Mindy pushed her nails farther into her skin, but Aisley refused to show any emotion. If she did, Mindy would win, and that couldn’t happen.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mindy demanded.
Aisley shrugged her other shoulder. “Let it mean whatever you want it to mean, I really don’t give a shit.”
“Keep it up,” Mindy said with a malevolent smile as she leaned close. “I see the way Jason looks at you. You’re a liability. You’ve only stayed around this long because you’re family.”
“I’ve seen what Jason does to family, Mindy, and that’s not why he keeps me around.”
Mindy’s black eyes narrowed. She pulled Aisley to a halt and leaned in close. “Explain yourself.”
“Ask Jason. I’m sure he’d enjoy telling you how he killed my family.”
“Then why not kill you?”
Because I was foolish enough—and desperate enough—to believe him. “I’ve no doubt he’s getting to that very soon. But not before I take you out.”
Mindy shoved her away hard and stormed off. Aisley bit back a smile when Mindy rushed to Jason and began telling him of their conversation.
But what little joy their exchange provided her evaporated when she saw Laura turn and look at her. There was something in the mie’s soft green eyes that caused a niggle of apprehension.
Was it the hope that was slowly dying? Or perhaps the knowledge that the truth wasn’t easy to discern.
Aisley thought back to the last time she’d clung to hope. It was such a distant memory that it took some time to find it, but when she did, she could hardly recall the girl she’d been.
That girl had been full of life and laughter. The world had been so bright and shiny, and Aisley had known she’d find all her dreams out in that big, beautiful world.
Two months later, everything had changed.
Pain shot through her heart as she recalled those awful times better left buried. And what she had done to her family. Not to mention what her supposed friends had done to her.
Aisley paused beside a tree and leaned her hand upon the rough bark of the elm. She shut her eyes, hoping to push away the memories. The floodgates had opened, and with them, the dreams she’d once had.
Had she really ever been so naïve, so innocent? Had she really believed she could conquer the world? Had she dared to think after pulling herself out of the gutter that fate would be kind?
Instead, she’d fallen into Hell itself.
She opened her eyes to find she stood near the edge of a cliff. Far below were the jagged rocks rising up from the earth and surrounded by more trees.
Above her, Aisley heard the cry of an osprey, the sound clear and loud. As if it called to her. The wind brushed by her face, its touch feather-light, like a kiss.
She moved around the tree until the ball of one foot hung over the cliff. With one jump, she could end the nightmare that was her life.
No more would Jason be able to hurt her or threaten her. She would no longer have to feel the evil flowing inside or crave the power her black magic gave.
Her soul was destined for Hell anyway. No one would care that she took her own life.
“Aisley.”
Dale’s deep voice was soft, his tone careful as he whispered her name. She should have known he would be watching.
“What are you doing, lass?”
“Contemplating jumping,” she answered.
He moved to stand beside her. “I can jump and live. You can no’.”
“That’s the point.”
There was a beat of silence before he murmured, “Death is no’ the answer.”
“I made my choices, Dale. I know what awaits me in death. I’ve seen Satan.”
“Did you enjoy him so much, you want to hasten to get to him?”
She jerked her head to him and frowned. “No.”
“Then doona jump.”
“And do what? Continue with this life of hell?”
Dale glanced away as he rubbed a palm over his bald head. “I’m here. I can help you.”
“Why?”
“You really doona know, do you?”
Aisley looked away, uncomfortable with the way Dale was looking at her, as if she were a prize just out of reach. “You’d be wise to consider who I am.”
“I know who you are. It’s why I willna allow you to fall to your death.”
She drew in a shaky breath. It had been a long time since someone showed concern for her. She hadn’t realized how much she missed that connection until Dale had given it to her.
“I won’t jump. Today,” she said, and turned away from the cliff.
It didn’t take long for her and Dale to catch back up with the others. Jason was moving slowly through the forest, as if he wanted Charon and the other Warriors to catch them.