36. Ruby
thirty-six
Cassius stumbles backwards and opens his mouth to speak, but can’t form the words.
Neither can I.
This is how it was always supposed to go. There was never any other choice. Never any other outcome. Cassius gasps for breath, blood sputtering from his throat. No longer a strong, capable opponent. No longer a man worthy of being my king. He’s only a pawn in someone else’s game.
His body collapses in a display of awkward limbs. A puppet who lost his master. A man taking his last breath.
I squat next to his body, digging my heels into the gravel. Pressing two fingers to the side of his neck, I feel for a pulse before I make the call to the cleaners.
I don’t wait for them to arrive. I don’t want to watch them load Cassius’ still warm body into the back of one of the vans. Watching that would be my undoing and a risk I can’t take. I can’t fall apart now.