I run to her. “What happened? Did the earl hurt you?” I roll up my sleeves then say through gritted teeth, “Where is he?”
“It’s not the earl. Well, it’s about the earl, but he didn’t hurt me.” Tears stream down her cheeks, and she’s struggling to get her words out around her sobs. “I came because I needed you to hear it from me first. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I swear I didn’t say a word about you, but I didn’t have a choice. He offered me a deal. I didn’t have a choice.”
“Juliette, what didn’t you have a choice about? What are you saying?”
She looks at me, desperation and fear in her eyes. “I had to. I just couldn’t marry him.”
“What did you do?” I ask. She couldn’t just wait for the poison? I should have taken that to her right away.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Juliette, just tell me.”
She wipes her face with her sleeve, then hiccups a few times before she can ease her sobs enough to speak.
“What is it?”
“It’s Katherine.”
“What about her?” My heart pounds.
“I told the emperor that she was looking for ways around his immortality,” she says. “I told him she could be a spy.”
“What?” I stumble backward, hand on chest. My heart hammers so hard I can hear it in my ears. The whole castle might be able to hear it.
“He told me there was a spy and that if I could help him find them, that he’d let me out of the marriage. That I could never marry. That I could be free.” She falls to her knees. “She’s going to die because of me. I didn’t think. I was just so desperate. I really thought they’d just talk to her. That the prince would help her since it was his plan. But when they found a fire ruby on her, it was all over. I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”
“How could you?” I ask. “We trusted you.”
“I know. And I didn’t tell him your name, but she might. And I wanted you to know that I will take responsibility for this. I will join you both in the afterlife. I can’t live with this shame. I am not this person. I was desperate.”
“Stop talking. Right now.” The harshness of my own voice startles me. “You will not be taking your own life. You want to fix this? Finish what she started. Help people. In any way you can.”
“I can’t.”
“You can and you will. You understand me? If I don’t make it, you find out a way. You tell everyone you can until someone does something about it.”
She nods, a flicker of acknowledgment crossing her face. “I didn’t say your name. I swear to you, but saying Katherine was bad enough. She was my friend.”
“I know.” I’m not sure what else to say. I’m too angry to comfort her. What she did is unforgivable, but I can see why she folded.
A harsh knock sounds, and Juliette scrambles away from the door, her eyes wide with fear.
I mouth the word,Hide.And she races to my bathing chamber. As soon as she’s tucked away from view, I open the door.
Four legionnaires stand there. All of them wear expressions of pure malice. Two reach out and grab me, each one taking an arm.
“What’s going on?” I ask as they drag me from my room. I’m stumbling over my own feet to try to keep up with them.
“Where’s Brevan?” I look around for him, desperate to see his face. If he were here, I’d know how serious this was. He’d show it in his expression. But he’s not here, which is probably even worse.
“Tell me where we’re going,” I demand.
They’re practically carrying me because I can’t keep up with their pace. As we continue down halls and stairs, icy dread begins to claw its way down my spine.
I recognize this route. I know where we’re going.
When they stop in front of the wooden door, one of the guards kicks it instead of knocking. Eyes peer at me from behind metal bars. They’re cold and detached. Then, they vanish and the door opens.
