Page 30 of Crown of Death
A golden mask is affixed to his face. A crown sits atop his head. He stands there, his hands folded in front of him. Those forest night green eyes bore into mysoul.
And in my chest there is finallypeace.
A puzzle snaps together, all the pieces finallyreassembled.
He takes a step toward me, and I feel all the eyes in the room slide towatch.
He takes another. Andanother.
My body warms as he approaches. And when he stops just a foot in front of me, my heart stops. Decides it no longer needs to keepbeating.
I stare into hiseyes.
Slowly, he raises his hands, and he takes my mask, and one tiny movement at a time, he lifts it from myface.
My lips fall open slightly, every bit of me waiting.Poised.
“Finally,” he breathes. “After all thistime.”
* * *
My eyes fly open.
Where just moments ago, my heart stopped, it nowraces.
My hand slides up to my chest, and it feelshollow.
I look around, confused and disoriented. The massive four-poster bed. The expensive curtains pulled over the window. The open doorway leading to an unfamiliarbathroom.
And Iremember.
Three weeks and sixdays.
It’s how long I have tolive.
It’s how long Eli will remain incustody.
I reach for my cell phone and check the time. 8:41.
My heart ticks into my throat. I scramble from the bed and race for the closet. I throw on the first clothes I can find that will be appropriate for work. I remind myself that I’m not going to be cowed into fear while I’m stuck here. I throw the door to my room open and dash down thestairs.
A voice, harsh and angry, echoes through the house. I round the stairs and dash into the kitchen. In the living room, I see Cyrus, phone pressed to his ear. He’s angry.Livid.
Mina sits at the island, a tablet in her hand. She looks up at me as I go to the refrigerator and search for anything toeat.
“You have work today, yes?” she asks in a thickaccent.
“Yes,” I answer her, realizing it’s the first time she’s spoken to me. “And if I don’t leave right now I’m going to belate.”
I settle on a yogurt and grab a banana I see sitting on thecounter.
I’m not going to wait for permission to head to work. Our deal was that I could wrap up mylife.
He gives an inch, I’m going to take amile.
I head for the door without lookingback.
“Mina will accompany you to your place of employment,” Cyrus suddenly says from behind. I pause with my hand on the door, looking over my shoulder. Cyrus stands there, and to my immense pleasure, he seems surprised at my boldness. He holds the phone, tipped away from him for a moment. “I shall meet you there after you’refinished.”