Darkness Girl: Trickster God

Chapter Sixty-Two: The Power of Hatred

Bennet watched Regan's face. The hatred seemed to curl off her like a poisonous mist. It was as if her world had shrunk down to a pinpoint that was just her and the voice on the radio. 

The voice on the radio paused. 'Regan. Somehow I knew you must have survived. Anything else would have been disappointing.' 

Even through the radio speaker, the detached tone of the voice chilled Bennet to her core. There was something about it that made her feel like the owner would flay back her skin just to see what was underneath. She unconsciously brushed her fingers across the wound on her arm. 

Regan's voice was filled with cold fury when she spoke. 'That satisfaction won't last long, Kessler. I'm going to find the stinking hole where you've hidden yourself, and put a blade through your chest.' 

'You know the difference in our levels as well as I do. Your intentions are meaningless. An insect might as well harbour intentions to fight a god.' 

Regan clutched the radio in her fingers like she was trying to crush it. 'I dragged myself back from the abyss to deliver the punishment for your betrayal.' 

Kessler laughed. It was a dry, rasping sound like nails being dragged across concrete. 'Hollow words will never close the distance between us. Run and hide Regan, and pray I never find you.' 

The radio in Regan's hand beeped and cut to static. Regan looked at it for a moment, listening to the sound of empty white noise. She brought her arm back and hurled it into the darkness. There was a faint crack as it shattered in the carpark below. 

Bennet saw Trevellian watching Regan. He had a clinical expression, like a chess player trying to determine his next move. 

'Her arrogance isn't without foundation,' he said. 

'She underestimates the depth of my hatred.' 

'You can't face her as you are now. We have to think about escape.' 

Regan turned to face him. Her fury seemed to shift to him like a spotlight. 'My hate was the last thread of life that held me back from the edge of death. I didn't cling to existence in that freezing ocean so I could wait for her.' 

'A disappointing death is hardly an inspiring alternative. It's not a question of pride. If you meet Kessler now, she will kill you. You're not ready.' 

'The wounds from our last encounter have healed.' 

Trevellian was silent. He gripped the tyres of his wheelchair and looked at a patch of dead weeds that had collected in the bottom of the dry pool. 

'You think she's always going to be stronger than me,' said Regan. 

'Kessler's form is the perfect evolution of her style. Your imitation is good, but it's still only imitation. The copy will always have flaws that weren't present in the original.' 

Bennet stepped forward, so she stood between them. She faced her back to Regan and looked at Trevellian. 'Westlake wasn't alone, and they know she failed now. The longer we wait, the more we risk being cornered. How long have we got?' 

'Kessler isn't stupid. There will already be people on their way.' 

There was a scrape of metal as Regan drew her sword. She tested its weight and carefully looked down the blade. 'It makes no difference.' 

'We need to be gone before they arrive,' said Bennet. 

Regan ignored her. She sheathed her sword and started to walk away. 

Bennet felt a hot flush touch her cheeks. The pain started to blossom in her wound as her pulse quickened. 'Where are you going?' 

'You can scurry away like vermin. I refuse to follow you into your hole.' 

'This isn't a discussion. Latimer is dead, and so is the mission. We've walked headlong into trap, and I'm making the call to evacuate. I don't give a damn about your personal issues. Go out and get yourself a teddy bear instead.' 

Regan's glare was malevolent, but Bennet forced herself to stand her ground. She clicked her tongue against her teeth and folded her arms. 

'Regan, please,' said Sarafina. Regan paused as Sarafina touched her arm. She looked down at her hand like it was an insect clinging to her clothes. 'Please don't leave. We've already lost three people; four if you count Trevellian's informant. We need you with us.' 

The look Regan gave her was devoid of emotion. 'Do you think your lives mean anything to me? You're specks of dust to be swept out of the way. Nothing more. I would sacrifice you all to get to Kessler.' 

Sarafina lifted her hand away as if Regan had struck her. Her expression was stony, but Bennet saw a small waver at the edge of her lips. She folded her arms across her stomach. 

'I pity the way you see the world. Everything beautiful or worthwhile becomes ugly in your eyes. For a moment, I thought I'd found something else in you. I thought maybe you might have found a way to become more human.' 

'In what world would I want to drag myself down to become more like you?' 

Sarafina stepped aside as Regan brushed past her. Her lips parted as if she was about to speak, but she stayed silent. 

Regan walked across the roof until she reached the top of the stairs. She stopped for a moment, looking down into the darkness. 'If you run, there's a small chance you might survive to see tomorrow's sunrise. If you try to follow me though, you'll almost certainly die in this place.' 

'I should say the same to you, my frosty angel,' said Trevellian. 'You're walking away to a painful, pointless death. If I was feeling malicious, I might almost be tempted to suggest that was your goal.' 

Bennet saw Regan's shoulders tense as Trevellian spoke. She gripped the hilt of her sword. 'You should hope for that outcome, Trevellian. Once I kill Kessler, our alliance is broken and I'm coming for you.' 

Bennet watched Regan disappear down the stairs. The sound of the door closing behind her seemed unnaturally loud in the still night air. She looked at the others. All of a sudden, she felt terrifyingly alone.