The Scarlet Assassin

Chapter Fifty-One

Sometime later, once the sun had fully risen and hidden behind a wall of clouds, there were footsteps. I didn't make any effort to turn to the people who ran to me, who shouted mine and Carter's names with happiness and triumph and relief. Even when they called our names and we didn't respond, even when their joy plummeted upon realizing their friend in my arms wasn't moving, that he wasn't breathing, I didn't move.

The duke's son still sat draped over my lap, our faces turned toward the horizon, but his body had gone completely cold. His body had begun to smell, baking in the sun. His skin was gray and lifeless. His blue eyes had begun to yellow around the edges. His blonde hair was sticky with blood. He felt like death.

My hands still held my jacket to his side, refusing to let go. My clothes were soaked in his blood, but I couldn't feel anything. I was numb and cold. So, so cold.

The next thing I heard was sobbing as the princess put one hand over her mouth in shock and another over her stomach, and yelling as the spy denied that his best friend, his brother, was dead. I saw the chemist fall to her knees in the corner of my eyes, silent tears rolling down her tanned cheeks. Dalia was there too. She just stood there, mouth open and brows drawn together.

And then there was the lieutenant. He stumbled over to us in shock. Bending down, he placed two fingers on Carter's neck, exhaling shakily and letting his head fall forward when there was no pulse.

After a moment, he reached out and closed Carter's eyes, tears slipping down his cheeks.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, voice catching. I didn't move, didn't look at him. In the near distance, there was more sobbing, more yelling. There was also the crashing of waves and the cold water that slid under my body and recoiled back to the ocean. My hands ached. My back ached. My leg was still on fire.

"Vera, baby, are you hurt?" I shook my head absentmindedly, despite feeling pain in every inch of my body. Sorin's lips pursed. "We have to bury him." My hand wrapped around Carter's arm where his hand still stayed locked on my wrist.

"Vera... let him go. We have to bury him." No. No. I'm not ready, I wanted to scream at him. I'm not ready. "Vera... little assassin...you have to let him go. He's gone. It's over. Let him go." I swallowed, and it felt like forcing fire down my throat. Slowly, I felt my fingers release Carter's skin.

Sorin sniffed and wiped away the tears that stained his face. He slid his arms under Carter and lifted him softly. Then he walked away.

Rafe was still yelling. Sophie had her arms wrapped around him, trying to calm him down through her own tears. Ace rocked herself back and forth, face buried in her hands. Dalia still stood there, staring at the spot Carter had been, frozen in shock.

And I sat there, numb and unfeeling, my hand still clutching the jacket soaked with Carter's blood.

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I didn't go to the funeral. I didn't go out and seek the others that had left hours ago to watch their friend get buried. I didn't move my gaze from the spot on the horizon.

Sorin was the one who came back a while later, silent and heaving my bag from the ship.

He didn't speak to me but was extremely careful when he led me to a hot spring. Helping me to the ground, he accessed my wounds while I just sat there.

Sorin then unlaced my boots and cautiously peeled off my clothes. He led me into the water and began washing Carter's dried blood from my skin, mumbling things to me that I didn't hear. He scrubbed away the blood from my hair too, being careful to avoid the large gash on my forehead.