There was a ripple through the room and my face burned, even hotter than the throbbing from my wound, when I felt dozens of eyes round on me. My fist squeezed.
“And you just inform us now?” Tess asked, her voice rising. I recognized a tendril of desperation in her voice and my belly soured when I realized that she was still trying to protect me. “That doesn’t make sense. Mina wouldn’t steal from us.”
“I wasn’t certain what I saw,” Emmi defended, his arms tightening across his chest. “But now that Benn confirms food has been taken, I believe she’s been feeding the horde king from our own rations. The door to his rooms was unlatched last night and I noticed she was gone from her bed.”
A chorus of murmurs erupted. Throughout it all, my eyes never left Kaila’s. The pregnant woman bit her lip…and looked down to the floor, unable or unwilling to keep my gaze.
Then I looked to Benn. In my ears, my blood rushed. And instead of fear, I feltrage. Fury. It burned in my veins, sizzling underneath my skin.
Because when I looked at him, I didn’t see the anger I expected. Which told me two things. He’d known the food was gone. And it was Emmi’s deception to throw blame off Kaila that led to this little show. They’d planned this. Together.
Emmi had likely told Benn today while I was locked away with Rowin. He’d known that Benn was already upset with me and had decided to tell himIwas the one stealing the food. Benn was only too happy to accept the lie. And Emmi…well, he was protecting his loverandtossing me into the fire, payback for my threats.
Benn’s footsteps were quick, booming across the floor as he strode towards me.
“What do you have to say for yourself, Mina?” he hissed when he grabbed my arm, right over the bruises that were already forming from his fingertips.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Farah and Hassan. Farah’s brows were furrowed but I hated the realization that was spreading across her face.
“I didn’t steal anything!”
I didn’t know if everyone was more surprised that the words weren’t stuttered…or that I’d yelled them in my anger. My voice was clear, overpowering Benn’s even.
“Lies,” Benn hissed, shaking me hard, making my neck snap back. “She’s lying!”
Tess stepped forward but then stopped when Benn cut her a sharp look. She bit her lip…and I didn’t even feel disappointment when she stepped back. The hesitant look she was giving me, it was like she might actually think the lie wastrue.
My best friend, a woman I considered my ownsister, thought thatIwas lying? I would never steal food from the others. Sheknewme. I had only given food to Rowin that was from my own rations.
“The real reason she was locked away today was that I discovered her plotting with the horde king!” Benn announced. “Isn’t that right, Tess?”
My heart stopped then. Tess looked at Benn, her lips parted, a flash of panic crossing her expression.
She’d told him?
Benn had known all along?
She’d…betrayed me? There was something always unspoken between us. That we could trust each other. That we would look out for each other. After Song’s death, after Jacob and the others left us, our once strong village had slowly crumbled into mistrust and fear and hunger. All were a part of our daily lives and had been for quite some time.
But through it all, I’d always had Tess.
Only now, I didn’t think I did.
It cut. It cutdeepuntil I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
Benn shoved me to the ground and I fell, smashing my knees and my knuckles against the floor, scraping back skin. Only I didn’t feel a thing.
He tugged me up by my hair until I was on my knees.
“Benn, please don’t,” Tess pleaded, her voice shaking.
“Look at them all,” Benn rasped in my ear, his hot breath making my flesh crawl.
I was strangely numb inside, though I did as he asked, meeting the eyes of the group. Dozens and dozens of pairs of eyes. All different colors and shapes and sizes. All looking at me with anger, or pity, or disappointment, or discomfort.
“Tell them what you did,” Benn said, shaking me, his fist curling tighter into my hair. “Tell them!”
When I looked at Kaila, I swore there were tears in her eyes. I saw her tug on Emmi’s hand and he cut a look towards her. He shook his head, his lips pressing together.
