Page 126 of Famine

Famine stands, then slowly makes his way off the cart, his footsteps echoing in the early morning air.

“You clearly forgot what I told you earlier,” he says, “so let me remind you:I cannot be killed, and—more importantly—attempts on my life will be met with vengeance.”

Rocha turns then, presumably to flee back inside his mansion. With a violent crack, the paved walkway beneath him parts, and a thorned bush grows up and up, its spindly branches blocking the doorway, even as they reach for the cartel boss.

Heitor stumbles back, then spins to face the horseman.

“You’re not goinganywhere,” Famine says.

I can’t see the horseman’s expression as he closes in on the man, but just by the rigid set of his shoulders I can tell he’s seething.

“I’m going to ask this once and once only,” the Reaper says, his voice sinister, “what did you do to Ana?”

My eyebrows lift at the mention of my name.

Heitor stands in place, hemmed in by Famine’s plants on one side and the horseman on the other.

“Who?” Rocha says. Then his eyes dart to me, and I swear something angry passes over his features for an instant. “Do you mean that bitch you’re with?” he says, jerking his chin in my direction. He gestures to his temple. “Sheattackedme.”

It’s the wrong answer.

The Reaper steps up to Heitor, his scythe holstered at his back.

“Most of the time, I don’t give a shit about the humans I kill,” the horseman says. “But you—you I’ll make an exception for.”

My breath catches.

“Please,” Heitor says, raising his hands placatingly. “I swear this is all a misunderstanding. Tell me what you need, and I’ll do it—it’s as good as done.”

I see Famine tilt his head. “You and I are evil men. Let’s not lie to one another—we are beyond words now.”

Famine reaches his hand towards Rocha. Something in the air shifts, and I wait for one of the horseman’s terrible plants to grow from the ground.

But the earth doesn’t crack open, and no supernatural flora rise from its depths. And yet, as I watch, the rancher seems to choke on his own breath.

“What are you doing to me?” Heitor gasps out.

“Did you never stop to wonder justhowI killed crops?” the Reaper says. “If you had, you might’ve considered the fact that what I do to them I can do to you as well. Humans are just another sort of crop, in the end.”

A chill races over me.

“What you’re experiencing,” Famine continues, “is the sensation of your body dying, little bits at a time. But it won’t happen right away.ThatI’ll make sure of.”

I’ve seen firsthand how Famine makes crops wither. I can’t imagine him doing the same thing to a human—or that he might prolong the experience to make it as agonizing as possible.

And it does seem to be agonizing. Heitor curls in on himself, crying out at some pain I can’t see.

“Please,” he rasps. “I can … still help … I’m … sorry … misunderstanding.”

There’s a pause, then I hear the Reaper’s low laughter. “Amisunderstanding? No, no, my friend. It was one thing to try to hurt me. But then you went and tried to hurt her.” Famine glances over his shoulder, casting me a look. In the lavender glow of the morning, the horseman stares at me with a fervent sort of intensity.

At that look, unbidden warmth spreads through me. The horseman has now defended me multiple times, and I can’t help but feel … cherished.

Does Famine realize that’s my weakness? For a girl who’s never been truly beloved, this is how you ensnare me.

“The moment you touched her,” the Reaper continues, “you were a marked man.” As Famine speaks, the earth shakes. More of the pavement around the two men fissures open, and several insidious vines grow out of them. The plants glide with sinister ease over the dying man, wrapping themselves around his ankles and his hands. “But then you came for her—”

Famine’s words are punctuated by a sickening crack, and Heitor cries out.