Page 109 of Worse Fates

Which is when the chaos really begins.

Chapter Thirty-Seven - Golden

Mickey shoves Kai into the same sad gray little room I’m in, filled with a teetering stack of sagging filing cabinets.

“Oi, be careful you fucking bellend!” I shout at the idiot, helping Kai up.

Jace steps forward. “You’ve always been so loud.”

“Where the hell is Ramy?” Kai barks at the two blood mages blocking our exit, trying to see over them.

The air is thick with the smell of rats, rusted metal, and sweat, like old coins fished from a stagnant pond. Around twenty people move about the space, packing tools, clothes and other supplies. I have no idea for what and I don’t plan on sticking around to ask.

“Go tell Emma we’re back,” Jace orders Mickey. His focus clinging to me like slick oil I want to scrub off with a wire sponge.

With one final withering glare, Mickey stomps down a gangway and disappears through a side door, which has ‘Office’ printed on the white paint. But in that direction I find Ramy, tied up in thick rope, hanging upside down with a gag stuffed in his mouth.

I rush forward to help, but Jace slams the barred door shut.

“Dickhead,” Kai bites out.

Jace’s forearms lean on the rusted bars, his face twisting into an ugly sneer. “You should really thank me, Kai, for keeping you alive.”

I shift so my body shields Kai’s, and aim a death glare at Jace.

Jace chuckles. “And then I’m going to take over the world, with Golden by my side.”

For a beat I’m certain I’ve misheard. Then shock throws my head back, and startled laughter bursts free. “Did I scramble your brains that bad when I broke your nose? Because you sound insane, dude. This has been your goal this whole time?”

Jace’s hand shoots out and grabs my neck, pulling me against the rough bars.

“Let him go!” Kai shouts, rushing over.

“Why—” Jace grits out, then shoves me into Kai who catches me in his arms, “—must you always be this way, Golden. Do you know how badly I wanted you to be a blood mage? But even when I found out you wasn’t—”

“Youdruggedme?”

Jace’s fist slams into the bars causing them to rattle. “I had to see! You’re mine, Golden! Always have been and always will be. Even when you rejected me and ran away, you’re stillmine!”

Something inside me snaps. “I. Never. Wanted. You!”

Jace’s mouth becomes a thin, angry line, the dark bruises splattered across the bridge of his nose making him more threatening, not less, ike a feral dog waiting to attack.

My fists shake with unspent rage for the one person I once depended on—once loved more than anyone.

“Were we even a family?” The question is pathetic and I already know the answer. So when Jace stays silent, his anger slipping away to reveal something like guilt, I’m not surprised.

“Of course we were,” Jace replies, his old self coming through. “But…”

After running away a miniscule voice whispered I could have my big brother back. Then I’d introduce him to Lucero, maybe we’d all go for a fancy dinner atNandos. Jace would do the whole If-You-Hurt-My-Little-Brother thing and I’d get annoyed, but secretly, love it.

It’s when he says ‘but’ that I know that we had two different realities. Kai takes my hand and squeezes, pushing out that voice once and for all.

“Golden…” Jace’s voice is softer, more tender, than I’ve ever heard it, almost like… “I’ve always loved you.”

Like a lover.

I recoil like I’m about to step into dog shit. “Toss your fucking ‘love’. It makes me sick.”