do what the Faire wants?” She propped herself up on her elbows to look down at him. “What about all of that damage?”
“Those people don’t die. They have some tiny little fragment taken from them. And if what it says is true—if the Faire is being starved by Ringmaster and being forced to take larger pieces from fewer people—then it is even less damaging. A pluck from the scalp, nothing more.” He tugged on a strand of her hair, yanking it out.
“Ow, hey!”
“And the pain is already gone.” He flicked the piece of hair aside. “And that was more violent than how it feeds. Do you mourn each strand of hair in your brush in the morning? You do shed quite a bit.” He smiled crookedly.
“Stop. Just stop.” She went to push away from him, but arms wrapped around her and held her still. “Simon…I’m not going to kill Ringmaster.”
“I want you to consider it. I know you’re still new here. I know you haven’t come to enjoy your time at the Faire as much as you should.” He raised one hand to stroke across her cheek. “I would like to think you have some small reason to protect this life you have.”
Black-red-white eyes bored into hers, and she shut her eyes to avoid his stare. She lowered her head. “I don’t want to hurt you, Simon. I don’t.”
“Condemning me to a slow death is fairly painful.”
“Don’t. Don’t guilt me into this.” She struggled until he let her go, and she scooted off the bed to walk across the boxcar. She needed some space. She was exhausted, her head hurt, and she hadn’t slept at all during the night. She had fitfully napped for a half an hour, but her thoughts were racing too much to let her sleep.
Folding her hands at the back of her neck, she let the weight of her arms pull her head down. Her shoulders were tense, and she wanted to scream. “This is too much, Simon. It’s too much. First, I have to deal with a supernatural monster eating a piece of my soul—”
“Seity.”
“Don’t interrupt.” She paused. He stayed quiet. “Then, you start haunting my dreams, and—”
“You weren’t complaining.”
“I was! And I just said don’t interrupt me.” She sighed and gritted her teeth. “I end up in the middle of a fight between you and said supernatural monster. Then I get abducted by it. My life is erased. Everything I’ve ever known—everything I’ve ever loved—is gone. Now it wants me to kill a man to save its life. It wants me to take on the burden that Ringmaster refused. It’s already given me the shitty part. I didn’t get a say in that. Now it wants me to kill him and steal the ‘Key,’ whatever that is, so that I can take over? Nobody ever bothered to ask me if I even wanted any of this! Because it never mattered. And do you know what it gave me in return? A fucking fish tank, that’s what!”
Arms slipped around her waist. She jolted in surprise. She hadn’t heard him approach over her rant. He hugged her to his chest as he kissed the back of her head. “And me.”
That was the last straw. She felt the tears well up, and she growled in frustration. She was so sick of crying. She wasn’t ever one to weep for no reason. I have plenty of reasons. But it still didn’t get her anywhere. Crying was pointless. It didn’t do anything and didn’t solve any of her problems.
But still, no matter how hard she tried, the tears came anyway. No matter how angry she was at them, they didn’t care. Nobody cares about what I want. Simon shushed her gently, turning her in his arms until he could hug her close and stroke her hair.
“Cora…I know we have all heaped so much atop your plate. I, myself included.” He nuzzled into her hair. “I fear I do not know how to be anything other than a burden. I never have. I suspect I never will.”
“It’s not you. You’re not the problem.” She tried to let her tension melt. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“That is sweet. But it’s a platitude, and, moreover, it’s a lie. You are strong, fierce, and capable. You would have easily managed without me. Or you would have found shelter in the arms of someone less…eh…unstable than I am.” He chuckled. “Now, don’t mistake me. I’m glad you chose as you