Plague Saint [REMOVING FOR PUBLICATION JUNE 1]

Chapter Thirty-One: Play With Fire

Marcus broke into his worst fit of coughing yet before he spoke. Phoebe watched blood spray the snow with wide eyes.

"You're sick!" she protested. "How—?"

Marcus wiped his face with his arm. "Why don't you ask her." He nodded at Winter.

Phoebe looked at Winter. "What?"

Winter didn't respond. She was too busy assessing Marcus' entourage of guards, their guns, and her confused and scared parents. She glanced at where River sat on the contraption, holding a bucket of water to rinse it. Winter gave him the slightest nod. He pressed his lips together and slowly added the water.

"If she won't confess to what she did, I'll tell you," Marcus said, apparently unconcerned with River's continued work, at least for the moment. "She stole my cure from me and poisoned the entire city leadership at the assembly meeting, leaving us defenseless and dooming most of us to death."

Stunned silence.

Phoebe's hands tightened into fists. "But she—" Phoebe turned her horrified gaze to Winter.

"Last I saw, Ellen Bate's was still on the ground on the verge of death, and Mayor Atherton's no better. The entirety of the city council, various factory and business owners—"

"You swore you wouldn't hurt anyone else!" Phoebe exclaimed. She took a step toward Winter. "You said the last thing we would do would be to put the cure in the water!"

"I—" Winter started.

"You promised!"

"Technically, I made that promise after I poisoned the drinks at the assembly meeting." As soon as the words left Winter's mouth, cold and casual, she knew it was a mistake.

Phoebe's face twisted with pain. "They're all going to die! Winter, the mayor? I know he's done wrong, but he has kids—"

"And he's passing laws that will get countless people killed. What about their kids?" Winter glanced at Marcus. "And besides, they're not dead yet. If Marcus wasn't wasting the city guard's time, maybe they could focus on getting them to the hospital. You left him lying in city square just as much as I did."

"These guards are under my employment, and I'm paying with something much more valuable than money: cure."

"You said yourself it doesn't have any value anymore. I took that from you."

"There's still benefit in not having to wait at the hospital. But this isn't about me, it's about you. I'm not done exposing your crimes." Marcus nodded to the guard at his right. "Bring him out."

The guard walked into the undergrowth. A jolt of horror shot through Winter. How the hell could she have forgotten about—?

"Jonathan Forrest," Marcus said as the guard dragged out the body.

"What makes you think I killed him?" Winter demanded.

"Oh, please, who else would have done it?"

Winter stared at the blood stains on his clothes, so much worse than she'd remembered. "I—"

"Come on, it's over. You're outnumbered. Take the mask off and let's make this official."

Winter shook her head. "You're dying. You might not last long enough to make more cure. I have some already prepared. Maybe we can make a deal."

"I tried to help you time and time again. I've made you more offers than you deserve. It's too late for you." Marcus laughed. "Besides, I'm just going to take that cure over there from you after I arrest you. You've brought me right to it, and I don't have to wait at the hospital or fight anyone for it." He looked up. "You may as well give up now, River."