“Livingis the point. We need to say goodbye.”
“No, Lucas. You said you’d stay!”
“I said I’d stayuntil I die,” he said. “The Defiance wants me executed. I amdead, Sophia, and you can’t come with me.”
“We can still?—”
His hand darted out and gripped my shirt, dragging me right against the bars. His lips landed on mine, hard and possessive at first, but then softer…sweeter…slower.
Like a goodbye.
After a handful of heartbeats, he jerked away and retreated into his cell. “Take her,” he said without looking at me. “And don’t let her come back.”
I tried to shove Isaac off when he took my arm, but the wounds on my back went electric with pain. “No, stop!”
“Patrol is coming soon, Soph. You have to get out of here.”
“Lucas—”
The aquamarine flashed my way, haunted and torn. “I love you. Please take care of yourself.”
Isaac’s iron grip on my arm wouldn’t relent, but I fought anyway, my gaze on Lucas’s until Isaac dragged me around the corner.
“Please,” I said, trying to pull him off me. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Let me go.”
“You can argue about it later. Get out of here before someone catches you.”
The familiar panic piled lead right into my lung space.
I couldn’t breathe.
By the time we reached the main door, Adam was pacing, and I was gasping for air.
“Shit!” Adam said. “What happened?”
“She’s having a panic attack,” Isaac hissed. “Help me calm her down.”
Adam got right in my face. “Remember your forest, Sophia? What was in it again?”
“T-tall trees.”
“That’s right, and it’s raining?” He looked at Isaac for help, but the other man only raised his hands.
“Hell if I know! This was Tekqua’s realm.”
“It smells like cedar, I think.” Adam wrapped his arms around me, heedful of the injury on my back. “It doesn’t matter. Just picture something peaceful.”
As my breathing slowed, Isaac gave Adam a stilted version of what happened.
I wiped my eyes when Adam released me. “H-he’s such an a-asshole.”
Adam chuckled, but his gaze was wary, studying my face. “Get upstairs before you’re caught, okay?”
Nodding, I turned toward the stairs with weighted feet. I made it back to Zara’s quarters with only one sighting by a guard, easily explained away by pointing to my bladder.
She sat up from her place in bed when I entered. “How’d it go?”
“I—um—” I scrubbed my face. “I don’t know. He needs medical attention, though. Would you be willing to see him later today?”
