“Let me be clear,” she continued. “I hired Tanya because I see potential in her. It’s as simple as that. As a fellow Healer, I know how to bring out the best in her. Even if there is a…gap in her history.”
“That’s really the only reason?”
“I swear on it. No ulterior motives. I know it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, but believe me. You can read people’s microexpressions, can’t you?”
If Dolly was lying, I would have seen it in her face. But it was just as she said—she was telling the truth. When I took a moment to cool down, it was clear as day.
“Then do what you want,” I said.
With that, I turned and walked away from them both. If Dolly wasn’t intending to use Tanya against me in some way, then what they did was no concern of mine. Tanya was free to join Goat Dinner if she wanted—that was her choice. I wasn’t about to care or worry anymore about it.
I left the cordoned-off crime scene and took to the alleyways to avoid onlookers. The main street was thronged with even more people than it had been earlier, all of them trying to get a look at what had happened while the police and their yellow tape held them back. I felt bad for the officers working security—they’d probably be working all night and into the morning. If the crowd spotted me, their job would only get harder. So I took to the quiet, darker paths.
Then a voice called out from behind me.
“Noel!”
It was Tanya. She was short of breath as she ran over to me. I wanted to ignore her and keep walking, but I didn’t like the idea of her screaming my name and drawing attention. I had no other choice, so I stopped in my tracks.
“What?”
When I turned to face her, Tanya stopped running. But that didn’t stop her moving, and with her shoulders heaving as she caught her breath, she walked toward me. She brought her white hands up to my face, and for a moment they glowed as she healed the wound on my face. I’d been so busy that I’d completely forgotten my own injury.
“Why didn’t you get this healed sooner?” asked Tanya with a somewhat admonishing tone.
I couldn’t stand this woman. “I detest you,” I spat, smacking her hands away. “You think that if you keep caring I’m going to have a change of heart? Well, you’re dead wrong. Stop the stupidity and know your place.”
Tanya’s face darkened with sorrow, which soon warped into loathing. “I hear you’ve been dating Ralph Golding’s daughter?”
“So what? What’s that got to do with you?”
“I told you, didn’t I? I’ll kill any woman who gets close to you.”
“Stop it with the empty threats. You couldn’t.”
“Oh, but I could. And I’m serious.”
I clicked my tongue in annoyance. “Is that what you want? To haunt me your whole life?”
“It is. I will never let you go until you belong to me.”
“You want to go overboard, then fine,” I muttered.
I was at the limits of my patience. I grabbed Tanya by her shirt, took the silver flame from its holster, and put it to her delicate jaw.
“I will kill you, bitch.”
“Do it.”
Even with the gun pressed to her face, Tanya showed no fear. Her eyes were empty and unwavering—the only thing in them was my own reflection. She was broken, that much was clear. She loved me so much that she was in pieces, and this was the result.
I felt the slightest, most minuscule iota of pity in my heart.
“You’re not even worth a bullet.”
I released my grip on Tanya and put the silver flame back in its holster.
“I’m warning you,” I said. “Don’t you dare go near Bernadetta Golding.”
“You’ve only just started dating. Is she really that important?” She meant the words as an attack, but her voice wavered, threatening tears. “I hate it. I hate the idea of you with that girl. I don’t care what I have to sacrifice. I will kill her.”
“No you won’t,” I replied coldly. “You can’t. Not while I’m around.”
Tears burst from Tanya’s eyes. She bit her lip so hard that it tore and bled. For a time, she was silent. Then she finally turned and trudged away.
“A pitiful thing.”
The silver-haired man who’d spoken stood next to me. He was looking not at me but at the powerless Tanya plodding off into the distance.
“By the looks of things, she’d be much better off if you really did kill her,” he added.
“Go to hell.”
At my command, the man vanished. I took a cigarette out and lit it with a match. I watched the tip burn and sucked the sweet flavor into my lungs. Then I let out a deep breath and calmed myself.
“You’re the only one in this entire city who shows me any kindness,” I said.
There was no one around to respond.
Dolly finished talking to the police and was about to head back to the clan house when Tanya returned. She chuckled at the sight of the lifeless young woman.
“Did he dump you again? You never learn, do you?”
Tanya’s gaze sharpened for a moment, but she slumped almost immediately.
“I know it’s stupid…”
She stood there biting her lip, her eyes downcast. Tears dripped on the ground at her feet.
“We always want what we can’t have. I know the feeling, but it’s especially severe with you, isn’t it?” Dolly said, walking up to Tanya and putting a hand to her shoulder. “You have great potential, Tanya. But to reach it, you need an iron will. You’ll never get stronger if you’re stuck in the past.”
Dolly had hired Tanya purely because of the young woman’s abilities. Actively recruiting the strong didn’t strengthen her own clan; it also kept the other clans in check. Rumor had it that Zeke of Supreme Dragon had approached Noel of his own volition, but things like this were by no means a rarity.
“And if you do get stronger, then maybe the snake—er, Noel—will look at you in a new way, yeah?”
The words were out of character for Dolly, but Tanya just sighed. “I’m going back to the clan house.”
Dolly watched the young woman walk away with heavy steps, shaking her head. “Runs much deeper than I thought.”
Was she expecting too much from Tanya? No. Even if that were the case, hiring Tanya to keep the other clans from poaching her was the right decision.
“Damn, I’m tired…”
Dolly slumped against the wall of a nearby building. Perhaps because she was finally alone, she felt the weight of her exhaustion tugging at her body. She reached into her pocket and brought out a locket. Inside was a photo of a red-haired young woman with a baby. Dolly looked at the photo for a time, then chuckled derisively.
“Stupid girl,” she whispered.
But the voice was so cold, so weak, that she even surprised herself.