A Cage for Hungry Hearts [COMPLETE]

28. Winston

It's not long later that we find out the nosfa are holding a memorial for Alex, but humans aren't invited.

"You're fucking kidding me. They're not even letting you go?" I say to Alice. She's curled up on one of the communal sofas, her head tucked against my thigh. She's quiet. I've never seen her this subdued. In the short time I've known her, she's always been a firecracker. As she traces patterns on the couch cushion, I seethe on her behalf. "That's bullshit, Al."

"It doesn't matter," she says. Her hair is a mess. She stinks of sweat, but I'm not going to mention it. "A ceremony won't bring him back."

"Still." I pat her head. Selfish questions cloud my mind, but I bottle them up for her sake. I want to ask her what it felt like, him dying. I want to know if she saw who killed him, but I won't do that to her.

"I barely knew Alexander," she whispers, "but it feels like I've lost some part of myself I can't get back."

I simmer with nerves, angry for how little I can do to comfort her. Nexians watch us across the room. I tense up when one of them approaches. She's got a kind face, but for some reason, I don't like her on sight. When she kneels in front of the couch, Alice sighs. "Time to go, Pattie?"

"Paperwork, I'm afraid. Work stops for no one." Pattie smiles at me warmly. I don't trust it. I don't trust her. She speaks to me as if Alice isn't even there, like I'm her parent or something. I've been talked over enough in my life to understand how much that sort of thing grates.

Pattie goes on, undeterred by the sudden pinch in my expression, and Alice remains oblivious. "Despite what happened, Alice is Nexian-approved. She'll be top-floored as soon as she's cleared by a psychologist."

"Didn't they say it takes months for the Nexus to settle?" I demand. "Isn't it too soon?"

"Alexander's blood always reacted well with the Nexus. If Alice wasn't ready, we wouldn't be processing her now, would we?"

"Right." I swallow my argument. "Sure."

Alice gets up from the couch with such lackluster enthusiasm that I want to drag her back down. Let her rest, I want to tell Pattie. Can't you see she's hurting?

But I don't have the authority.

As Pattie leads Alice away, I rub my tired eyes, missing Domare and hating myself for it.

"Winston."

Speak of the Devil.

I squint up at him. "I thought you were staying away from me." The words sound more wounded than accusatory even to my own ears, but this was my decision. I can't forget that.

"I just wanted to let you know that you won't see me for a while," he says, shuffling from foot-to-foot. He won't meet my gaze, and it hurts. "I'm going into the labs for some special testing. Our room is yours for the time being. Do as you please with it."

I frown. "The labs? Again? Why?"

He looks at his feet. "It's been confirmed. They showed me the security footage."

It's been...?

Oh.

My stomach drops.

He killed Alex. It was him.

"Hurry it up, Domare," someone says.

I lean sideways to see behind him. A pair of Nexians stand near the door, watching him warily. Both have rifles drawn, their fingers brushing the triggers like they expect he'll attack at any moment.

Domare casts them a nod. "I'm coming."

Christ, he looks tired. And resolved. Like he's accepted his fate.

"Wait." I stand up and grab him by the elbow. "What are they gonna do to you?"

"Does it matter?" He turns to smile grimly at me and shakes off my hold. "See you later, Winny."

He leaves like there is nothing left to be said.