Blood Red (78 page)

Vivi Anna

Brothers for the right to rule the kingdom. Of course, the Brothers would never see that happen. So I went through with the assassination.”

He grabbed onto her then. He cradled her cheeks in his hands. “And when I saw you cowering in the doorway, a child of such radiance and strength, I knew that I had made the right decision.” He rubbed his thumb over her pink scar.

“And the money. Did you keep your money?” Her voice shook with anger.

“Some, but most I gave to the church that raised you.”

“How generous of you.” Venom dripped from every word.

Wolf dropped his hands and backed away from her. “I could apologize to you for what I’ve done, but I know that the words would mean nothing to you.”

“You’re right, they wouldn’t.”

“Red, I understand how you must be suffering, but—.”

Red raised her head and stared vehemently into his eyes. “You understand nothing. Now I know why the Brothers hired you. Only a man without a heart could have done what you were hired to do.”

Rapunzel stood. “You are wrong, Red. The only reason you are alive is because he has one.”

“I hate all of you for doing this to me. I refuse to be the one. You can all get slaughtered without me.”

* * *

Red turned and ran out of the cave. Wolf turned to 154

Blood Red

chase her, but Rapunzel stilled him.

“Let her go. She’ll be back after she has time to think.”

“How do you know?”

“Because if she’s not, we are all dead.”

Rapunzel turned back to the table and picked up a sword. She turned it, studying its weight.

Wolf stared down the cave entrance hoping to see Red’s form turning back. He saw only darkness, and heard the heavy footfalls of a galloping horse as it rode away from the hideout and into the forest.

He hoped all was not lost, but feared for the worst.

No one else had seen the broken look in Red’s eyes.

No,
that
look, that look was just for him.

* * *

Red rode until the tears on her face were dry and her body ached. She tried not to think as she rode hard through the trees. But visions came to her none the less.

She stopped by a small, trickling stream. The horse bent in to drink heartily. Red also dunked her head into the cold water, but not to drink. She tried to shock the thoughts from her mind. Banish them out.

Freeze them from her mind. But it was no hope. They came at her full force, pulverizing her mind to gray mush.

She lay back on the lush grass and gripped her head between her shaking hands. She let out a scream like a banshee wail. The horse skittered to the side, moving down the stream to drink, away from its 155