“We might need you.”
I shake my head. “If… If the Witch King takes me again, and if my mind is taken…”
“We’ll prevent it.”
She’s standing so close to me, watching me with that foolish hope in her eyes. For a second, I want to forget everything andkiss her. I shut my eyes and bury my feelings. What a stupid second.
I look at the mountains again, framed by a darkening sky, and keep my voice flat. “Let’s go, then.”
The eerie whiteness now covers over half of my hands, and even with Astra’s magic, I don’t know if I’ll survive long enough to find out whether killing the Witch King will save me.
The worst is that I can’t even spend what might be my last night with Lidiane. It would be too risky to share a room, too risky to be near her when sleep could take over my senses and my caution. It would be a matter of seconds for my mind to slip, for my skin to touch hers, for me to damn her. And that won’t happen.
“Are you upset?” she asks.
What do you think?is what I would normally reply, but I manage a smile. “Not at you.”
“You’ll survive, Azur. Have some hope.”
“I’m here. Still alive. Of course there’s hope.”
Too thin for my taste, but it’s here—foolish hope. I just won’t let it blind me.
TARLIA
Zorwal can harm me. The thought keeps echoing in my head. I thought it was clear that I wouldn’t be harmed when I made the deal, and yet I’m not sure how it was invalidated. Was it because I disobeyed him? Betrayed him, perhaps?
And yet he left me here alone, in a windowless cell with moldy walls, a stinky, stained straw mattress, and an empty pail.The door has iron bars and a lock that can’t be opened from the inside.
I’m sitting on the cold floor, unwilling to touch the mattress, aware that at some point I’ll want to sleep, and that I might have to lay on that stinky thing. We’re a few levels below the main floor of the castle, and, while there are more cells here, they’re all empty. I regret not trying to run when the two guards brought me here. My thinking at the time was that more guards would end up catching me, and then it would only make things worse.
The question is: worse than what? I don’t know what Zorwal has planned for me, and I don’t think I can escape this cell. Worse, I need to tell someone that he and Otavio are connected, and I don’t know how I’m going to do it.
Mirella? As if I could even trust her. I could have told Zorwal that she was the one who asked me to spy on him, but I don’t think that would have made my life any easier. As it is, she still wants to know what Zorwal and the mysterious visitor discussed, and I’m hoping she’ll show up to ask. That might be my only key out of here—if she shows up. If I can make a deal with her.
Steps echo in the empty hall and I get up even if I’m dreading whoever is coming. It could be a guard bringing food or at least some water, but I know that’s not the case.
Through the bars, I see Zorwal approaching, and behind him, none other than Mirella. I’m starting to think she’s not going to save me.
She looks surprised when she sees me, and turns to Zorwal. “Did something happen?”
“What do you think?” he asks.
She frowns and looks like a child deep in thought, trying to find the right answer. For a second, she reminds me of Astra. Then she says, “She wouldn’t be able to defy you, I don’t think. Not with your deal. Or did she end up doing?—”
“I want a clear answer,” Zorwal interrupts her. “What did she do?”
“She wasn’t in my bedroom. Was she somewhere she shouldn’t be? Doing something she shouldn’t do?” Mirella’s fake innocence is annoying, even if I understand why she’s deceiving him. Perhaps part of me wished she would protect me, but that’s a nonsensical thought.
Zorwal doesn’t move his eyes from her, as if trying to decipher her thoughts, and asks,“Did you happen to show her any secret passage?”
“No. Is that what she did? Go where she shouldn’t?” Mirella looks puzzled.
He blinks, then asks, “Did you tell her about any secret passage?”
“No.” Her voice is firm, certain.
And it’s true that she never told me about any secret passage. Sheaskedme about it. Sneaky.
