12. Chapter 12
Ines
I know that voice because it haunts me in my dreams.
"Remus? Cas?" Carmen's voice cries out once more before she zips into the room. Coming face-to-face with her twice in one night after eight years of believing her to be dead is overwhelming and feels as if the air has been snuffed out of the small space.
Carmen's eyes are filled with sorrow and concern but seeing me in my current state launches her into a state of fury.
"What the fuck is going on here?" Carmen growls as Shaw, the bartender, enters after her. It's oddly comforting she hasn't learned to control her temper or her language.
Cassius raises his hands in surrender, as if the petite brunette is someone to fear. "Now, listen, Carmen – "
"Did you torture her!?" She points an accusatory finger at him before her chocolate brown eyes narrow and glide to meet Remus', now leaning against a wall with his arms folded across his chest. "Tell me you didn't."
He flicks invisible lint from his lapel. "Would lying ease your conscience?"
She balls her hands into fists, but when Shaw slips his palms over her shoulders and gently squeezes, all her pent-up rage dissipates. Taking a deep breath, Carmen's face smooths. Turning toward me, she smiles and extends her hand.
"Let's get you cleaned up," she says sweetly. "There's a lot we have to talk about."
I stare at her outstretched hand not sure if I should take it or slap it away. My top lip curls and slowly, her smile fades and her hand drops to her side.
"Ines, I know you're probably confused and scared – "
"I'm not scared," I hiss, tugging the towel tighter. "I'm pissed. Where have you been? Why didn't you come back for me? You were all I had, and you abandoned me!"
Shaw takes a heavy step forward and positions himself between me and Carmen. If he thinks I pose her a threat, he would be correct. "I think you should take a breath and calm down."
"Tell me to calm down again and I'll break every bone in your hand."
A hush falls over the room until Carmen's familiar giggle rings out. "Hell, I missed you, Ines. Just as fiery as ever."
"Clearly you didn't miss me enough." My teeth chatter as I shiver from the cold.
"I have some clothes you can change into." She offers with a smile, not deterred by my standoffishness. "Once you dry off, I'll make us some tea and we can talk."
I want to dig my heels in and refuse but my curiosity is far too great and after eight years of assuming she was dead, I'll finally get the chance to discover the truth.
I curtly nod my head in reluctant compliance and follow after her, but not before shooting a menacing glare at Remus promising retribution for what he did to me.
His eyes are fast on mine, and we maintain eye contact until the moment I abandon the room and trail Carmen down the hallway.
From the shape and size, I deduce this is a modest apartment in the Bronze District.
The living room, kitchen and dining areas are simply and sparsely furnished, like the bedroom I was just in.
Carmen leads me to the second bedroom which is considerably smaller than the other.
Thankfully there's an adjoining bathroom for me to freshen up.
Carmen moves around this space comfortably and for a moment I wonder if she lives here, but as if she can read my thoughts she says, "This is one of our safe houses scattered around Orlencia. We all keep a few changes of clothes here just in case we need to hide or lay low."
She quickly rummages through the closet and pulls out a simple forest-green dress. "Here. I know I'm a bit shorter than you, but this should still fit you nicely."
I accept the outfit and nod in appreciation.
No frills or ornate designs – just a plain cotton dress.
It suits Carmen. She was never one for flashy clothing or expensive trinkets.
All she ever wanted was a cozy home to call her own.
As mad as I am with her, I can't help but hope she got exactly what she wanted.
"Thank you," I grumble.
"It's the least I can do." She opens her mouth and shuts it. Clearly, she's mulling over what to say next. Finally, with a heavy sigh, she asks, "Did they hurt you?"
"And if I say yes? Then what, Carmen?"
"I'd handle it." She says with such conviction I have no doubt she'd do exactly that. We come from the slums of the Brogratto. We didn't survive the streets as long as we did by being kind and forgiving. "What did Remus do?"
"Dunked my head in a tub of water." I toss the towel on the bed and start stripping. She doesn't make to leave or avert her eyes, so I keep undressing, not at all deterred by her presence.
"I won't ask you to forgive Remus for what he's done."
"But?" I peel off the wet dress and let it fall to the tile floor in a heavy, damp pile.
"Protecting the group is his top priority." She perches on the edge of the mattress and rubs the heel of her palm across her forehead. "I might hate his methods, but after years of being a part of the crew, he has yet to fail us."
"What do you want me to say, Carmen?" I turn my back to her and unfasten my soaking bra and add it to the pile on the floor.
Slipping into the borrowed dress, it instantly warms my goosebump riddled flesh.
"Do you want me to promise not to skin your boss alive the moment I have the chance because he's kept you safe? "
Her silence spurs me to face her.
"He's not only kept me safe, but he's the one who saved me."
"Saved you?" I furrow my brows, confused. "Saved you from what?"
Tears well in her eyes but instead of answering my question, she stands with a groan. "I'm going to start the tea. Meet us in the kitchen when you're ready." Without further explanation, Carmen brushes past me and closes the door as I finish buttoning and tying the dress.
More confused than ever, I take a moment to retreat to the bathroom and stare at my reflection.
Other than looking like I went for a late-night swim, there's no damage or evidence of torture.
I suppose if Remus actually meant to do me harm, he would have used a blade to flay my skin, but instead, he opted for the water.
I understand he was testing me, but it doesn't make it right. He'll pay for what he's done.
After I tidy my hair and braid it, I march out of the room and into the main living area where everyone is scattered about waiting. One more person has joined the group with a mop of reddish-brown hair, freckles across the bridge of his nose, and warm brown eyes that have a soothing quality.
Remus is plopped on the kitchen countertop away from the rest of us, and good thing too, because if he was within arm's reach, I would snap his wrists.
Carmen brings a kettle to boil before pouring the water into six white mugs and dropping tea bags into each. Shaw, Cassius, and the newcomer are all seated at the circular dining table playing cards, seemingly unfazed by the torture I just endured.
"Take a seat, Ines," Carmen motions for me to join them once she notices me lurking in the mouth of the hallway.
The four men swivel to look at me. I hold my head higher, and I do as she bids and claim the available seat between Cassius and Shaw, making a point to keep Remus in my direct line of sight.
"Ines, this is Victor Ollivander Ovidius," Cassius motions to the stranger on his left.
Victor smiles, showing off a straight set of pearly white teeth, before he extends his hand to shake mine. "Call me Olli."
I oblige and take his hand. "I would say it's nice to meet you, Olli, but I'd be lying."
Olli's mouth drops, words clearly failing him to dig up a response. His eyes dart around the table as he releases my grip and reclines in his seat, flicking his freckled nose.
"I'm not exactly sure how to respond," Olli chuckles nervously.
"Don't mind her," Remus chimes in, snark lacing his voice. "She's got the manners of a sailor."
"And the bite of a snake, so watch your back, Remus Kane." I grind my teeth.
Cassius bursts into laughter. "I'll say a prayer for you, Remus. It seems your days are numbered."
"They were numbered before this evening," he shrugs, not disturbed by my threats. "And after tonight, I deserve her wrath."
Before I can respond, Carmen clears her throat and slides a cup of hot tea across the table for me to grab, but I don't touch it.
"You look like you have a lot of questions." Her eyes flick up to meet mine.
"Wouldn't you have a lot of questions if you saw a ghost?"
Shaw tenses in his seat, restraining himself from swooping in to defend my childhood friend. Without missing a beat, Carmen claims the chair across from me and dunks her tea bag in her mug.
"Ask your questions, Ines. No question is off limits."
Shaw clenches his jaw, but still, he says nothing. A dutiful watchdog, indeed.
I mull over the dozens of questions zipping through my mind but there's only one that's most pressing. "What happened to you?"
The room once again falls silent as her fingers dance around her mug, and for the first time tonight, she dodges my gaze.
"I was on my way back to our alley. I remember being so excited because I'd managed to lift freshly baked rolls but as I turned down the street, three men appeared and surrounded me.
I thought at first they wanted what I'd stolen but when I offered it to them, they just laughed, smashing it from my hands.
I tried to run, so they wouldn't be led to our home, ultimately being led to you, but they overpowered me.
I didn't have a chance to scream for help I knew would never come.
They bound and gagged me. I fought to get away, but that served futile because one of them struck me so hard on the head I didn't wake for three days. And when I had, I wished I never did."
I swallow hard and clench my back teeth. I don't want to ask her the next question, but I have to. I need to know whose throats I'll be slitting in the very near future. "Did they hurt you?"