Page 53 of I Will Break You
Heart leaping into my throat, I scramble to my feet. “What are you doing?”
Relaney grabs my arm. “You’ve broken the circle.”
Wilder grabs Sparrow’s wrist, trying to hold him back, but Sparrow breaks away from his brother, his eyes filled with the same kind of madness as Uncle Clive’s.
Moonlight streams in through the front window, hitting the sharp edge of the glass. Sparrow bares his teeth and snarls, “I’ll make sure you never stab another man again.”
As I back away from the madman, my feet tangle on the edge of a rug. I tumble backward, landing hard on the wooden floor. Pain explodes in the back of my head, and my vision fills with stars.
“Amethyst,” Relaney screams. “Chappy, help her!”
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to process the shock of falling as well as Sparrow’s wild accusation. Was he the one who’s been breaking into my house? What if he saw me dragging Jake’s body into the cemetery and decided to teach me a lesson? He’s certainly tall enough to impersonate that Grim Reaper. Maybetoo thin, but a determined psychopath can do a lot with a little extra padding.
A warm hand lands on my arm, and I open my eyes. Chappy kneels beside me with a crooked smile. I stare over his shoulder at where Wilder has gotten control of Sparrow and jostles him out through the beaded curtain. Seconds later, the door slams shut, and two figures run past the living room window.
“Still with us, babe?” Chappy asks.
“He came at me with a bottle,” I rasp.
“Xero Greaves?”
“Sparrow. Didn’t you see?”
Chappy glances at Relaney, who drops to her knees, her eyes magnified by her glasses. “Who is Sparrow?” she asks, enunciating each word the way people do when they’re speaking with someone who’s simple or unwell. “Another killer?”
“He’s Wilder’s brother. The man who always stands by the wall.”
Relaney stares down at me, her thin brows furrowing. “Which wall, dear?”
My lips part, but realization hits me like a punch to the back of the head. Don’t tell me I hallucinated the two brothers? Panic rises to my throat, forcing down my words. If they were just figments of my imagination, then does that mean I’m immune to my medication?
“Can you see spirits, babe?” Chappy helps me sit up, his large hand on my shoulder.
“It’s just a…” I blink away the spots. “It’s a compound hallucination. That’s a thing.”
He shakes his head. “You’re gifted.”
“Not really.”
“You are a true medium.” Relaney taps the space in the middle of my forehead. “You have a powerful third-eye chakra.”
“Um… okay.” I glance toward the window, looking for signs of the brothers. When I don’t see them lurking about, I turn my attention back to Relaney. “Sorry for ruining the séance. Can I still stay the night?”
“Of course you can. You’re always welcome.”
I try to rise, but Chappy scoops me into his arms and cradles me to his chest.
“Let me carry you upstairs, babe.”
“Put me down.” I give his shoulder a gentle shove.
Relaney appears at my side. “That was a very nasty crack. You might be concussed.”
“I’d rather walk.”
The moment Chappy sets me on my feet, blood rushes south, leaving me lightheaded, and the room spins. I sway on my feet, splaying out both arms for balance.
Chappy grabs me by the waist before I fall. “Whoa. Do you need a doctor?”