And whatever happens next, the two of us are inextricably linked.
“You are mine, Lady Caterine.” The declaration rumbles out of him like a growl.
I feel that tightening tension low in my core, his words and his thrusts a heady combination. “Say that again,” I gasp.
“You are mine. And I am yours.”
His lips crush down on mine, a bruising kiss that sparks a wave of pleasure that rolls through me. His mouth swallows my cries and he grunts his own release seconds later, the two of us falling off the cliff and tumbling into each other’s arms.
—
We lean overthe edge of the balcony and it becomes immediately clear why there are no guards stationed here: One would have to be an idiot to attempt scaling it, and even more of an idiot to try to make it down.
“I’ll go first.” Callum swings himself up and over the edge, his grip on the metal railing so tight it turns his knuckles white.
“I don’t think I can do this,” I whisper as I watch him start his descent.
He pauses when there’s just enough space for me to make my own way over the balcony. “I’m not going to let you fall, Caterine.” I hesitate for another long minute before he looks up, his eyes soft. “Think of your sister, my lady.”
It’s the exact right thing to say—maybe the only thing to say—to convince me. I swing a leg over the edge, the cold metal digging into my fingers.
“Don’t look down,” Callum advises. “Just listen to the sound of my voice.”
I let him guide me, platitudes and encouragement buoying me as I steadily climb down the metal railing, latching on to the wooden trellis attached to the side of the building, and finally landing on the ground.
“I knew you could do it.” Callum places a single kiss on the top of my head before taking my hand in his and pulling me into a run.
Callum leads me to a dingy-looking building on the edge of the river. Everything is dull and muted, except for the smell, a crossbetween days-old trash and water-soaked sewage. It seeps in everywhere, buried deep in the yellow-tinged walls of the small apartment where Callum’s uncle Alex and his sister Dom wait for us.
“Lady Caterine,” she says, wrapping me in a warm hug while Callum and Alex huddle in one grimy corner of the room. “Nice to see you again. I had a feeling you might be the woman able to bring my brother to his knees.” Her smirk is wide and her blue eyes—twins to Callum’s—dance.
I mirror her cheeky smile. “I’ve heard lots more about you since our meeting, Dom.”
“Either all of it is true or none of it.” Her insightful eyes take in everything and my original impression of her—that she is one formidable woman—is solidified. Dom’s voice loses its cheerful teasing as she surveys me. “I imagine things have been rough for you lately, my lady. I know this place is lacking in comfort, but it’s safe. You will be protected here.”
I nod, not doubting her sentiment, but also not fully trusting in the words. What does safe even mean if my sister isn’t here?
Callum and Alex break away from their corner, joining us in what appears to be some kind of dining area, though there’s only a broken-down table and a few banged-up wooden crates to sit on.
Callum immediately reaches for my hand, lacing our fingers together. Dom notices and her smirk returns.
Alex notices and grimaces. “Lady Caterine. Nice to officially make your acquaintance.”
I nod tightly. “You as well.” It may be the highest degree of hypocrisy, but I don’t know if I can forgive him for betraying Callum as easily as Callum has. I squeeze his fingers. “What’s the plan?”
Alex’s eyes move around the small group, assessing each one of us. “I’ve been speaking with some friends inside the Uprising, on the leadership committee.” He directs this amendment to Callum,guilt obvious in the blue eyes they share. “Though there is nothing explicit mentioned in the decree about what happens if a potential candidate kills the current candidate, it seems like they will have no choice but to honor Cal’s place should he be the one to kill Harold. We didn’t plan for things to go this way, so amendments are being written. I imagine the next killing period will have stricter rules and a shorter time frame to mitigate some of these unfortunate events.”
“If only they had thought through their ridiculous decree before enacting it,” I mutter.
“Right.” Callum’s fingers tighten around mine. “Hopefully things will go more smoothly for the next province, but that doesn’t change what needs to happen here.”
“Cal mentioned Andra has Seen something that could help us?” Alex’s tone shifts, focusing on the task at hand.
“Yes. We know where Harold is staying.” I hesitate before delivering the next bit, knowing how it might sound to someone who doesn’t know Andra, doesn’t understand how her visions work. “And we know how to get there. And how to get in.”
Alex raises his eyebrows, Callum looks hopeful, and Dom looks like she’s ready to march into battle.
“We’ll go disguised as trees.”
