Was that my heart or Collin’s that thundered through me as the declaration hung in the air? The silence in my mind leaked into the room as the Elite all fell quiet. Hal didn’t look my way.
Tabitha stepped toward the railing, peering down at the Elite—waiting. Applause began instantly. She grinned.
“Yes, yes, so rightfully earned and deserved. Emeline has been dedicated to our cause. Spying, gathering intel, and socializing with the defective. She deserves your respect and thanks. Without her, we would not have captured the Reaper.” Tabitha turned, locking eyes with me. The coldness in her stare hollowed me out. She drank it in. “His elimination is her doing. Hers alone.”
Collin’s fingers dug in hard enough to bruise me, but I didn’t care. I fell apart from the inside out, his hold the only thing keeping me upright. My legs trembled as Tabitha’s words crushed my heart in a vise grip.
“Not today, though,” Tabitha clarified. “Soon, in front of you all. Until then, dance. Enjoy this victory. It is as much yours as ours, faithful Elite.” Tabitha raised her hands. “To the prosperity of order.” She turned as music filled the room, drowning out the crowd below.
They hauled Hal away again. Tabitha beckoned to Collin and me as a man with a long black ponytail trailed after us. My eyes focused only on those dark blond locks. Where were Kane, Barrett, Bri, Gerald? They took down an entire building. Where were they now? Who was coming for Hal? He was their leader.
“Take her to the Capitol. I shall be with you shortly,” Tabitha ordered Collin. “Oh, but first, bring him forward.”
They dragged Hal over. He didn’t fight them as they sent him to his knees again at my feet. He didn’t look up. The doors behind us closed loudly. Tabitha stepped forward as the man remained to observe.
“Don’t you want to look at her?” Tabitha cooed at Hal. My knees threatened to give out—to join him on the ground. “No? Are you sure? She can’t stop looking at you. Lift his head.”
The soldiers pulled Hal up by his hair. Those starburst eyes met mine. I stared at him, heartbreak, sorrow, terror, and rage blazing through me. There was no fear in his eyes, just resolute acceptance.
“Show her his wrist,” Tabitha demanded, still smiling. Somehow it was the cruelest thing I had ever seen. His left wrist was thrust forward. There was an angry red mark near the scar he always covered. “He fought rather hard, but he has a chip again. Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Tabitha, stop playing with your food,” the man with the ponytail said gravely.
“That is rich coming from you, Charles,” Tabitha claimed, walking away. “Cuff him.”
The soldiers holding him placed large metal cuffs on Hal’s wrists before yanking him to his feet as Tabitha and Charles walked away. Hal’s eyes drank me in, taking in every detail like he was committing me to memory. He held my gaze until he couldn’t as they carried him away.
I took a step toward him but was pulled back. Collin pushed me out, down the stairs, into the foyer, and onto a Pod. The calmness he had maintained flew into the sky. A cold fury leaked from him.
There was a familiar beep. The doors closed and, with them, all of Collin’s composure. Collin turned toward me, his polished exterior as shattered as my heart.
“Explain yourself, Emeline,” he demanded as my knees finally gave out. I fell into the seat.
“You organized tonight?” I asked as the crystals stabbed into me.
“I was told to host the ball. They had organized most of the plan while I was away,” Collin confessed. Away making sure I didn’t drown.
“I don’t believe you,” I said.
“I do not find that shocking with the lies you have told me.” Collin moved toward me. “Who knew about your involvement? Did you plan to join their cause?”
“Why would I tell you?” I responded.
“Did you plan to join?” Collin growled as the city proper engulfed the Pod, sending lights swirling past the glass at a dizzying speed. Collin remained standing, unaffected.
“My involvement with the Reaper is none of your business,” I snapped.
“It is entirely my business,” Collin seethed, as wickedly as they all claimed him to be. “So, what was the plan? Let me guess—spying on me to get information on the Illum? Infiltrate the Illum from within?”
“I don’t have to answer you.”
“I am your Mate. You do answer to me.”
“I won’t.”
“You will, but not to me. You have to answer to the Illum now. To Tabitha. You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into.”
“I don’t care,” I shouted, my rage matching his.
