desertion

115

LYDIA

Athena arrived with a purposeful stride, her presence as commanding as ever. The moment she stepped into the house, her eyes locked on me, her expression a mix of determination and thinly veiled frustration. She looked ready to deal with anything-but I knew what I was about to say would test her patience.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "I have a plan."

Athena raised a brow, her lips pressing into a thin line. "A plan?" she asked, her voice sharp. "Let's hear it, then."

I glanced at Miles and Nathaniel, who stood silently behind me, before turning back to Athena. "We give them what they want."

Her expression darkened immediately. "Excuse me?"

"They're killing people, Athena," I explained, my voice cracking. "They've killed two women already. If we don't do something, they'll kill more. They won't stop until they get to me."

Athena's frustration boiled over. "So, what? You want us to just hand you over to some deranged killer? Do you have any idea what you're suggesting?"

"It's better than letting more people die!" I shot back, my voice rising. "These aren't just random threats anymore. They're taking lives. Someone's child, someone's friend, someone's mother. And they're doing it for me."

Before Athena could respond, Buck walked into the room, followed closely by my dad. Buck looked confused but concerned, while my dad's face was tight with anger.

"What's going on?" Buck asked.

"Lydia here has decided the best way to deal with this stalker is to surrender herself," Athena said sharply, her eyes never leaving mine.

"What?" Buck's voice was incredulous, and my dad's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward.

"Lydia," Dad said firmly, his voice low and simmering with frustration. "You're staying put. You're not going anywhere."

"You don't get it," I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. "This person is killing people! Taking lives! They're not going to stop. And you're all just sitting around waiting for more bodies to pile up!"

"Right now," Dad said, his voice rising, "we're doing everything we can to keep you safe. If they kill more people, it gives us more evidence. It's horrible, yes, but they're setting themselves up. We'll catch them."

I froze for a moment, disbelief coursing through me. "So that's it? Bodies are just clues to you now? People's lives are just... just evidence?" My voice broke, and I scoffed bitterly. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Miles snapped, his voice cutting through the room like a knife.

I turned to him, my chest heaving with anger. "What's wrong with me?" I repeated, my voice shaking with fury. "What's wrong with me? Let's talk about what's wrong with me, Miles!"

The words spilled out before I could stop them, my voice rising with every sentence. "The tsunami, Miles. The seizures. The poison. The stalker. And now the stalker is killing people! They're taking lives, all for me. And it's my fault. All of it. Every single thing. If I-"

I cut myself off, swallowing hard as my throat closed up. The room fell silent, the weight of my words hanging in the air like a storm cloud.

Miles took a step closer, his voice soft but firm. "None of this is your fault, Lydia."

I wanted to scream, to yell at him, to tell him he was wrong-but I didn't. Instead, I gripped the edge of the counter so hard my knuckles turned white, grounding myself in the cold, unyielding surface.

Buck stepped forward, his voice calm but resolute. "We're going to put an end to this, Lydia. Together. But not like this."

Everyone murmured their agreement, their voices a chorus of determination. I looked up at them, my vision blurry with unshed tears. They were all staring at me, their expressions a mixture of worry, frustration, and resolve.

I blinked rapidly, forcing the tears back.

I'm not glass.

I don't break.

I won't break.

Taking a deep breath, I straightened my shoulders and nodded. "Fine," I said quietly. "We'll do it your way."

For now.