My Heart, His Cruelty

y mother, her voice a shredded mess, whispering, "He's here. A

, the man I loved, the m

r knees, humiliated, with Gustav standing over them, beau

them, while my father, a man who debated world leaders, bowed his head in s

ith a chilling smile, ordered hi

scream. Then, my mother's. They both lay broken. The love I

ng like poison. He just smiled, kissed my cheek

n a desperate act to free

ed Amit, my friend, for the dru

and I had to live to s

pte

erence table. I ignored it. Gustav hated interruptions

nd again. A franti

ing wa

my voice tight. "I

a sick beat against my ribs. It was my mother.

shredded mess. "He's here. At t

ne wen

the power to make my mother, a tenured professor, sound so broke

. I ran out of the building and into the stre

ersity! As fas

ne look at my fac

d in a wide, silent circle, their phones held up like a thousand accusing e

eir k

tailored suit that probably cost more than my first car. But his face was a mask of cold f

fect portrait of concern, but her eyes, when they f

. My mother's shoulders shook with silent sobs. A live-stream dron

voice ripped

It didn't reach his eyes. His eyes were for me, and they w

ilk, carrying across the silent quad. "You're ju

choked out, pushing my way

r voice soft and wounded. "They said ter

, his paranoia, about the bruises he'd left on my arms that I

leaving mine. "They accused me of hurting you. Can you im

. My healer. The one person who has helped me

ng her face in his shoulder. "I would never want

narled, my last shred

rkened. "Apologi

oetry, who flew to another continent just to bring me a speci

N

He turned to one of the two large men

no!" I

my father's knee. A sickening crack echoed in the silence. My father screamed,

" Gustav said, his voice d

y father, writhing on the ground. I looked

a hoarse whisper. "Please, Gu

mother's hair and forcing her head up. "Then you will knee

leading. Not for herself. For me.

y would endure anything to see me free.

y to fall to my knees, read

his pain, spoke. "Don't you dare,

f up, his face contorte

appointment. "Such a shame." He nodded t

this time from my mother. The

he hope that I could fix him, all of it turned to ash an

spered, the words tastin

mile this time. "I know, my love

lips cold against my tear-stained skin.

two of them disappearing into the stunned crowd like royalty depar

my knees between my parents, the world a blur of pain

e framed us, Janey," she rasped, her breath shallow. "He pl

I sobbed. "I'll get y

ut firm. "There's no fixing this. Ther

bbed a dropped syringe from a medical kit. My mother pulled a small, deadly vial from her own pocket-a chemistry profes

seconds, togethe

m was soundless, a hole ripped

e sterile silence of a h

ice raw. "I need it. The drug you told me

n the other end. "J

Amit. Gustav ki

his voice, low and full of a cold, shared

urse. It was from Amit. A single, white tablet. Hope in a tiny, bitter package. I s

And I had to live to s