Page 264 of Shadowman

Dr. Love nudges me, and I peek at him. “Share the burden. He’s strong enough to help you carry it.”

We spent all night debating our next moves—Lemuel, Byron, and myself.Together.

Quite the turn of events.

We’ve also been debating what to do about the very dead twats formerly known as Doctors Johansson and Hassan. I suggested hacking them up and inconspicuously burying one piece at a time in the garden, and while we all agreed that seemed fun, ultimately we decided it might arouse suspicions if Byron and I took up gardening out of the blue in the middle of a war.

I suppose I’mstilltrying to figure out which is the lie from our game all those weeks ago… It’s betweenloves gardeningandhas never sneezed, and I just cannotfathomthat the latter is true.

At any rate, our primary focus was tending to Lemuel’s wounds and getting him cleaned up, since he was in pretty rough shape. We did what we could with limited options, brought him some clothes from the guards’ quarters, and I must say, he’s much better off. Still, there’s an air of wrath about him, decorating his aura in a palette of flames.

While we were fixing him up, Lem told Byron and me about what these doctors had done to Felix when he was away—evidently dealing with the aftermath of my killings. As a sexual assault survivor myself, I felt a deep pang of empathy for The Carver. I can say with full sincerity that Dr. Hassan will be rotting in Hell right alongside this Templeton character—whomFelix and Lem already exacted their bloody revenge on—and his boss, Johansson, whose lack of interference makes him just as complicit, as far as we’re all concerned.

The thing is, Lem’s collar was removed when Hassan and Johansson chained him up, meaning hecanescape if he wants to. But as eager as he is to find Felix, he’s insistent on being patient, and smart.

The Ivoryquite literallyhas eyes everywhere, his mob of cartel men scurrying to and fro at all times like busy insects.I’m not certain they even sleep.Sneaking out would be a highly dangerous venture, and once The Ivory realizes Lem is gone, he’ll be out for blood…Most likely mine to start.

We weren’t able to locate the remote for the collars anywhere on either of the bodies, but the good news is that few people know the tombs even exist. Nobody comes down here.

That’s not to say The Ivory won’t decide to pop in on Lemuel just for funzies, so we are on a bit of a timer to figure something out.

Byron and I aren’t exactly itching to leave the way Lemuel is, though. After all, he’s a direct enemy of Manuel Blanco,andhe has someone out there waiting for him. Velle sees us both as enemies now, and if The Ivory finds out I killed the doctors, there goes our good graces.

I’ve isolated Byron in a very precarious position. The guilt of causing so much strife and impending doom for him is heavier than cinderblocks stacked on my shoulders. Whether I chose itor not, I’m indebted to Manuel Blanco; trapped in a labyrinth of calamity, and unable to see a way out.

“You’ll never come first… Because he isall of it.”

Those words keep coming back to me, from the hushed voice of a stranger behind a thick metal door. It makes me think about the cage in the aviary…

“So we just… leave the bodies here?” Byron asks, frowning at them.

Lem nods. “It’ll make it more believable that I was the one who killed them.” His amber eyes sparkle with veracity.

Apparently, he’s been gunning for the doctors since Felix was assaulted, hence his defecting to Team Velle. Losing the trust of Manuel Blanco threw a wrench into his plans, but then I killed them. Unknowingly doing him a solid while also sparing him from excessive torture. And nowhe’sinmydebt—his words, not mine.

The fact that Dr. Love is pledginganyloyalty to me after what we did to him and Felix is perplexing.Alright, I did most of it. Except the cum-lube. He must not know about that…

Still, his willingness to forgive brings warmth and fuzzies to my chest that I’m quite unfamiliar with.

Is this… friendship? Bollocks, I haven’t felt it,real, in so long…

I’m much more familiar with obsessive infatuation and blinding wrath… And what I feel for Byron.

“As far as anyone is concerned, I killed Hassan and Johansson and got free,” Lem says matter-of-factly. “The Ivory knows I’ve wanted them dead. It’s more than believable.”

Byron chews on his lower lip. “So… What happens now?”

Lem loses a bit of his visible confidence. But then I recall…

“Here.” I pull out the cellphone and hand it to Lem. “I found it outside,” I explain, mostly to Byron, because he’s giving methat look again… The one that says,I have no idea who you are or what you’re hiding.“You’ll need it more than me.”

Lem takes the phone, nodding. “I’m going to explore the tombs… See where they lead. Maybe try to get ahold of someone… But I promise, I’m not leaving until we can all get out.”

Byron’s lashes flutter. “Are you sure?”

“I’ll be fine. Just watch out for yourselves,” Lem hums, rather gallantly. Protective ofus. “Keep your eyes open. Things are going to get much worse before they have even a prayer of getting better.”

“This is headed for disaster…”The voice grates inside my skull.“You know that, right?”My eyes flit about in glaring frustration at my so-calledfriendI can’t see, because he’s just such an unsupportive wanker sometimes.“Keep giving me that look, mate, but you know I have your best interests at heart. No one else’s. You’re not meant to be part of thepack. You’re a lone wolf.”