Epilogue

Epilogue 3.14

---Gail/Miu-sama---

     I sit curled up in fetal position, pressing my back against the blood-caked, boney bark of the tree. My hands, my toes, my teeth—everything shivers. Topher lies at my feet, facedown and unconscious.

     Because of me.

     We have to check his vital signs.

     "I didn't..." My voice catches in my throat, and my words are carried off by the howling wind. It wasn't my fault. I didn't mean to... I mean, I was only trying to...

     Dozens of strixes lie dead around us. Dismembered. Beaten to bloody pulps. The smells of dry salt and baked chalk fill my nose, and I can taste the blood on my tongue. I glance down at Topher.

     It was self-defence. He attacked you. You too the necessary precautions in order to preserve—

     "He's my brother," I say, and swallowing the bitter words, I realize I'm going to have to suck it up. Because all of this is my fault. I doomed us all.

     I crawl out from underneath the tree and place my fingers on Topher's neck. My insides all tumble down to my toes when I don't feel a pulse.

     He's alive. Unstable respiration. Flip him over so I can get a better read.

     I wipe a tear, but another one takes its place. I do as the shikigami says and then retreat and flatten myself against the tree. I swallow, slowly. "We need to find Martha. Can you...?" I pause, sniffling. "Can you sense her nearby?"

     Miu doesn't respond; instead, I just get a sharp pain in my neck, like I was asleep all night with a brick for a pillow. The pain creeps up through my eyes and into my brain, where it makes itself comfortable. My thoughts get all jumbled—something about broomsticks and lethargic muffin tops.

     I press my palms against my eyes to block out the light, but it's coming from beneath my eyelids. It just gets brighter and brighter and I'm screaming but the scream's ringing in my ears and it's not my voice and everything is wrong.

     "Gail?"

     Somebody's grabbing my shoulder. Everything's a blur. I breathe in deep, and a face comes into focus like a camera lens adjusting. It's Liluye, and she's been through hell. We've all been through hell. Or rather, we've stood at its gates. The best is yet to come. God save us.

     "You okay?"

     I groan. "Topher..."

     "I've got him," says Ace, hoisting Topher up to his feet. The welt on his forehead where I hit him draws my eyes to it. Lets me know what I've done won't be forgotten.

     "Martha's just down this path," says Liluye, nodding to her left. "Jewel and Eloise, too. They're in rough shape. We were hoping maybe you'd seen the others. Have you?"

     I shake my head, and even that much hurts enough to make me blink out of consciousness for a moment. Martha. She can help. She did help. We're in this together. Partners in crime. Something about lights that got turned inside out. Lights shining beneath my eyelids, frying my retinas from the inside.

     "Mind lendin' me your shoulder?" I ask, massaging my temples. "I'm feelin' a little woozy."

     "Sure thing." Liluye props me up against her shoulder. Ace's chest starts humming as he powers himself up so he can carry Topher. The hum's a little off-pitch. We're a sorry bunch.