“Get her!”the scarred man bellowed. “Daenae let her escape!”
Piper’s feetpounded against the dirt road. Behind her, she heard shouting, the sound of heavy boots giving chase. Her lungs burned. Her side cramped. But she didn’t stop.
Run.Just run.
She veeredoff the main road, cutting through Mrs. MacLeish’s garden and leaping over a low stone wall. She could hear them behind her, getting closer. Three men, all larger and faster than she was.
Please.Please, I cannae let them catch me.
She turneddown an alley between two cottages, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her vision blurred with tears. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be real.
The alley openedinto a small courtyard. Piper skidded to a stop, her heart plummeting.
Dead end.
Stone walls roseon three sides, too high to climb. Behind her, footsteps approached. Slow now. Confident.
“Well, well,”the scarred man’s voice drifted around the corner. “End of the road, lass.”
Piper pressedherself against the far wall, her whole body shaking. The coins from Mr. Campbell dug into her palm; she was still clutching them. She’d been so worried about giving them to her parents, about what they’d do if she held back even a single piece.
And now they’dsold her anyway.
The three menappeared at the alley entrance, blocking any escape. They weren’t even running anymore. They knew they had her trapped.
“Daenae makethis harder than it needs to be,” the one with the missing ear said. “Come quietly, and we’ll be gentle.”
“Stay away from me,”Piper said, her voice shaking. “I’ll scream. I’ll fight. I’ll…”
“Ye’ll what?”The scarred man laughed. “Ye’re a plump little lass who cannae even outrun us. What exactly do ye think ye can do?”
Piper’s handwent to the necklace at her throat; Alexandra’s necklace, the only thing of value she’d ever owned. The only thing she’d successfully hidden from her parents all these years.
I’m sorry.
Though she didn’t knowif she was apologizing to Alexandra or to herself.
I tried.I really tried.
The third man—theone who’d been silent until now—stepped forward, reaching for her. Piper lashed out, her nails raking across his face. He cursed and stumbled back.
“Ye little bitch.”
She triedto dart past him, but the scarred man caught her around the waist. Piper screamed, kicking and clawing and fighting with everything she had.
“Feisty,”the man grunted, struggling to hold her. “I like that.”
“Let me go!”Piper shrieked. “Somebody help! Please!”
But no one came.No one in Kilbride would risk crossing men like these. No one would risk crossing her parents, who’d claim this was a family matter.
She was alone.She’d always been alone.
The manwith the missing ear pulled something from his belt—a club, heavy and dark. Piper saw it coming but couldn’t move fast enough.
Pain explodedacross the back of her head. The world went white, then gray, then dark.
The last thingPiper heard before consciousness left her was the scarred man’s voice, distant and distorted:
