“That’s it. Good girl… Only a few more steps.”
My knee struck a wooden bench, and I frowned, blinking down at the offending object.
“Baby please!” my father shouted, stepping into my peripheral vision. “Come here. Come to me, baby girl.”
Ki whipped at me, and I turned back to Captain Rawlings as he took another step. “Look, I know it’s not ideal, and I certainly never thought—” he swept his hand through thick, dark hair, pendant swinging wildly beside the sharp line of his jaw. “I didn’t want—”
Hedidn’twant?Had he not made that clear in our alley? When he’d pushed me into the arms of the one woman I’d spent years trying to avoid? A womanI’dbetrayed in turn. My throat constricted, but I wrenched my eyes from his handsome face and stuffed my hand into right pocket. No. I wouldn’t be taken by sweet, soft words and enticing ki. Not again. This wasallhis doing.
Lies.
When his ring slipped onto my middle finger, Glaith biting deep, his eyes lit up. “Can you feel it?”
I could. A perfect match made of deceit.
But I had seen my Truth. I had watched the High Priestess’ face blanch white in the shadow of dark wings begging for freedom. Ialoneknew what lurked behind the Glaith.
“I can give youeverything,”he whispered beneath my skin.Come…
Wanted everything, did he?
Lips pulled back, I snarled, spinning the ring until the Glaith sat in my palm, trying to crush the foreign family crest into dust. Letting my Truth fill a precious stone already brimming with Elite ki. It reacted faster than the virgin Glaith the High Priestess and I had used in the labs, heating up against my skin. Burning the flesh of my palm—but I persisted, ignoring the searing pain.
The captain’s eyes went wide. “What are you doing? Stop!”
“I—” my fist began to smoke, “—am not—” flames of blue and purple ignited my skin, “—a slave!”
But I didn’t stop. In spite of the agony, I watched it burn, pushing until the pain faded and the world began to spin.
Although his lips were moving, I could no longer hear the young captain… the betrayer. Could only see the alarm spreading across his features as he began to sprint toward me. But the Glaith was too hot, and with the last of my strength, I peeled the ring free from twisted flesh, and tossed it toward the wooden benches. Sending a prayer to the Goddess that my aim be true—that this is why she’d sent me here.
To stophim.
For a moment, as it bounced on the wood, nothing happened. The captain’s feet pounding against the cold, salty floor eclipsed the silent dance of metal on wood, and when his ring disappeared from sight, I knew all was lost.
I had truly failed.
My knees wobbled and I sank to the floor in a boneless heap, watching with disinterest as the captain continued to close the gap. It wouldn’t be long now.
A flash of white seared my retinas, but I was without the strength to shield my eyes before it all went black.
Chapter 13
“Mila!”
Seized with bone cracking coughs, I gasped for breath, smothered by heavy smoke filling my lungs.
Fire.
I peeled my lids open, unable to see anything but a hazy, orange glow.
Fire. The salt caves were onfire.
Struggling to bring the world into focus, I planted both hands on the still-cool floor—and screamed.
My entire being exploded with agony, and I gasped, trying to locate the source in my inebriated state. As soon as I did, however, I wished I hadn’t. My right palm was burned black and raw, an oozing wound consuming most of what had once been recognizable. Rendering it useless.
The ring. I’d overloaded the captain’s ring.
