His eyebrow raises. “At night. Every night.”
That explains some of the smell. “What is she?”
“A Harpy, or some godsforsaken version.” He nods at the tray of food. “Those are dead animals. She eats them raw.”
And….that explains the rest. My stomach churns. “Ew.”
“Yeah,” he says, pushing back his golden hair, “it’s a compromise. She started the challenges as a way to feed—Roland put a stop to it. He needs the manpower.”
I feel even more nauseous. “She eats people?”
“She’s a carnivore, Hildi, she eats flesh, but she’ll take a soul or two, as well.”
I exhale and ask the question that’s been nagging at me for weeks. “Why are you aligned with these people?”
His green eyes flick to mine. “You know why.”
“Power is pointless if you’re surrounded by disgusting, depraved people.” Not that I’m sure we’re talking about people anymore.
“You forgot, I am disgusting and depraved.”
He says it in a low, convincing drawl, but I’m not buying it. Not completely.
“True,” I admit, “so what’s her weakness?”
“After much consideration, I think there is only one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“You.”
I almost laugh. “Why? Because I have the key?”
He slowly walks across the room, avoiding the slippery mess on the floor. He stops right in front of me, his body lean and compelling. “Because you’re strong, because you’re a leader, because,” he sniffs my mouth, “you’re getting more so every day.”
He smells Rupert on me. It’s the weirdest superpower I’ve ever witnessed.
“Do I look powerful to you?” I say, pointing to my dirty knees and the ridiculous outfit.
He steps forward and catches my face in his warm, smooth hands. I hate to admit, my knees wobble under his touch. “More than you’ll ever be able to comprehend.”
As always, being close to Marshal makes my body instantly burn. It’s an unquenchable flame between us. No water, no allegiance, no level of depravity seems to be able to stop it. Except…something between us feels off. Sure, it’s a compliment. Maybe. Since when does Marshal compliment me? The last time we spoke, he called me a slut. I called him a pig. It’s what we do.
Stroking my ego, telling me I’m the one with the power… No. Something is wrong. The request for food. Marshal lying in wait. I look around the room. The matted nest that Victorine would never want me to see. The rotten meat. It’s too easy. Too convenient.
“Why are you really here?” I ask, feeling the hair on my neck stand on end. I think of a better question. “Why am I really here?”
He smiles sympathetically. “Because it’s the farthest place in the building away from your room.”
I pull away and stumble toward the door. “You’re distracting me?”
He doesn’t speak, but his eyes flash with warning.
For me? For her? For all of us.
I run down the stairs as fast as I can, racing down the halls, toward the dormitory. A huddle of students cluster
around the open doorway.