“Tell me your plan, Elysia.”
She nudged him into motion once more, part of her loath to let the moment end. But she didn’t answer him. The music carried them a little longer until the prince couldn’t stand it anymore.
His exhale was ragged, but he kept his face clean of the desperation she knew he must be feeling.
“Please, tell me. I swear I won't interfere. I just want to know how to reach the god of the dead—Ineedto know. You have to understand that.” His grip on her hand and waist tightened uncomfortably.
She opened her mouth to respond, when Rollie stepped out from behind a fast moving couple and shoved himself in between the prince and Elysia, causing Topp to stumble down to one knee on the hard tile floor.
Rollie, true to himself, did not cast a spare blink in the prince’s direction. His pale hands grasped Elysia’s forearms indelicately. “You need to leave.”
Her heart clapped into motion at his words. Adrenaline made her focus crystal clear, though, and a certain calm spread through her chest.It was time.
But aloud, she feigned confusion. “What are you talking about?”
He shook his head, his eyes darting around nervously. “No time. Let’s go, we can take the tunnels.”
Elysia nodded, taking hold of Rollie’s hand and allowing him to drag her across the floor and out of the ballroom's thrall. They moved with as much haste as one dared without drawing eyes.
“Rollie, no matter what happens, thank you. You’re a good person and a good friend.”
His pale fingers tightened on her wrist, still pulling her along. Eyes still forward, he threw tense words over his shoulder. “Just keep moving, Parker.”
Elysia could only imagine the expression on Rollie’s face based on how the throngs of people were parting for them now. She smiled easily, laughing and offering gentle pardons as he tore ahead. Soon they were in the halls, heading for the stairs. Velvet curtains blocked off the staircase to the tunnels, and Elysia finally yanked back, causing Rollie to stop and stare at her as if she were mad.
“Rollie, you need to go.”
Frustrated, he gripped the velvet and turned to her, gesturing at the stairs. “That’s what I’mtryingto do. He’s coming for you, Elysia. I don’t know what changed, but your time is up. Jessa sent Gage to the tunnels to help you escape.”
Elysia swore and moved him away from the stairs. She was hissing now, not caring if people noticed. “Why did you all have to meddle? Gage is probably down there planning ten different ways to infiltrate this ball and murder everyone. Never mind, justgo. You need to get far away from me, Rollickus. There’s no reason for you to go down, too.”
His face creased, hesitation sticking his feet to the floor. “You’re up to something, right? You’re not just giving up?”
Her voice softened. “Run. I mean it.”
Rollie vanished without another word, effortlessly melting back into the crowds and aiming for the castle’s main entrance. The man had been the castle’s underground ghost for years. If anyone could slip away, it was Rollickus Timmons.
Salvation had never been in the cards for a girl marked by death, though.
This is really going to hurt.
And with that thought in mind she plunged behind the curtain.
Chapter 39
Guards were waitingas she’d expected. His face was a familiar flash and then a boot punched into her stomach. Doubled over, she peddled back only to be grabbed and thrown. Caught by the back of her dress, another guard slammed her face into the stone wall. The telltale crunch of her nose echoed inside her skull. Hot blood gushed down her face as tears formed in her eyes. But no matter how it hurt, she didn’t fight back. She let them take their licks and bided her time. Blood continued to gush until she imagined there was no difference between her painted lips and the skin around it.
The guard holding her released her, and this time she stumbled into a chest she knew all too well. Strands of hair tore free of her scalp as the king wrenched her way from his tunic-covered chest. He leered down at her bloodied and wrecked face, saying not a word. Eye to eye, they stared at each other until the sight of his complete lack of remorse ignited her disgust. Lips lifting into a snarl, she refused to play the gentle doll.
He gripped her hair tighter, drops of blood trickled out, soaking into her dark hair. Neck taut, her head was pulled so far back her spine arched.
Garrison made a disappointed sound at the broken, cursed creature in his fist. “Just couldn’t stick to the shadows, could you, girl? Coming here with that dress. Should’ve killed you when it was easy, but I do admit I had plans for you. Your father’s ambitions were always so small—I would’ve used your curse properly.” He sighed and shoved her away into one of his guard’s arms.
Elysia didn’t say a word, but she didn’t flinch from his gaze either. His story was a farce. Even if she had waltzed into the Raven Ball wearing a perfectly mundane dress sewn in the red and black of Kava, she would have ended up exactly here tonight. The king of Kava had walked into this ball with plans to make an example out of the crown prince’s beloved.
He should have known better than to deceive a woman cursed to bend to the whims of whispers.
Mouth full of copper, she swallowed blood, waiting for him to get on with the show. She was dizzy, likely had internal bruising, and wanted to cry from the pain, but none of that mattered. Gage had once told her that there would come a moment she had to choose between her life and her morals. He had been right. That moment had come and gone. She no longer cared who saw her as good or bad, or avoiding the punishment that always seemed to be looming over her head.
