Chapter 39 'KILLER'
MERRIELYNN.
I unlocked the door to the archi hall, the familiar creak of the hinges echoing in the stillness of the after-hours silence.
It had been two days since I confronted Cormac, and I had already let Emorie know it was a bust.
What was I even expecting?
That Cormac would be a knight to the rescue for once just because I asked?
Every free moment since then had been spent scouring every inch of this place, hoping to stumble upon the moonstone.
So far, there has been no luck, but I refused to give up. The auction was still a couple of months away, and I was gaslighting myself into believing I had more than enough time to maneuver around the hand I’d been dealt.
As I pulled the door open and stepped inside, a shiver ran down my spine.
I knew Cormac and I were the only two with keys, but I doubted he ever used his. Just as that thought flitted through my mind, I looked up and froze, startled.
There he was, leaning casually against a table on the opposite wall, a smirk playing on his lips as if he had been expecting me.
“Fancy seeing you here,” he said, his voice smooth and teasing, sending a rush of adrenaline through me.
My heart raced, pounding so loudly that I wondered if Cormac could hear it.
He seemed calm, even patient, as if he had all the time in the world. “You kept me waiting,” he said, his tone casual, but it sent a chill down my spine.
I blanched at his words, just staring at him. “I thought you would come here much earlier for your daily rounds," he said and I couldn't shake the worry that he was referring to my search for the moonstone.
Had he been keeping tabs on me?
The thought might not have surprised me as much as it should, but I was suddenly deeply unsettled.
He gestured to the left, where a thick tarp overflowed with wolfsbane—the very stuff I had gathered with Emorie. “It’s a lot. Nice work,” he commented, and I scoffed, the memory of how I ended up in that position flooding back.
“Screw you,” I shot back, my tone sharp.
I could see the corners of his mouth tip up slightly, a small grin forming as if he found my irritation amusing.
Part of me felt like he enjoyed it when I stood up to him.
As I watched Cormac pull the tarp away, revealing the wolfsbane beneath, my breath caught in my throat.
What did he plan on doing? Before I knew it, he brushed his open palm over the leaves, and I felt a jolt of panic when I saw the burn mark beginning to form on his flesh.
He didn’t flinch, though. Instead, a slight furrow creased his brows as he continued to toy with the leaves, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was truly a sadist at heart.
When he finally pulled his hand away, he held it up to his face, examining it like it was some rare specimen. My eyes widened in horror as he blew lightly on the burn, a strange mix of fascination and dread washing over me.
“Deal’s back on,” he said casually, and my expression shifted in disbelief.
Did I hear him right?
His attention was still focused on his hand, when I asked, “What do you mean?”
His eyes flicked up to mine, and I could see a glimmer of something, “On a day and time of my choosing, we’ll go to the palace, pick up the artifact, and you’ll uphold your end of the deal whenever I decide,” he replied in a steady tone. He finished with a question, “Any objections?”
Slowly, I shook my head, my heart racing as I couldn’t find my voice.
Cormac nodded satisfactorily, and then got up, moving toward the door. I could hardly breathe as I watched him walk away.
As he passed by me, I couldn't help but glance down at his hand. My breath caught for a moment when I noticed that his palm was already fully healed.
I suddenly felt a urge to say something, anything, to break the silence that hung between us.
And even though I knew i shouldn't feel it. I did.
Gratitude.
“Thank you, Cormac,” I called out in a small voice.
He didn’t stop or turn around, and I hesitated for a heartbeat before adding, “For the necklace.”
He froze, suddenly, his back still to me, and I held my breath.
But after a long moment of stillness, he resumed walking, leaving me alone in the hall.
I swallowed hard, feeling victory swell within me, regardless of how small.
Nearly an hour later, after checking a few things and locking up, I stepped into the parking lot and spotted Valtor. My instinct screamed to avoid him, but before I could slip past, he intercepted me.
“Shit!” I cursed under my breath.
“Hey, I’m really sorry about what happened the other day,” he said in his voice that sounded genuinely remorseful. “I didn’t know what came over me. I thought the necklace was something else—I had it all wrong,” he added.
I hesitated, scanning the area to ensure Cormac wasn’t lurking nearby, and this whole apology was just another ploy up his belt.
Valtor’s expression looked sincere, and despite my reluctance, I felt a twinge of sympathy.
“It’s okay,” I managed to smile up at him, hoping he’d leave me alone.
“Are you sure? How about I give you a ride back to the dorms?” he insisted, his eyes pleading.
I shook my head, refusing at first, but his persistence wore me down, and I finally agreed. “Fine, just this once,” I muttered, following him to his car.
It had been a long day and I was exhausted.
When I finally stepped into my room, after a relatively peaceful drop off, I was eager to shake off the day’s events and just step under a hot shower.
But as I switched the light on, my heart dropped.
Blood splattered across the walls, and a lone word stood out starkly, painted in a wild, frantic scrawl.
I felt like I was frozen in place, shock washing over me as I struggled to process the terrifying letters, dripping in red staring back at me.
'K I L L E R!!'