Chapter 6
Six
Ziggy
“ W hat the fuck is your problem?!” Lydia screams at me from the opening of the tent.
Hunched over, I dry heave—nothing left in my stomach to vomit. A string of spit dangles from my mouth, inches from the ground. My palms burn and knees shake from the snow encapsulating them. Lydia’s foot connects with my back, sending me straight into the disgusting puddle beneath me.
“I said. What. The. Fuck. Is. Your. PROBLEM!?” She screeches at me, sending a hard kick into my ribs between each punctuated word. I deserve it.
A crazed laugh slips from my mouth. My mother and sister would be so appalled by me.
Lydia lets out a frustrated breath. “You’re fucking perfect for this insane place. A heartless bastard who’s absolutely batshit crazy.”
“Says The Collective’s nepo baby. I don’t have a choice in the matter!”
“Keep digging yourself deeper into that hole and she’ll cover you with dirt, buddy.” Dorran drawls.
I’ve had enough of all of you tonight.
Lydia throws her hands in the air with fire in her eyes. “And you think I do?! I didn’t ask to be born into this nightmare. I never once said that I wanted to take the innocent lives of beings. And I definitely never said I wanted to invade your most sacred moments.” Scraping her fingers across her scalp, Lydia pulls tightly at the roots. “But you know everything right?”
The world spins as I roll to my side, clutching my ribs. The hazy sky barely lets light through, but the little that does halos around Lydia. Even with her face shadowed I can see the rosy flush which fans across her nose and cheeks. Her chest rises and falls with anger while her hair whips in the wind and snow. She looks like an ethereal goddess. I’m so lost in her glory it takes a minute for her words to process.
“Why do it then? You have your magic and the ability to leave the campsite. Why stay and be a part of the problem?”
Turning away, she stares out at the center of the camp. “The best way to take down the enemy is from the inside,” she declares like a promise.
It’s almost like I can feel Dorran smile. “Bring her to the dark-er side.”
“Then let me help you.”
She gives me a questioning glance over her shoulder. “Why would you help me after everything I’ve done to you?”
Pushing off the slippery ground, I hobble to her. Hip to hip, we keep our gazes trained in front of us. “Because, I can tell you’ve been holding back—if you really wanted my memories you would have gotten them months ago.” From the corner of my eye I see Lydia turn to study me, lips parted in shock. “I just figured you wanted to drag out the torture.”
Her body quivers, losing the battle to icy clutches of winter. I take a chance, wrapping my arm around her shoulder, pulling her into my bruised side. She tenses up, but only for a moment.
“You smell disgusting.”
I can’t help but laugh because she’s right. The contents of my stomach still stains my pants.
Another moment passes before Lydia breaks the silence. “So, what happens now?”
“We plan.”