High Society - Page 68

Gasps rolled through the crowd as Enoch burst through the back door, carrying Eve in his arms. Her extremities dangled and flopped like she had no control over them. But she was talking. She was alive.

I rushed to meet him, pushing through the assemblage of pompous guests, still calmly sipping their wine as if the scene playing out was some form of planned entertainment. He was already upstairs, laying her on her bed when I caught up with him.

“She’s been poisoned,” Enoch announced grimly. His fingers shook as he ran his hand through his hair. “Stay with her. I’ll get someone who can help.”

I wasn’t going to tell him that her suit would heal her. The two had gotten awfully close this evening. Too close, if you asked me.

“Stay with me, Eve. Your suit should help soon.”

Enoch’s return was heralded by Asa being thrown into the room. Both bared their fangs at one another. “Did you do this?” Enoch accused, stabbing a finger at Eve.

Asa studied Eve with a bored expression. “What’s the matter with her?”

“Oleander, I believe,” Enoch spat. “You have it growing in your garden.”

Asa rolled his eyes. “I didn’t poison her, Enoch. If I wanted her dead, I would have killed her the same way you killed Rebekah.”

“Don’t compare Eve to that serpent.”

Asa inhaled sharply and lunged at Enoch, wrestling him to the ground. “How dare you speak of her that way! I loved her!” he roared.

“She did not love you in return!” Enoch yelled.

“Stop fighting and help Eve,” I butted in.

Enoch leveled a glare at Asa. “Where is Mary? She’ll know what to do to help her.”

“Mary is not at your beck and call, Enoch. And neither am I.” With those words, Asa turned to leave, but Enoch wasn’t having it.

“If her suit doesn’t kick in or if you don’t find a way to help, I’m jumping,” I interrupted calmly.

Enoch stiffened, turning away from Asa.

“Her suit should already have started healing her, but for some reason, it’s not working properly. We can figure out who’s to blame later, but right now, you need to focus on finding something to counteract the effects.”

“You can’t jump yet,” Enoch said desperately. “What can nullify oleander’s effect, brother?”

“How would I know?” Asa spat. “I’ll ask Mary to help, just to prove I had no part in this,” he announced before storming off.

Enoch sat on the other side of the bed and held Eve’s hand, staring intently at her face as if trying to memorize every contour. Her pupils were dilated, the large black saucers edging out any trace of her irises. Her heart rate began to stutter and slow.

“What’s happening to me? I can’t feel my arms,” she mumbled.

Bewildered, I snapped, “Why isn’t her suit working?”

“Because it’s only half on,” answered a sassy female voice. “Out with you all. I need a minute to help her.”

Mary strode into the room and waited, tapping her foot until we left. I could hear her from outside the door, helping Eve out of the dress and fully into the tech suit. It was trying to save her, but the poison must have been too potent to be reversed by half a suit.

“I didn’t do this,” Asa promised Enoch.

“Then who did?” he asked.

“Terah,” they answered in unison.

Asa stared Enoch down. “Eve shouldn’t have attacked her.”

“It was a blow Terah deserved,” Enoch countered.