Destined for Vengeance ✔️

Chapter 29

There was a knock on Ryleigh's door. Ryleigh was lying in bed, her face buried in her pillow. Judging by the memories she was seeing, it was Sky. She waited, holding her breath. Perhaps she'd give up and leave.

For a few seconds, silence returned. Then Sky knocked again, far more aggressively. Ryleigh rolled off the bed and pushed to her feet, scratching the back of her head as she walked towards the door.

Sky barged in the second Ryleigh opened up. She pulled the door from Ryleigh's grasp and closed it firmly. "Where are they?" She was replaying the memory of their conversation in the infirmary the day before, up until Conall had interrupted them.

Ryleigh cocked her head, one brow inching up. "Where's what?"

"Those pills you took from the bottle. You never put them back."

"Sorry – just a second. You only realised that now?"

"You admit it, then?" Sky progressed into the room, looking around her.

"No. I did put them back in the bottle. You don't remember? I guess you were too distracted by Conall."

"No, I don't remember, because you didn't." She planted her hands on her hips. "I was indeed distracted by Conall, so I didn't check, and you took that opportunity to take them. I know you did, so give them to me."

She dragged her tongue across her upper teeth. "What makes you think I haven't already taken them?"

"You'd be dead."

"Wrong. If they'd been painkillers, maybe. But these are just sleeping pills. And not very strong ones either. I'd be fine."

"Ridge says –"

"Ridge does not know my history. I know where my limits lie, and some measly pills aren't going to finish what seventeen doses of silver couldn't."

"Just tell me where they are."

"I threw them away."

Sky glared at her, fisting her hands. "Why are you like this? Why must you self-destruct?"

"It's a talent."

She shook her head, rubbing her temple. Ryleigh pitied her and her sense of duty. If she'd been in Sky's shoes, she would have let her die. Good riddance.

"You've got to stop trying to be funny. This isn't funny. I told Ridge you put everything back. If you'd taken those pills and died, it would've been my fault."

"No, it wouldn't. It would have been my own doing. That's why I self-destruct – to save other people the trouble. But I really did throw them away. I'd have returned them to you, but I figured you thought I already did, so I just got rid of them."

"I don't believe you. Don't make me rip apart this room."

"You won't find them, because I threw them away."

Sky regarded her with narrowed eyes. She was a very straight-forward and honest person, and as such it was her nature to assume others to be the same way. But Ryleigh knew Sky had seen too much of her to take her word for it. "I don't believe you." She marched to the desk and started moving everything on it away, even going as far as to open a book and flip through it.

"This is ridiculous. You have no right to do this!" Ryleigh trailed after Sky as she whizzed through the room. Sky pushed the mattress up, peering underneath.

"You have them somewhere and you're not dying on my watch."

"I wouldn't die! For Goddess' sake, Sky. You put too much faith in your father. I'd be fine. Why do you care so much anyway? Just stop. Sky! Stop it!"