Marcus broke into his worst fit of coughing yet before he spoke. Phoebe watched his blood spray the snow with wide eyes.
“You’re sick!” she protested. “How—?”
Marcus wiped his face with his arm. “Why don’t you ask her.” He glared at Winter.
Phoebe turned to look at Winter, her brow furrowing. “What?”
Winter didn’t respond. She was too busy assessing Marcus’s entourage of guards, their guns, and her confused and scared parents. She glanced at where River sat on the contraption, holding the bucket of water meant to rinse it. Winter gave him the slightest nod. He pressed his lips together and slowly added the water.
“If she won’t confess to what she did, I’ll tell you,” Marcus said, apparently unconcerned with River’s continued work, at least for the moment. “She stole my cure from me and poisoned the entire city leadership at the assembly meeting, leaving us defenseless and dooming most of us to death.”
Stunned silence hung in the air for a long moment. Then, Phoebe turned her horrified gaze to Winter. “But she—”
“Last I saw, Ellen Bates was still on the ground on the verge of death,” Marcus continued, cutting her off. “And Mayor Atherton didn’t look any better. The entirety of the city council, various factory and business owners—”
“You swore you wouldn’t hurt anyone else!” Phoebe exclaimed. She took a step toward Winter, jabbing a finger at her. “You said the last thing we would do would be to put the cure in the water!”
“I—” Winter started.
“You promised!”
“Technically, I made that promise after I poisoned the drinks at the assembly meeting.” As soon as the words left Winter’s mouth, she knew it was a mistake.
Phoebe’s face twisted with anger. “They’re all going to die! Winter, the mayor? I know he’s done wrong, but he has kids—”
Winter’s rage flared to life, burning brighter than Phoebe’s ever could. “And he’s passing laws that will get countless people killed! What about their kids?” Winter glared at Marcus—not that he could see it under the mask. “Besides, they weren’t quite dead yet when we left. If Marcus wasn’t wasting the city guard’s time, maybe they could focus on getting them to the hospital. You left them lying in the town square just as much as I did.”
Marcus glared back, but the bags under his eyes and the fatigue on his face undercut the expression. “These guards are under my employment, and I’m paying with something much more valuable than money: cure.”
“You said yourself it doesn’t have any value anymore,” Winter pointed out. “I took that from you.”
“There’s still benefit in not having to wait at the hospital. But this isn’t about me, it’s about you. I’m not done exposing your crimes.” Marcus nodded to the guard at his right. “Bring him out.”
The guard walked into the undergrowth. A jolt of horror shot through Winter. How could she have forgotten about—?
“Jonathan Forrest,” Marcus said as the guard dragged out the body.
“What makes you think I killed him?” Winter demanded.
“Oh, please. Who else would have done it?”
Winter stared at the blood stains on his clothes, so much worse than she’d remembered. “I…” What other defense did she have? More lies? What would be the point?
“Come on, it’s over,” Marcus growled. “You’re outnumbered. Take the mask off and let’s make this official.”
Winter shook her head, a new idea forming. “You’re dying. I’d bet you didn’t take enough cure for how sick you are,” she said. “You might not last long enough to make more, but I have some in my bag ready to go. We can make a deal.”
“I tried to help you time and time again. I’ve made you more offers than you deserve. It’s too late for you.” Marcus laughed. The sound quickly trailed off into more coughing. Once he’d recovered, he added, “Besides, I’m just going to take that cure over there from you after I arrest you. You’ve brought me right to it, and now I don’t have to wait at the hospital or fight anyone for it.” He looked up. “You may as well give up now, River.”
River straightened up, clutching the towel he’d been using to wipe disinfectant off the inside of the contraption.
His and Winter’s parents were still silent, probably in too much shock to speak. Maybe they hadn’t even fully processed what was happening. How much had Marcus told them?
“Phoebe, please,” Winter said, glancing at her. “You have to make him understand—”
“I don’t think you understand!” Phoebe exclaimed. “I mean, did you have to kill Forrest? Why did you—?” She glanced at the body and paled. “Why—?”
“Phoebe, you know I had to—”
“Stop! Stop. I can’t hear you, Winter,” Phoebe said. “All I can hear is some faceless killer. Take off the mask!”
Winter hesitated. Her gaze flickered to River, watching her with clear concern, to the jugs of cure at the foot of the ladder. Marcus waited eagerly.
Phoebe’s voice dropped to a hoarse plea. “Take off the mask and look at me.”
Winter lifted her hands and removed the mask.
Phoebe pressed a hand over her mouth. River’s eyes widened, his lips parted. Murmurs and gasps spread among the guards.
Marcus chuckled. “I guess that’s what happens when you play with fire, Winter.”
“Oh, I played with fire?” Winter tossed the mask onto the bag laying open on the ground a few feet away. “You invented an entirely new plague that you had no hope of controlling once you added it to the city’s water!”
Winter ripped off her gloves, exposing the burns that matched the ones marring her face.
“You really thought you’d be able to kill and save everyone you wanted?” she continued. “The plague spreads. The cure doesn’t. Even if you survive today, your creation will catch up with you eventually.”
Every word she shouted burned her throat, still stinging from the smoke. Momentarily forgetting the guards, Winter picked up her sword. “You started this fire, Marcus.”
She pointed the blade at him. A dozen guns lifted in response.
“Let them take you quietly, Winter. This has gone on long enough.” Marcus sighed. “Grab River, too. Shame he let himself get caught up in this. See what you’ve done, Winter? You weren’t thinking about your family, were you? You were only thinking about making yourself into some kind of saint.”
Winter’s hand trembled. Could she lunge forward and stab him before a shower of bullets reached her? Probably not. She let the sword fall from her hand. They needed to get the cure into the contraption. And all of that poison was still sitting there in buckets. It would be so easy for Marcus to throw it into the river before anyone could stop him.
The guards were moving toward the contraption, toward River, toward Phoebe.
Marcus held up a hand to stop the two reaching for Phoebe. “I’ll take her with me. I’m disappointed, Phoebe. We’re going to have a long talk.”
Winter tried to look at River. She wasn’t sure what she was hoping to find, or what kind of message she was trying to send him, but it didn’t matter. His gaze was on the ground, and he refused to meet her eyes as she shifted toward the ladder.
Phoebe walked toward Marcus, head lowered. She was giving up, too? Winter glared as guards surrounded her. Just like that, it was over. At least she’d accomplished something today. The cure was public. Even if Marcus poisoned everyone, at least there was a chance most would survive…
No, it wasn’t enough. She could have saved all of them. All of them. Every person who died after this would be another failure on her part.
Phoebe slowed. Paused.
Marcus frowned. “Come on, Phoebe. I think if you get some rest, you’ll feel better.” Despite his earlier reprimand, he sounded like he was trying to comfort her now. But the strain in his voice was obvious.
Winter realized, moments before Marcus did, that Phoebe was only a few feet from the jugs of cure.
Phoebe darted forward and grabbed them. Guards rushed after her, but Marcus held up a hand to stop them. “Wait,” he ordered.
“Smart choice.” Phoebe held the jugs out over the river with trembling hands. “This is your best hope of survival, right?”
Oh, the look on Marcus’s face was priceless. Even Winter had never managed to surprise him quite like this.
“Phoebe, wait,” Marcus said. “You wouldn’t—”
“Don’t make me,” Phoebe replied, voice trembling. “I will do it.”
“You’ll kill me.” Marcus actually looked scared. “Phoebe, come on. You don’t want that.”
“I don’t want anyone else to die!” There was a new fire in Phoebe’s eyes. “I stand by helping River get your poison out of the contraption, and I won’t let you put it back in.” Her eyes narrowed. “If you want to live, you’re going to make a few promises.”
“Phoebe, this is more complicated than you could begin to understand,” Marcus said. “I need you to trust me when I say I’m doing this for the good of Devil’s Pass—”
“You think I’m an idiot,” Phoebe said bluntly. “Both of you.” She shifted her gaze from Marcus just long enough to shoot Winter a withering look. “You’ve lied to me and tried to use me as a weapon against each other. I’m not as stupid as you think I am.”
Winter grimaced.
“You are going to let River finish cleaning the contraption, and then let him go home without arresting him. We’re going to add most of the cure to the water, and you can have what’s left.”
Winter’s shoulders sagged. “Thank you.”
“I’m not doing this for you.” Phoebe’s cold gaze remained fixed on Marcus. “River goes free and the city gets the cure, in exchange for your life. And Winter’s arrest.”
“Fine.” Marcus signaled for the guards to lower their guns. Except for the two standing on either side of Winter. “But I’m not going to just stand here and wait around. I have other matters to check on. I’ll be back in twenty minutes for my portion of the cure.”
As he walked past Winter, he barked orders to the guards. “Watch them to make sure they follow through on their word. A few of you should take care of Forrest’s body. And escort her parents back to their apartment.” To the pair guarding Winter, he added, “You two keep her here until I return.”
“Did they have to be here for this?” Winter hissed. Mom and Dad hadn’t said a word the entire time, and now they would probably never say another word to her again. They didn’t even look her way as they were led off.
“I needed to be sure they knew the truth.”
And with that, Marcus was walking away, following the river. Winter frowned.
“River?” Phoebe said as she set the jugs down on the ground. “How’s it coming?”
“Good. I’m ready to add the cure, if you want to bring it up—”
“Wait!” Winter exclaimed. “Marcus is heading toward his boat.”
Phoebe glanced in the direction Marcus had gone. “So?”
“He has more poison waiting there! We can’t just let him—”
“How am I supposed to trust you?” Phoebe asked. “For all I know, you could be lying to try and escape.”
“You think I’d do that? All I care about is saving you all!” Winter tried to keep her voice steady, acutely aware of the guards and guns surrounding her. “Why else would he walk away from the one thing that could save his life! What else could possibly be at his lab that’s so important?”
“He knows we’re adding cure to the water. Why would he bother?”
“The cure will be too diluted in the water system to do more than give people’s immune systems a boost, if that,” Winter explained. “If he infects the water, the plague bacteria will multiply and more than compensate for the cure!” She turned her attention to the guards surrounding her, hoping at least some of them would want to do the right thing. “Come on, you can’t just let this happen!”
Nothing.
Phoebe’s head turned toward the rising smoke in the distance. Her eyes narrowed. “What’s been happening while we’ve been out here?”
River finished off a jug and tossed it aside. “Hey, yeah, shouldn’t you guys be doing something about that fire?”
“Not our job,” one of the guards said. “Besides, last I heard, there was a mob around the church making that difficult.”
“You can hear them, if you’re quiet,” another added.
Winter’s fists clenched at her sides. They didn’t have time for this, no one was listening to her, and there was nothing she could do.
Distant chanting reached them. Phoebe’s expression grew concerned. “It sounds like they’re getting closer.”
“What are they yelling?” River asked as he unscrewed the cap on the last jug.
“It doesn’t matter,” Winter said. “We need to stop Marcus before he—”
“They’re yelling ‘Plague Saint,’” Phoebe realized.
She was right. And the chanting was definitely getting louder. She spun to face Winter. “What did you do while we were waiting for you?”
Winter stared at her blankly. Nothing…nothing mattered anymore. Secrets, lies, every step Winter had taken in hopes she might salvage her life at the end of this. All for nothing.
“Seriously, Winter, how did you get those burns?” Phoebe pressed. “What’s on fire? Why is a mob shouting—well, it’s not your name, is it?”
Winter’s thoughts were too fractured to answer her. Why was the mob coming this way? What had she said to them about the river, exactly? About Marcus’s plan? She couldn’t remember, really. The whole thing was a blur. But if they’d gotten bored of swarming the hospital and watching the church burn…
River held up a jug and assessed the remaining liquid. He put the cap back on, closed the hatch on the contraption, and started down the ladder.
The chanting grew. “Plague Saint! Plague Saint!”
Something flickered inside Winter. A chance. A final flicker of hope. She lifted her chin. Her lips parted. Phoebe’s eyes widened, but there was nothing she could do to stop Winter from speaking.
“I won’t let Marcus poison the water, and I won’t let you take me,” Winter said in as loud a voice as she could muster, praying it would carry the distance she needed it to.
Guards lifted their guns. “Don’t try anything,” one said. “We won’t hesitate to shoot.”
“Winter,” Phoebe warned. “Don’t do anything stupid. They’ll kill you.”
Winter let out a cold laugh. “What chance do I have? I’m screwed anyway. May as well fight until the end.”
River looked at her, and his sad expression was the only thing that could actually hurt her, now. “Winter, please,” he said softly. “I don’t know everything that’s happened to you these past few weeks, but you still have a chance.”
“What chance? You heard Marcus. You saw what I did to Forrest. And the others I killed—” Winter shook her head. “Trust me, this is for the best.”
The first members of the mob emerged from the trees.