Chapter Twenty-Five

Inanis went right back to being his cruel, spoiled, asshole self from when we first met. He no longer showed interest in me, other than to spew the usual insult here or there, and then smile arrogantly, and leave.

Asshole.

He decided to leave to the stadium hours before I did. He and I both knew that we had to arrive together with the media and cameras that would be surrounding the place, but he still left anyway.

Fine. If he wanted to be away from me that badly, I didn't care.

At least, that is what I kept telling myself.

I still felt haunted by what happened last night. By our conversation. Our fight. I was angry at him, but also, a little part of me hurt for him.

I want to understand him, to know what goes on in his head. After him taking me to his father's grave, I realized just how separate Inanis the ADHD child was from The Bone Cutter, the country's very own psychopathic idol.

I want to get to know Inanis. I want to see the child.

And yet, I also want him to stay the Bone Cutter, because then it's easy to hate him. It's easy to be unforgiving when he slices someone on national television.

I got out of the car, and walked into the stadium with my own personal body guards. There was a multitude of reporters, all yelling at me, snapping photos, asking questions.

At this moment, I was overwhelmed. I thought about Inanis, how he could easily glide through the stressful crowds, it never seemed to bother him.

I wished he was here to help me glide.

I shook my head, scowling at myself. I don't need him. I never have.

I stood up straight, trying not to wince at the many flashes of lights from the cameras, and walked into the stadium.

When the doors of the building shut, and the reporters were left outside, I took a stabilizing breath.

I hated how hard I made that.

A woman came up to me, a perceptibly fake smile plastered on her face, "Follow me, Ma'am" She said in a higher pitched voice which sounded a bit abnormal, "We have your dressing room ready, and your outfit done."

I nodded and followed her, not really sure what else to do.

She led me to a large dressing room, mirrors, and racks of different outfits compacted into the space.

And then they brought in the Harvester's dress. And I choked back a scream of protest.

There were many different women in the room with me, two of them held up the dress, a few others were by the makeup and hair station, ready to do cosmetics once I put my dress on.

I wanted to run.

Instead I reluctantly pulled off my outfit, and climbed into the suffocating, old fashioned, Harvester's gown. They helped button the back, and one of the girls put the belt of bone around my waist.

This was nothing. I'm fine.

When my outfit was ready, I sat in front of one of the mirrors as they began to curl my hair and put heavy makeup on my face.

I thought about what Inanis was doing right now. Most likely putting on only the best of his attire. Looking as dashing and dramatically ridiculous as he always did.

"You look absolutely gorgeous." One of the girls complimented, and I think she actually meant it.

I would agree, if it weren't for the fact that the dress was coated in a petrifying history. One I couldn't ignore.

Not to mention I had bones dangling off my waist.

It took them a while to finish my hair and make it absolutely perfect. I found myself getting so bored I'd zone off thinking about Inanis, and his stupid reply last night before he stormed out.

I still couldn't figure out what he meant by him not having a choice between being Inanis and being the Bone Cutter.

His words seemed to glue themselves in my thoughts, and I couldn't focus on anything else.

I hated him for messing with my head like this.

Finally, they finished, and I still had a bit of time to wander around the back of the stadium. I took the opportunity before anyone could object and tell me I had to wait in the dressing room.

I'd rather stab myself then spend another minute in there.

I struggled to walk in the dress but managed to leave the room in less than five seconds from the moment their hands were out of my hair.

I looked around, remembering this place from when Inanis and I got married. It looked the exact same, but my feelings weren't as strong as they were then. I remember feeling so terrified, and sick to my stomach that I was going to marry Inanis, the stupid asshole who almost killed my father.

Now it wasn't Inanis I was scared of; it was whose name that would be on the card today.

My heart broke for whoever it was.

I glanced over at what I knew was Inani's dressing room, the door was slightly open, and I could see he was talking to his mother, who was holding something in her hand, trying to get him to take it from her.

He rolled his eyes, and said something to her, but I couldn't hear what it was.

I noticed he was dressed in an elegant dark red suit with pure white gloves and jewels placated around his collar. His hair was parted, and neat as always, and I thought about last night and how I had ran my hand through his hair and he sighed with pleasure.

I swallowed and cursed at myself for being so stupid to think that, of all things.

I walked closer to his dressing room and leaned against the wall behind the door so they couldn't see me.

I could hear them almost perfectly now, and I held my breath so they couldn't hear me in return.

"It's been almost two months since you have done this Vita." Is mother argued, "A month since you got married. You do not want the public to think you have lost your skill because of that wife of yours."

"I have not lost my skill."

"Then take the pill." She reached her hand up, with what I assumed was his medication in it. He slapped her hand away.

"I don't need it, how many goddamn times do I have to-"

"You do need it! Just while talking to you, you've zoned out three times. Your attention is even less strong today, and it's noticeable."

He glared at his mother, a look not even I could handle being at the end of, "Why do you always try to poison me?"

"It is not poison; you know I only want you to take this because I love you."

He scoffed incredulously, "Love? What could you know about that?" He took a step closer to her, "What could you know about love?"

She didn't look hurt by his statement, she didn't even look phased, "I know more about it than you ever will, my precious boy." Even I felt the blow of her words.

How could a loving mother say that to her son, even if her son is as disgusting as Inanis?

That is not love.

"Fuck you." He spat at her, but to my surprise, he took the pill from her hand, and I had enough. Maybe it was because I hated his mother even more than I hated him.

Or maybe it was because I had the Harvester's dress on, and I felt powerful.

I swung the door to his dressing room open, and walked in. Both of them turned and stared at me.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" His mother asked, "Get out, you have no place being here."

I ignored her and went up to Inanis, grabbing the pill out of his hand and dropped it to the floor.

I then looked up at him, our eyes locked. The look on his face was unreadable, but I didn't care. "Don't take it." I tell him, "If you hate it that bad, then don't ever take it again."

He blinked at me, and I think for a long moment he wasn't sure what to say because he was silent. I will always take that as a victory, as silencing Inanis was a difficult task.

His mother grabbed the pill off the floor before I could step on it. "You filthy rat." She hissed at me "Get the fuck out of here before I nail your wrists to a chair."

I slowly turned to her, "How does it feel?" I tell her, "Knowing your son cares more for the dirt on the floor than he ever would for you."

The look on her face was murderous, "I'll fucking drown you."

"I'd like to see you try."

She ran at me, and I hadn't expected it. I took multiple steps backwards until my back hit the wall. She really was going to kill me.

And I didn't really care.

Inanis suddenly stepped in front of me, as if shielding me from his raging mother. "Enough, mother." He said, and she stopped as if his words hypnotized her. "Don't kill the monkey before it does it's tricks."

I turned to him, wide-eyed, "I'm trying to help you, you bastard."

He glanced at me over his shoulder, "I never needed your help."

"I never said you did."

"Then you have no reason to be here."

"I do when you're my husband."

"You love to use that as an excuse, don't you?"

"Is that such a bad thing?"

He turned, facing me completely, "Honestly Mirea, you infuriate me." Him using my name felt like a punch to the face. I wasn't sure why. "You infuriate me so much I regret every single fucking day that I didn't just thrust my cleaver in your father's heart."

He was lying. I knew he was lying because even when he was angriest with me, he never went that far.

He was doing it to make me hate him.

But still, the lie worked, because I remembered why I wanted him dead.

I narrowed, "You piece of shit."

He glanced at his mother, "Get out."

She said not a word of protest as she grabbed his hand, placed the pill in it, and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

We were completely alone.

He took several steps away from me, as he stared at the pill in his hand, then to the window, then back at me, "Why did you tell me not to take the pill?" His voice completely neutral, as if he didn't just tell me he wished he killed my father.

I frowned, not sure if I cared if he took not, or if he choked on it and died.

"Honestly Inanis," I tell him, "I regret it immensely, so, take the damn thing. In fact, if it hurts you so bad, I want you to take it. You should let it hurt you, for a second I forgot about that fact, and I apologize for thinking you were human."

He stared at me for a long, quiet moment. The frown evident on his face, as he beckoned to the door, "Get out."

I waited for a few seconds as we glared at each other, before stomping out of the room. As I turned back to shut the door, I watched him throw the pill in his mouth and swallow.

And then I slammed the door shut.