The Tangled Tree Read online

  ‘Stop her!’ Kohl roared, hurrying past me to block her exit.

  ‘Kelia, here!’ I tossed the necklace to her feet. ‘Take it! Keep your mouth shut about Kohl, and it’s yours, please?’

  ‘Larkin what the fuck?’ Kohén moved forward to collect it but Kelia snatched it up first and growled at him.

  ‘Mine!’

  ‘Let her have it!’ I spat. ‘She deserves to get something out of all of this, doesn’t she?’ Kelia looked up at me, and seemed thrown off by my coming to her defence. ‘Yes I’ll admit that she’s a lying, sleazy, uppity little creep, but we all know she wouldn’t have been if she’d been left with her mother!’ I pointed to her, meeting Kohén’s eye. ‘This is your fault, and mine, and Arcadia’s for allowing it to happen- this is what I’ve been trying not to become for the last twelve years!’ Suddenly I knew that Satan had been in my room, not just in my imagination, and I knew that I probably wasn’t the only one that had summoned her there. ‘You think I want her to suffer? You think she’s an extreme case right now?’ I laughed harshly. ‘The morning that I went to Karol, I had a serrated bread knife in my belt, do you know that? I had Martya’s cure in one hand, ready to do the right thing, and a weapon waiting for the other- just in case doing the right thing got me nowhere! Maybe you don’t understand being pushed to one’s limits, but I do! How can people on their hands and knees be expected to do anything that isn’t low? If it had been MY backside hoisted up for your royal pleasure I can assure you-

  ‘I don’t blame you for protecting yourself in such a way!’ Kohén cried. ‘But the circumstances were different! You were trying to do the right thing- she never has!’ he shot her a dirty look. ‘And no one pushed her to her hands and knees- she was already crawling!’

  ‘She was taught to perfect the application of lipstick and elbow her way to the front of a pack,’ I reminded him. ‘And that could have been me, if not for Kohl and his books. Tell Atticus that I gave the necklace to her as I felt sorry for my best friend having to leave him with so few adornments, and she will be able to make a comfortable life for herself with it!’

  Kohén blanched. ‘I hear what you are saying Larkin, but in the name of what is fair and equal, I cannot allow Kelia to have something so valuable as a reward for behaving so atrociously.’ We all looked to her, and saw that despite her discomfort, she was already trying to get the choker on, one-handed, and it was a sorry sight indeed. ‘She is the rough- and those diamonds are priceless.’

  ‘I will NOT have Kohl’s life on my head in any way!’ I pointed out, and he blinked, clearly remembering that if Kohl went down, he’d lose me too. But in the same sense, fighting too hard for Kohl could inspire him to string himself up in order to fight back for me, and I couldn’t have that either so I hastily added: ‘Not after I’ve led him on like this, only to end up more in love with you than before.’ I pointed at it. ‘If it was a gift, then I can buy Kohl’s freedom with it and her silence, and you’ll be able to quietly convince Atticus that it was a decision that will benefit Pacifica, because it dug their new lieutenant general out of a ditch.’ I wet my lips. ‘But if it was a collar, then snatch it back and chain me once more and I will KNOW the depth of your love, and you will feel mine in response! Or lack thereof!’

  Kohén’s face contracted, but he simply pressed his hand to his forehead and stepped back, shooting his brother a loaded look. ‘Then I guess this is your issue now, Little Kahuna, not mine.’

  ‘Larkin…’ Kohl sounded hoarse as he stepped forward again. ‘I’m moved that you would go to such lengths to secure my freedom, but you know me better than that. Maybe those diamonds are a fair trade for you and Kelia to crawl on your hands and knees to attain, but I’d sooner be imprisoned for what she intends to accuse us of, and see the worth of that spent on freeing the oppressed like us- before I allowed her to keep it just to save myself.’

  I stared daggers at him, finally understanding how his piousness had managed to rub Kohén the wrong way on so many occasions in the past. I was saving his life so he could go on to save others! Not giving up one pretty thing so I could enjoy the others I’d receive with a clear conscience after!

  Kohén chuckled, clearly enjoying my turn of coat, which he’d easily glimpsed, as he knew me so well. Had my eyes turned violet in indignation? ‘What Kohl means- I’m sure- is that despite your heart being in the right place, those jewels are now in the worst hands.’ He lifted his brow. ‘You do not agitate a wasp, and then give it means to amass a larger hive.’

  I cringed again, for he had a point. With eleven million dollars, Kelia would be able to fund some dark, selfish deeds indeed.

  ‘Who are you calling names, asshole?!’ Kelia squeaked, tuning in at last. ‘Larkin gave these to me because she knows that she’s white trash who doesn’t deserve them, but I do!’ she shook the necklace in her fist and I closed my eyes, exhausted by her and realizing that I’d never left my bratty, vain and spoiled older sister Jaiya, behind- she’d been here since Kelia had arrived- right down to the freckles.

  And I’ll bet that’s why I loved her so… oh boy, I need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist before I get a whipping, just so they know that they’re punishing the right personality!

  ‘And I’m keeping them!’ Kelia was backing away from us, holding the necklace high while blood dripped from her forgotten arm and along the tiles, and tears dripped from her nostrils. ‘And I’ll keep Kohl’s crimes a secret if you let me leave with them-’ Kohén opened his mouth to argue, but she hurried on: ‘But I am STILL telling Shep who broke my arm, and I will laugh until I cry while I watch her get whipped for it!’

  ‘No deal!’ Kohl barked, stepping forward. ‘I’ll tell him the truth and go down willingly, just to prove what a cunning little liar you are.’

  ‘I concur,’ Kohén said, and his voice was acid. ‘Tread carefully, Kelia- you are getting on my last nerve.’

  ‘I’m not scared of you!’ Kelia whirled on Kohén. ‘You’re only second in line, you know, so there are plenty of heads I can go over to see this situation handled the right way!’ she smiled a wicked smile. ‘In fact, now that I know that my instincts were right about Karol’s fixation on duckling here, I might tell him that Larkin’s a big whore and fair game for all three Barachiel brothers now, huh?’ She began to hobble past us and toward the entry doors, moving incredibly slowly because she was trying to fasten the choker on herself, one-handed. ‘With any luck, he’ll take her down into that dungeon and make her scream good and loud on her hands and knees, once he knows that she’s been had by both of his little brothers!’

  Both twin’s expressions became instantly murderous, and I saw them look into one another’s hate and agree silently, that they hated someone else more.

  ‘You nailed that wasp thing on the head, Big Kahuna,’ Kohl said coldly after a moment, and my fingertips went numb to see him smile grimly as he said it. ‘Good thing there’s no one else in the harem right now- it’s downright dangerous to have one buzzing about so.’

  ‘That’s an excellent point,’ Kohén agreed, looking just as at ease, and my blood became lava again when I saw his hand twitch with a spark. ‘We should probably take care of it, before she stings the wrong person.’

  No, no NO! What about your souls?!

  ‘Together?’ Kohl asked, but they were both already turning and walking past me, following Kelia who was still too busy trying to fasten her necklace to hurry as she ought to be doing. ‘Like… brothers?’

  Kohén’s eyes darkened. ‘We’re both allergic to this particular breed of wasp, Kohl so yes, I think it’s only fair that we bid it Aloha together so there is no finger pointing after. But brother is not a term I’ll be throwing around lightly ever again, so don’t push your luck.’

  ‘That’s how I feel about the word ‘Banished’ right now,’ Kohl said frostily, sauntering forward as though they were going to play golf and not closing in on someone they were about to murder. ‘I mean, I’m already in a lot of trouble are
n’t I? So I’m hesitant to tempt fate further by giving you something else to blackmail me with...’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘But maybe, if I had a certain book in my hand, well, I might just be inclined to help you flatten a bug with it...’

  Kohén didn’t even blink. ‘Done. I don’t have it on me because I’ve hidden it away, but I tell you what-’ he glanced at his twin as their swaggering turned into strides, and I snapped out of my stupor and hurried after them. ‘Agree to a condition, and I’ll see that you get that evil book back.’

  ‘Which would be…?’

  ‘I want you to help me keep Larkin safe,’ Kohén said, and my brows pulled together in consternation, for that was not Kohl’s responsibility! ‘Karol will be thirty in a few days time, and I don’t think either of us want him changing his wish to free her so that he can call himself a hero again, and then take advantage of her after… right? And he can only justify doing that sort of thing, if he can sell it to others that he is saving her. So… convince him, and others, that Larkin is blissfully happy at my side and will refuse to leave me- now that you’ve seen it for yourself, of course- so that he gives up the ghost, and once he realises that there’s no point waiting for her, and no evidence to justify liberating her, I’ll bet he proposes to Ora, and leaves Larkin alone.’

  ‘Why do you need me to-’

  ‘Because he won’t believe it coming from me anymore than you did, and I’m not letting him close enough to her to give her the chance to prove it for herself, because that’s like waving a mouse in front of a cat. But it’s common knowledge right now that you hate me, so if you vouch for her happiness to mother and father and Karol, especially grudgingly, Karol will be more inclined to accept the fact that he’ll turn grey waiting for her, than if he hears it from anyone else.’ Kohén’s eyes darted after Kelia, flashed and then suddenly, he was walking faster. ‘Do that, and stay away from her also, and when you set sail on Sunday, you will have a book in hand, and a brother waving you farewell once more.’ He smirked. ‘But naturally, one who will be hoping that you stay away until you’re over her, too.’

  ‘Aren’t you afraid that I’ll double-cross you, and either rat you out to mother who doubts that this has come to pass naturally, or team up with Karol instead, so we could share the spoils of this war?’ Kohl asked blithely, and Kohén didn’t miss a beat as he whirled, grabbed Kohl by the neck and slammed him into the wall hard enough to audibly knock the air out of Kohl’s chest, and my own. I pressed my hand to my mouth to smother my scream, and saw that Kelia had finally looked behind her to see what that noise had been, and dropped her jaw. No surprise there, for Kohén had a blade to Kohl’s forehead- the small switchblade kind, and was pressing it into his skin just beneath his hairline.

  He did not just say that! I thought, staring at Kohl with the kind of horrified expression that I usually reserved for his eldest brother. He could not have!

  ‘I’ll wear your scalp like Miguel wore Satan’s feathers if I entertain the notion that you are that fucking sick for even a moment, little brother,’ Kohén said his voice low and eerily calm. ‘So tell me- should I be afraid that you’d sink so low as to bat Larkin around with Karol for your own enjoyment and put you on your hands and knees now... or will you retract that vile suggestion?’

  Kohl looked furious but fortunately for my racing heart, more intimidated than mad. ‘No,’ he choked out. ‘I’d die before I touched her against her will, and you know it!’ he glanced at me with an apology in his lightening eyes, but then looked back to Kohén, causing them to darken with anger again before adding: ‘You are the one that will take a woman against her will to sate your lust.’

  Kohén exhaled, and his eyes lightened from black, to navy, to azure. ‘I didn’t touch her against her will,’ he whispered, letting Kohl go. ‘I’d sign a declaration to that in my blood attesting to that- and so would she.’

  Kohl looked at me questioningly, and I nodded, hating the way his eyes blackened again. I should have been relieved to see Kohén release his brother, but the truth was that Kohl’s not-so-funny threat still had me eyeing the switchblade and contemplated a triple homicide. How could angelic Kohl even joke about sharing me with Karol, like two dogs with a bone?

  Um… because you told him that you loved him and then slept with his brother?

  ‘Then I’ll believe you,’ Kohl said grudgingly, rubbing his neck. ‘Until she tells me otherwise.’

  ‘Good,’ Kohén swallowed hard and then said: ‘Larkin? Now might be a good time to go back to your room.’

  I’d been temporarily distracted from the point of their wheeling and dealing by the terms that they were laying out, but now that Kohén shot a glance Kelia’s way, my blood turned to ice. Leave… so that they could do murder? I shook my head, unable to speak for my fear, but neither boy broke off eye-contact long enough to look at me and see it, so when Kelia sighed and took off again, as though they’d spoiled her fun by calling a draw, I panicked. She didn’t suspect what was truly going on! She was too busy plotting my demise to sense that her own was swiftly approaching.

  You can’t let them do this, because that will make you a silent witness and a passive supporter of this system, just like your mother! Yes, they’re scared for you and for Kohl and so are you! But does that justify murder? No!

  Adrenaline chugged through my veins and I stepped forward and reached for her. ‘Kelia WAIT. You guys I-’ but she sensed the movement and turned and ripped out a snarl before I could latch onto her.

  ‘Get away from me!’ She spat at me again. ‘You’re so grotesque that your own mother didn’t want your touch, so how dare you reach for MY noble arm?’

  I recoiled in horror. ‘We’re equals, Kelia! And I am trying to save your noble ass!’ And Kohén and Kohl’s souls! I added silently. They are descendants of the great Miguel Barachiel- how can they even consider ending a human’s life to protect their own interests?

  ‘You’ve already failed to save me, so now I’ll take your advice, and save myself!’ Then, she smiled and she was the grotesque one. ‘Which I plan to do. I have no intention of going ANYWHERE, before I watch Karol do to you, what I did to your dumb soccer ball using his royal cock!’

  My throat tightened like it was being crushed by an invisible hand.

  ‘That’s it: one!’ Kohén shouted loud enough to make Kelia and I both jump, and she twisted back to stare at him, puzzled but not yet alarmed.

  ‘Two,’ Kohl rumbled and above us, the sky did the same as his eyes locked on Kohén’s and shone an identical shade of blue. I saw it then- the understanding on Kelia’s once pretty, pale face, and when she turned to me, her anger had melted away and she was a little girl again- opening her mouth to ask for her best friend’s assistance- her golden copper hair turning blue as the charge of two Nephilim beings filled the room like atmosphere.

  But it was too late- I was too hurt and scared and appalled by her words to utter a sound and the room was already blue, so instead of taking the tiny hand that shot out to grasp me, I turned away from it so I wouldn’t witness what I didn’t have a hope of preventing, practically feeling Satan’s arms slither around me just as they shouted:

  ‘Three!’

  3.

  A ghastly scream ripped me apart from the inside and made me stumble forward toward my room without grace. The room lit up as though the fog were burning, and then flashed repeatedly as water sizzled, skin burned, and copper hair fried. I wanted to turn back and scream at them, but there was no point, and I knew that if I saw my friend’s body simmering in a puddle of their creation because of me, I’d never stop.

  Forgive me! Forgive me, forgive me… God! Satan! Anyone? Stop this!

  I caught myself on the wall and sucked in a shallow, acrid breath- gagging on the scent of burnt hair and wishing that that foul breath was my last- wishing and praying that they’d both remember their anger with me and dispose of me in the same way so I wouldn’t have to go on to cause even more damage to the Barachiel’s once near-perf
ect world.

  ‘Larkin, how have you not noticed that every wrong-doing within Eden has you as the common denominator…?’

  I made it to my room by blocking my ears and closing my eyes and using my elbows to guide me back along the corridor, and fortunately, the door to my cage was still open so I fell into it, sobbing, glad now that the window was closed up, so that I wouldn’t have to see Lady Liberty gazing vacantly back at me and through me.

  I am wicked, and my Nephilim power came to me in a moment of fear in my youth as my mother said it would- my beauty! That has to be it, right? After all, lust for me is what makes these boys act the way they do!

  I heard the rain ease off and the lock in the door click behind me then- confirming that committing murder wasn’t distracting enough to force me out of Kohén’s mind for even a few minutes- and that was when my tears really started to fall for real- fat, ugly, tears that were accompanied by mucous. Smothering my face into my tangled sheets in order to absorb some of the moisture and the sound, I cried harder and harder until I felt a headache coming on, wanting to feel sorry for myself but knowing that I didn’t deserve to.

  This is all my fault! Every sin they have committed is because of me, and if I stay here, it will just go on and on! I would slash my face to shreds, but they’d just have me healed anyway!

  As the pillow grew soaked beneath my flushed face, I fantasised about cutting myself again, only instead of imagining ripping my face to ribbons, I imagined smashing the mirror and using one of the glass shards to slash my own throat instead. Yes, Kohén had threatened to kill Kohl if I did anything to hurt myself… but what if my influence on him was an enchantment that could be broken if my heart ceased beating? What if he came in upon my lifeless, bloody, chalky white corpse, saw only the useless whore I had become and came to his senses at last?