***TRICIA***
“Why would you do that?”
The words came out before I could even think, yet I couldn't pull them back.
Ryker let his arm drop—Vera stayed still on the ground, strands of her black hair spread out like a shadowed crown. That image carved into me, sudden and deep.
"She's okay," he said quietly, moving past her. Yet it had to be done
I crouched down a moment, hand near her face yet stopping just before her nostrils. Her breathing stayed calm, even. A quiet wave of comfort passed through me—faint, brief.
“I didn’t want to hurt her,” I whispered.
“I know, but we have to finish what we came here for—quickly.” He muttered, as he headed inside the archive hall.
Ryker stayed silent all through. As he advanced further into the archives, I stayed glued behind his back—looking lef
