Chapter 131

• Lucas looks down at the object for a lingering moment, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. Then, slowly, his eyes return to mine, amusement curling at the corners of his mouth. It warms me for just a heartbeat—then he’s gone, turning on his heel and leaving the room without a word.
• The silence that follows is shattered when the door slams shut behind him, the heavy wood trembling in its frame. I whirl around just as Ruth leans back against it, her chest rising and falling in rapid, panicked bursts. Her hands, stained a dark, ominous red, leave smears along the doorframe as she braces herself.
• “Ruth!” I cry, my heart lurching. I dart forward, my hands reaching out to steady her. “Are you okay?”