Page 59 of The Colour of Revenge

Without another word, Nate takes my hand and leads me out of the cabin, not sparing so much as a glance—or a thank you—for Kai.

"Make sure to burn your suit!" Kai shouts after us, his voice laced with exasperation.

I throw him a small wave before the door clicks shut behind us, leaving the chaos of the cabin behind.

He's warming up to me.

15

He Sees Me

Hypothetical Question: If you could replace your fingers with one household item, what would you choose?

Nate

"ThatidiotbetterprayI don't see him anytime soon."My voice is low, a growl edged with frustration."What the hell was he even thinking? Oh, right—he doesn't think. Arrogant prick. Honestly, I could throttle him right now."

I mutter Kai's name like a curse, the sound barely audible over the crunch of gravel beneath our feet.

Carina walks beside me, silent. Too silent. She's got that distant look in her eyes—the one that makes me think she's either solving the mysteries of the universe or mentally stabbing someone. Either way, my ranting barely seems to register.

I glance over, curiosity creeping in. "You okay?"

She blinks, snapping out of her trance. "Yeah, just… thinking."

"About?"

She hesitates, then exhales slowly. "What I'm supposed to do with my life once I've dealt with the last names on my list. There's only three left. After that… then what?"

I pause mid-step.

Not because I don't know what to say. But because I didn't expect her to be thinking that far ahead.

"Well, they're not the only monsters out there, you know," I say after a moment.

Her head tilts slightly, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"

"You could join me. Keep fighting. Only this time, it wouldn't just be about revenge—it'd be about helping people who actually need it. Giving victims a second chance."

She blinks, thrown off. Like the thought had never once occurred to her.

"Huh. I guess I never thought about that." She runs a hand through her hair, her fingers lingering at the ends as if grounding herself. "I've been so focused on revenge, I never stopped to think about what I'd do after it's all over."

I tilt my head, studying her. Trying to read the expression behind her words. "What did you want to do? Before… everything?"

She lets out a laugh, bitter and hollow. The kind that carries too much history.

"I wanted to be a doctor. Save lives." A humourless smile tugs at her lips. "Ironic, isn't it?"

"I mean… only if you think irony is admirable," I reply, deadpan. "Which, by the way, it is."

She shakes her head, staring at the ground as we reach the car. "It's a pipe dream now. I don't even have GCSEs. No school would take me, no job would hire me."

"We'll see about that," I mutter, sliding into the passenger seat. "If Kai can pull off a career without a brain, you've got a shot."

Her lips twitch—almost a smile.

Almost.