The thing about waiting, Devorah was quickly coming to realize, was that it sucked. Normally, Devorah was fine with being alone with her own thoughts. She was always an academic, an old soul. Her own company and her company alone was never something that had made her nervous. Maybe that was because she was normally pretty even-tempered.

But you know what? Clearly Devorah was having a tough time. Bel and Eugenia were too, obviously, but not in the way Devorah was. They didn’t have blank spots in their brains, or headaches-

But. Wait.

Eugenia had said something, hadn’t she? About something Devorah had told her in the past, about why she was in their first murder game. Then she had brought up Anna, and Devorah’s mind had gone blank, but she knew something.

Eugenia might have known something that was taken from Devorah, and Devorah just pushed her away. Threw her away like yesterday’s rotten trash.

Devorah slid down against the wall, then pushed her head into her hands. Fuck. What was wrong with her? She never used to be this volatile, this awful. And how could she have even said that, about Eugenia? Taking the easy way out? Devorah’s stomach rolled, uneasy.

Welp. Guess she would just have to never find out what Eugenia knew, because Devorah was never talking to her again. Even if Eugenia wanted to, which Devorah doubted, Devorah herself was so humiliated that there were literally no words for it. She was lucky that she was incapable of eating- she would have lost anything in her stomach by this point.

And Anna… How could she face Anna like this? Like this strange, defective version of herself that couldn’t keep her emotions under control? As much as Devorah didn’t want to admit it, Eugenia was right- in these scant few days, she really had changed. But into what?

Did it really matter? There was no going back now.

But all of that faded away when another door opened and Anna stepped out. It didn’t matter if she could or couldn’t face Anna- she stood right before her, and no recognition crossed her beloved face as she looked left and right, as if checking for any interlopers. All Devorah could do was trail after her as she left her room.

From behind, Devorah took in the way Anna was dressed. It was practical, more so than anything else Devorah had ever seen Anna choose for herself- work shoes, a loose-fitted top, and pants so baggy they could be mistaken for a long skirt. There were still touches of femininity, though, in her lightly applied make-up and the way the top flared out around her hips.

They walked together for a bit, before Anna stopped in front of a room Devorah had never entered before. She reached into the side of pants, pulling out a small notebook and pen. The folds of the pants were plated so that Devorah hadn’t even realized there were pockets, let alone any items that could have marred the silhouette of the look. Then Anna went inside.

The doors from this room differed in style compared to those oak monstrosities that guarded the rooms of the house. Lovely cloisonne enamels were positioned to be seen just as one entered, and the wall was papered in a faded yellow. There was a vase with a scene of a woman in a kimono crossing over a bridge, while a man in hanfu waited on the other side. Lotuses flit about in the water as koi and cranes flew in the sky. Careful woodcuts in the ukiyo-e style were positioned on the wall. Chinese folding screens with dragons had been not-so artfully placed throughout the room. The symbolism was haphazard at best, and the authenticity even worse.

But Devorah didn’t have any time to devote to a further examination of Orientalism. There was another ghost in the room. He looked the same as he did since Devorah had seen him last, aside from a red rose tucked in his lapel.

Odious and pale as ever, Henry mimed tipping a hat in Devorah’s direction.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Had Devorah any blood in her fake body, she would have run cold at the sight of him.

Oblivious, Anna began looking through the room, taking notes as she went along.

Just as Devorah was dead and immaterial, so too was Henry. He couldn’t hurt anyone any more. He couldn’t hurt Anna like he had hurt Devorah.

But still, Devorah could not bring herself to leave though her projected form practically vibrated with the call to run.

“What, Dev?” Henry said, stalking across the room towards Devorah. “No kind words for your mirror?”

Devorah took a deep breath. “I have nothing more to say to you. Leave.” Devorah couldn’t leave Anna, not when they just had their partial reunion. There was no way. Moreover, she couldn’t leave Anna with Henry.

Yes, Henry couldn’t be alone with Anna. That was… That was important. Even aside from the obvious. Why was that so…? Devorah pressed a hand to her forehead. She wanted to close her eyes and blot out the sudden rush of pain, but she couldn’t. There was no world in which she could have been comfortable being vulnerable around Henry.

“That’s no way to speak to someone you were so close to.” Henry finally reached Devorah and leered over her. Devorah wasn’t a small woman, but even still, he towered over her. “We shared a home together. Comrades, against a murderous game. And at the end, I even held your life in my hands. What could make two people closer than that?”

“Genuine affection,” Devorah answered.

Henry touched a hand to his chest. “What? I care for you, Devorah. How could I not? Even after you turned me down.”

“I’m a lesbian, Henry.”

There was a pause. “So you only fuck women? You’re missing out, Dev.”

“It’s not about- Look. Even if I was into men, which I am not, what makes you think I would want to sleep with the man who murdered me?” Devorah spit out.

“There were extenuating circumstances,” Henry said. He reached out a hand, and wrapped a finger around one of Devorah’s curls. He pulled.

Devorah slapped his hand away. “The murder game? You didn’t have to hurt anyone. You didn’t have to hurt me! You’re a disgusting piece of shit, and I only wish that I had been around to see your skull get caved in.”

Henry whistled out. “Violent! No wonder someone wanted you dead.”

Yeah, Henry certainly had- Hm. The phrasing. “Someone? What do you mean?”

He spread out his hands. “You really haven’t figured it out yet? I thought you were smarter than that, Dev. See, I was willing to kill- you or your little partner. And someone knew it. When the unicorn came to me with a message from someone outside the game, offering billions of dollars to kill you without getting caught, why, of course I jumped at the opportunity.”

Who? Who wanted Devorah dead that badly? She couldn’t think over her growing anger and the pounding of her head. But the rose, the rose in his lapel. That was important. Why was it important? And yet- “I don’t understand,” Devorah cried. “Then why threaten Anna too?”

Henry shrugged. “Either I would kill you both, and have billions when I came out triumphant, or get just you, and still have billions.” His smarmy face fell for a moment. “I shouldn’t have given you a choice. I should have forced you both into the maze, you little rats, the both of you.”

Ah. “Anna caught you, didn’t she.” That wasn’t even a question. Of course she had. She was the best investigator Devorah knew. And more than that, she had cared for Devorah. Even amidst the pain, anger and terror, Devorah still felt the smallest bit of warmth. Anna had avenged her. “And you never got your billions. Instead you’re stuck here. Just like me. Weak and powerless.”

“Not entirely.” Henry snarled.

Henry manifested his hand and slammed it down on the hideous vase, smashing it. Activating a trap.

Anna looked up from where she was bent over her notebook and swiveled her head towards the broken vase. “No,” she breathed out.

A portion of the wall across from Anna was opening up. Devorah didn’t know what was going to happen, but there was only one thing she could do.

Devorah screamed, running towards Anna, pulling as much energy as she possibly could into her body. Even if it was for only a second, just one second, that would be enough.

It had to be enough.

When arrows shot from the wall, whizzing faster than Devorah’s eyes could even process, she prayed. And when they embedded themselves in her body, Devorah barely even felt any pain. Just pressure, pushing her back. Then onto the floor.

She brought the arrows with her.

It was enough.

And for one second, one perfect second, her eyes met Anna’s. Anna was looking back.

“Devorah?” Anna whispered, her eyes wide and bright with tears.

Then Devorah was gone.