"Oh, shit, Lynny, I didn't know-"

"Never call me that again," I hiss. "What are you even doing here? Preparing to come and kill another of my friends? Or maybe you're preparing to kill me, this time?!" 

"Fuck's sake, it's not that," they sigh deeply, averting their gaze, shifting their feet. "We've had to... Relocate the rebels. They found us, Lynette. The watchers. They ambushed the camp. Just after you left."

For the first time, I notice the wounds decorating their dull skin, as crimson as their scruffy hair. Blood stains their torn suit. That bruise on their cheek... That wasn't me. 

"We lost half of our group. Half of them. Raven. Mags. Pav. Quinn."

Quinn.

"If you didn't kill Andrea, who did?"

"Look, Lynette, we're weakened-"

"You had every motivation. She knew everything."

"Look-" they try again, but I refuse to listen.

"I should never have trusted you. You were just... You were just using me this whole time. You're a fucking rebel. We're on opposite sides!"

"I would never lie. I would never lie, not to you, Lynette."

"You would! You would, and you have. You're a rebel, and a killer, and... And... Worst of all, you're a liar." I hate the way my voice breaks on the last word. 

"I would never lie to you. I might just... Keep some things. I want you to be safe."

"Why would you ever want that? We're enemies. I could kill you. I will kill you." 

"Go on, then." 

"What?" I stammer.

"Kill me, if you hate me so much," they say again, holding up subtly-shaking hands. 

I hesitate.

"That's what I thought. You won't kill me. Because, I think... Deep down, maybe you like me a little more than you're letting on right now."

"Stop talking," I whisper furiously.

"And maybe... Maybe so do I, okay? I want you to be safe because I fucking love you, Lynette, okay? Is that good enough for you?" 

The breath flies from my lungs.

"I've loved you since... I don't know. I don't even know, okay? But I'd keep you safe, Lynette Answatch. I'd protect you with my dying breath." 

"Stop lying to me," I murmur, looking frantically away. "Don't even- I'm leaving. I'm leaving."

But before I can go, their hand is grabbing my neck, and I shudder as they spin my lips onto theirs. For a moment, I'm paralysed. All I can feel is their kiss, full of desperation, full of need, almost feral with hunger, their hands cradling the back of my head, clinging to me for dear life. It's everything I wanted. But that was before. My heart jumps, hands fluttering almost instinctively to trace the sharp lines of their face, but I force myself to throw them off, pulling away. 

"We're on opposite sides," I pry the words from my mouth, unable to say anything else. "We're enemies."

I make it a few quick steps away from them before my vision blacks out. Smoke fills my lungs. I choke. 

"Let me fucking go," I shriek, stumbling forwards, but the shadows solidify into iron-like tendrils, pushing me back. "Let me fucking go!" I wail like a trapped beast. "What do you want?!"

"I want you-"

"Well you can't fucking have me!" 

The manacles weaken as I throw myself at them. Somewhere, I can hear Daeva fighting for breath. I hurl myself forwards with an animalistic scream. And then I run, scrambling upwards, back towards the castle. Daeva cries out from behind me, but I ignore them. I run. I run. I run.

"Lynette?" the guard frowns as he spots me, panting and shaking. 

"Get me the king." 

He turns on his heel and is gone.

Within a minute, he reappears, a flustered Nikolas at his side.

"Lynette? What happened to you?" He moves to comfort me, to press a kiss to my lips, but I can't bear it. I step backwards. 

"I'd protect you with my dying breath."

"Liar," I mutter. 

Listen to Daeva, says a tiny voice inside me. I feel myself weaken.

So I crush the voice.

A half-crazed smile spreads across my face. I'm sick of this. I'm sick of it all.

But there'll be no liars soon.

"Nikolas. I've got some things to tell you."