The only way I could save her was by sacrificing myself and the only way I’d ever be able to comply with my fathers wishes was to become a shell. To become nothing.
“I’m so sorry Wren,” Aurora sobbed, “I’m so sorry.”
But she had nothing to be sorry for, this was my fault.
I smoothed my hand down her dried and dirty hair, trying to soothe her and when she stopped crying, I guided her to the bed, gently nudging her into it.
“Sleep,” I told her, “You’re safe here.”
She may have been safe with me but what will happen when I eventually leave? Marcus wasn’t planning on keeping me here, I knew that much at least, when I was gone who would look after her?
If I didn’t do something she’d die down here.
I come back to the present, eyes flicking to the top of the bed where she sits with her legs pulled up to her chest, still in that blue dress. Her eyes are wide, full of fear as she watches Valentine’s men manhandle me. They tug a white dress over my head, forcing my arms into it roughly and pulling it down to cover my body though my wounds are hardly concealed.
When one of them wraps their beefy hand around my arm and yanks me to my feet, I let him, the pain in my body only reminding me I’m alive and nothing more. I’m not scared. I don’t fear what is going to happen next.
I don’t allow thoughts of Lex.
I only think about the girl behind me and how doing this stops her pain.
I follow, like the little willing captive up the stairs to the warmth of the house and further through to a den like room where I’m positioned in the corner of an office.
And that’s where I wait to learn what’s to happen to me next.