Free Give the Devil His Due (The Sanheim Chronicles, Book Three) by Rob Blackwell

it yet and I know it’s not possible. You can’t bring back the dead, Tim. I may be nuts, but even I remember that.”
    Kieran once again knelt in front of her.
    “Just listen to me,” he implored. “All I want is to say my piece. If you want to kill me afterward, I won’t move a muscle.”
    “I don’t need your permission,” she said. “This was all just foreplay. I can kill you at any time.”
    “I can save him, Kate,” Kieran said. “What I told you at the asylum was true. I know you weren’t ready to hear it, but I can save him.”
    “Why? Why would you even try? You took him from me in the first place.”
    “I made a mistake,” Kieran said. “I know how you feel because that’s how I felt after I lost Grace. Sanheim promised to give her back to me if I betrayed Sawyer and Elyssa, which made sense. Sawyer had killed her, after all. But at the last minute, Sanheim said I had to kill you or Quinn too. I was so far gone at that point, I couldn’t think straight. I should have known it was a lie.
    “But the world is a remarkable place, Kate. Every once in a great while, it gives you a second chance. I’ve done the research. I’m not saying it will be easy. I’m not promising we’ll succeed. But I swear on my love for Grace that I know how to bring him back. I just can’t do it alone. I need your help, your power. We can do this, Kate. You don’t need to trust me, you just need to work with me.”
    “I won’t let you do this,” Kate said. “I won’t let you talk me into a false hope. You just want to hurt me more.”
    “I know what I did to you,” Kieran said. “I know the voices in your head because I’ve heard them myself. When Grace died… It took me decades to come to terms with that. So please realize, I know what I’m saying — how can I hurt you more than I already have? Losing Quinn was your worst nightmare. What could I possibly do that’s worse than that?”
    Kieran’s words hung in the air. It was Tim that answered.
    “You could give her hope — and then take it away,” Tim said. “That’s what she fears most now.”
    Kate nodded and strode toward Kieran, who remained kneeling on the ground. Kieran looked up at her and could see the determination in her eyes. She was going to kill him. He had exactly one last chance.
    “Kill me, then,” Kieran said. “Have your revenge. I had mine, after all. But believe me when I tell you, revenge is an empty meal. It tastes like ash. Revenge won’t bring Quinn back, Kate. But I can.”
    Kate stopped walking and stood there for a long time. Kieran couldn’t tell what was going on in her mind, but he had the idea there were voices shouting at one another. The determination that had been in her eyes a few seconds ago had vanished, replaced with doubt.
    For several long minutes, the three people in the room neither moved nor spoke. Kieran was afraid that if he did, it would disturb the fragile truce between them. Kate’s look was far away as if she wasn’t even there anymore.
    Finally, Kate’s eyes shifted back to Kieran’s face and she spoke.
    “Okay,” she said.
    It was just one word, but it was enough.

Chapter 7
     
     
    Quinn watched the scarecrow aim his crossbow at Elyssa and knew he was out of time.
    No matter what he did or how fast he ran, the grinning figure would have plenty of time to fire the bolt — and there was no question he would hit her. Maybe it shouldn’t have mattered. After all, Quinn had fought Elyssa what felt like only a few days earlier and considered her an enemy. But in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to save her. He didn’t even have a reason, it was just raw instinct.
    Quinn felt like he was watching the whole scene play out in slow motion. Logically, he knew Elyssa was already doomed, but some part of him insisted that couldn’t be the case. There had to be some way to save her.
    The situation triggered an old memory of him standing in his karate class trying to earn his white belt.