ith a sickening thud, her head cracking agai

d was we

Debra s

, sluggish line of blood began to trickle from her hai

blood was too bright, too real against

't look at Vicky with concern, only annoyance. "Ge

rimal growl vibrating in her chest. Her eyes flashed a

ed by the guard. He stood close, too close. He smelled of

they brushed against Debra's collarbone. She flinche

uch me,"

oked a finger under the

unclasp it

a brand, before the links snapped. The sudden release m

k and forth. The ruby spun, casting red reflections on h

a's voice was raw, t

he held out her hand. "Caref

leamed with avarice. "The clasp is broken. And look at this chain. It's twisted. But the s

g the guard's grip with a burst of hysteri

d, trying to shove Debra awa

fingernails raked Debra's arm, and

flew from

, her face a mask of horror-not for the heirloom

ble hearth with a sicken

ient gold setting crumpled, and the large ruby, hit at its

large, jagged fragments

solute, rin

of her financial salvation. "You stupid girl! You clumsy, worthless li

t was the last time she held her hand. That was the pro

shaking with rage. "Pick it up! All of it

by grief rather than greed, she

yours!" De

it. She saw her own blood mix with the red dust of the stone, blending together. She grabbed the l

y shrieked. "Get

ner broke through De

it was cold. Absolute zero. She looked at Marley, memorizing e

g at the dust. "Let her have the trash. We

new plan formed. "Yes. Theft. Grand L

her reflection in the mirror one last time. "Clean

second. He looked at the shattered ruby on the floo

ulled out his phone, typing a quick

r click

s, bleeding, surrounded by