All at once, an uproar erupted. I sat glued to my seat, unable to lift a finger, eyes on Radley’s lifeless body on the floor. It was Callan who picked me up, lifted me to his shoulder, and whisked me out of the room.
Outside, the warriors were dispersing hurriedly, howling instructions to each other as they ran wildly.
Callan set me down and grabbed me by the wrist. “Come with me,” he said, pulling me behind him. I was still too shaken to properly process anything. My brain was whirring, a cold shiver blanketing me at what I’d just witnessed.
One minute he was alive and trying to say something and the next he was lying dead, arrows to his chest, his own blood pooling around him. I couldn't get the sight of him out of my head, the expression of raw terror on his wide-open eyes that stared unblinkingly at the ceiling.
Flashes of him materialized in my mind, all the times I’d had an encounter with him. We hadn't been on good terms but I hadn't hated him, certainly had never wished him dead and now he was dead… Murdered.
“Who could have done this?” I asked in a quiet voice when we stepped into Callan’s bed chambers.
“I don't know, love, but I'll find that out and for now, you must remain here. You’re safe here.”
My hand clutched onto his tighter. I shook my head. “No, no, do not go out there. The person who had done this might still be hanging around, waiting for his next target.”
“Sophia,” he breathed, bringing his thumb to brush softly on my lips, causing my breath to catch. “My best friend has just been murdered and I'll be damned if I don't catch the bastard who has done this and make them suffer for it.”
And I understood it completely, if I was this shaken and affected by the sight of him. How about Callan? This was a blow to him too, he's known Radley all his life and now he had to watch him die right in front of his eyes.
My heart clenched, heaviness settling on my stomach. “I’m sorry about what has happened to him.”
He shut his eyes briefly and in those seconds, I ran my fingers through his hair soothingly and he leaned into my palm, one of his hands sliding around my waist to pull me closer.
I fought the urge to release a breath.
“He was trying to tell me something important,” Callan whispered in a broken voice.
“I know, I know,” I said, holding him closer. I could feel his heavy breaking, the loss colossal.
“I should never have doubted him. I was a fool to have.”
“No, no,” I immediately interrupted. “You were in your right to, your suspicions concerning him have nothing to do with his murder now so do not beat yourself up about it.”
I leaned forward and placed a feathery kiss on his lips. “Now go out there and find the bastard who has done this and make them pay.”
When Callan left, I headed to Grace’s bedroom. I knew about their relationship despite how improper I had considered it, they were still intimate and now he was dead. I didn't know what to think anymore, on one hand, I was horrified at Radley’s death, and on the other, I couldn't help wondering what had led to it.
“Nothing is as it seems, you must believe me…”
His voice echoed in my head, reeling over and over until I felt the start of an ache in my temple.
What do I make of this? His last words and his manner of death didn't match his behavior so far. I could never forget his hate for me, his belittling, and what I assumed to be his betrayal but was it really so? What had he been about to tell? Who’d had him shot?
A terrible game was at play here and I knew it was only a matter of time before the fire ignites, perhaps engulfing everything or engulfing its owner. There was just one thing certain, no one was coming from it unscathed.
I knocked on Grace’s door and when I received no response, I pressed down on the doorknob and stepped inside. She was curled by the window, staring outside it.
“Grace,” I called lightly, taking a few steps closer to where she sat.
“I would like to be alone, Sophia,” she said, and even though I understood her, I didn't think I could leave, not with the knowledge that her heart was breaking.
“I’m sorry about Radley. I know how—”
“It doesn't matter now, Sophia. What we had doesn't matter anymore because you ruined it, you ruined so much with your presence, do you not see? Everything was going smoothly until you came along!” She snapped.
I was taken completely aback and I could only watch her, my lips parting on their own.
She got up and wiped away tears I hadn't noticed. “You are not doing any good to anyone, not me, not Amelia, and certainly not my brother. Your presence here has only sufficed to create more hostility for him, procuring more enemies. The Shadow Pack members are filled with resentment, your uncle is here, and there is the Alpha of the Dark Woods Pack. How many more people do you want to displease just because you want to become Luna, Sophia? How much more self-centered can you get and not realize that everything happening now is because of you?”
Her words were like a slap to my face. I hadn't expected such animosity from Grace, I had been excited to befriend her, I’d thought her quiet, sweet, and shy and I had dared to think we would have a friendship of some sort. I had been looking forward to having her by my side.
“I haven't done anything and I understand why you are mad at me but none of what is happening has anything to do with me.” I began. “Everything has been in place before now, I admit my presence has catalyzed to unearth so much but do not blame me, Grace, I am as much a victim as…”
“Victim?” and she chuckled. “You do not have the slightest idea what it means to be a victim, you do not know what being helpless means so please do not talk to me about it.”
I didn't think I had it in me to argue with her, she was clearly upset about something that transcended Radley’s death and her blaming me as offensive as it was was simply her trying to cope with everything she was experiencing. It must be hard for her and I wish she would confide in me but I knew that was too much to ask of.
“I’m here for you whenever you want to speak, I'm sorry about Radley once more.”
And when she said nothing, I turned on my heels and trudged my way out only when I reached the door, her voice halted me.
“Sophia…”
I turned.
“You’ll make a great Luna, just, please be careful.” she sighed, exhaustion etched on her face. “You could be the next, anyone could.”
With that, she turned toward the window again, an indication that she had nothing more to say to me.