"I didn't want to kill you. I had to. You would hurt me if I didn't."
Ran nodded, his face seeming apologetic and full of regret. Scarlet didn't trust his sadness. He had hated her. He killed her mate and abused her to the day she killed him. It seemed too far of a stretch to believe Ran would apologize or feel badly. And, besides. Even if he did apologize, Ran didn't deserve forgiveness.
"I wouldn't have. I want to protect you, Scarlet. I don't want you to be scared of me."
She lifted her chin, glaring at Ran. "I have never been scared of you."
He seemed to be relieved. Scarlet hated that she had reassured him. She didn't want him to have any speck of happiness. She would extinguish any last bits of sparkle she found. She would leave him alone and in the dark.
"I don't want you to be happy. I want you to be alone."
"Okay. I understand. I treated you terribly."
"Yes. You did."
Scarlet was confused. Why wasn't he upset with her for being so mean? He would have attacked her if she ever said anything like that. She furrowed her brow, muttering to herself. "This isn't right. This isn't right."
"What isn't right?" He looked so sincere, so caring, Scarlet could have cried.
"Why have you not hurt me?"
"I won't hurt you anymore. I love you."
Scarlet shook her head, hoping to clear the clouds from her memory. "Ze'ev loved me."
"He still does. He loves you more than you could ever know. Did you know that he came all the way to the United Kingdom to make sure you were safe?"
"What was I doing in the United Kingdom?"
"You were taken by some bad people. They tried to hurt you, but even though Ze'ev came to rescue you, when he got there, he was reminded that you don't need help. Because you're so strong and amazing."
Scarlet hummed in acknowledgement. She wanted to see Wolf. She turned her head back and forth, craning her neck to see around the door frame.
"Where's Ze'ev? I want to tell him that I love him."
Ran gulped, seeming almost ashamed. Or guilty. Scarlet didn't really look, or try to decipher his emotions. She just wanted her Ze'ev. Her alpha.
"He'll be here any minute, but trust me, he already knows."
"Where is Winter and Jacin and Cress and Iko and Thorne? Where are the rest of my friends?"
Ran stared at his lap. "Well, Jacin, Winter, Thorne, and Cress are probably in the cockpit tracking the hybrids. They want to stop the next attack."
Scarlet gasped. "What attack?"
"They killed Queen Camilla."
"Oh. That's not good."
Ran cleared his throat, continuing on with what he was saying before she interrupted. "And, umm, I have some bad news for you, Scarlet. You know Iko?"
"Yes. She is my friend."
"Yes, her. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but she just passed away."
Scarlet tilted her head to examine him from a different angle. Did- Did he actually feel bad that someone was dead? That wasn't Ran. What was happening?"
"Why did Iko die?"
"Her chip was broken. I'm sorry."
"Oh."
Scarlet didn't feel sad or happy about this. She just didn't feel.
"Cinder," she called.
"Yes?" she responded, not moving from her spot next to Emperor Kaito.
"Iko is dead."
"Yes," she said again, her voice lower and quieter than it had been before.
Scarlet turned back to Ran, about to ask when again Ze'ev would be here, when she heard Thorne call "Hey! We're here! Someone grab His Imperial Majesty, we got an emperor to fix!"
Scarlet stood up, uncrossing her legs, and left the room without another word. On her way to the ramp, she ran into Winter. Literally.
"Winter, can you tell me where Ze'ev is? I miss him a lot, and I don't have very much to live for without him. Is he coming soon?"
Winter looked up to see Ran, who followed Scarlet out of the medbay. He seemed determined to be near her at all times, for some reason. Pulling Scarlet into a tight hug, Winter whispered "I'm glad you're alive, crazy."
She walked off with a twinkle in her eye, leaving Scarlet's path clear for her to leave the Rampion. She staggered towards the ramp, nearly falling a few times. She looked back, and saw that Ran was still following her.
She decided that if he was going to follow her, he would be helpful.
"Can you take me to Ze'ev?"
Ran had been examining the floor by his feet, but jerked his head up at being addressed. He nodded, stepping up to link his arm through hers. He did it very tentatively, like he was worried she would spook and pull away.
They stepped off the ramp onto the soft grass surrounding the landing pad. Scarlet watched as a medical crew rushed onto the ship, exiting moments later with Emperor Kaito on a gurney.
"Ran?"
"Y-yes?" he said. Scarlet smiled a little to herself, feeling a small amount of pleasure at having startled him again.
"I trust you to get me to Ze'ev. I didn't, but now I do."
He let out a little laugh, then said "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."
Uh oh. She hadn't wanted that.
Oh well. She would leave him a few bits of happiness. All that mattered was her and Ze'ev being together again. She would kill for that.
She cast a glance at Ran, making a silent promise to herself in her head. If he couldn't find Ze'ev, she didn't have a use for him. She would kill to get Ze'ev back.
And so, that would be what happened.