She says nothing else. Just continues to kneel there, letting the cage hold her up as she stares at what used to be the man she loved.

Chapter XXXVII

I’m not really sure how one should spend the final moments of one’s life. I don’t know if I should pray or reflect back, if I should weep or catalog my various failures and accomplishments. Should I be sad that I never got to tell my sister, Elias or Catcher good-bye? Should I be relieved that I no longer have to worry about surviving?

I lie on my side in the kennel, knees tucked to my chest, and I stare up at Dove in her own cage. She sits in the middle, legs crossed, her lips moving but not with any sound or words that I can hear. Every now and again she’ll crawl toward Noell and grasp his limp hand in hers.

Eventually, she lies down with her back against his chest, tucking her head under his chin and pulling his arm across her.

I have to look away. I can’t watch that, the way his broken neck hangs crooked. I wonder how long she survived in there with the Unconsecrated. I wonder how long I’ll survive. How much fight I have left in me.

I’d like to think that I won’t beg, but I’m worried that in the end I’ll scream for mercy just like everyone else.

There’s no ceremony to the whole thing. Conall strolls into the auditorium, the side of his face creased as if he’s just woken up from a nap. He stands at the edge of the large cage in the center of the room and stares at Dove for a while.

“She still alive?” he asks, and I guess he’s directing the question at me.

I don’t answer. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.

Another Recruiter comes walking down the steps. “Looks like she killed the plague rats,” he says, standing next to Conall.

“You were supposed to leave someone here to make sure that didn’t happen,” Conall growls.

The other one shrugs. “If she isn’t turned yet, she will be soon enough. Might be interesting to see the two girls duking it out.” The hint of leering suggestion in his voice disgusts me.

Even from here I can tell that Conall’s angry and then finally he just throws up a hand. “Whatever,” he says. “We still have those other three from before. We can bring them out when we get tired of watching these two run around each other.”

I’m shocked at how calmly they’re discussing my fate. And the inconvenience they face because Dove defended herself.

Conall comes over to my kennel and kneels. “How’s it going in there?” he asks.

I glare at him. “My sister—have you gone to make sure she’s okay?”