“I didn’t. I gave Josh my scales, and he arranged the whole thing.”
“And that’s why you owe him,” he grumbled.
“No, I promised him a hefty commission on the sale.” I locked my gaze on the mist, because at least the mist wasn’t judging me. “I owe him because, when you guys busted him, he commed me to inform me he’d been compromised, and I begged him to take the blame for the scales.”
“Damn, Trifecta, you’re a real little villain. Not just my imaginary one.”
I pursed my lips but still didn’t look up, way too ashamed, but then another sentiment superseded my shame. Horror that I’d just confessed my crime to thewariff’s heir. The minute we were out of here, nothing would stop Remo from ratting me out.
I didn’t know if the invisible tether that had formed between us the night his little brother had tried to kill me would be present in the Scourge, but I frantically combed for it. And then I felt it! “You will take my confession to the grave, Remo Farrow.”
The strand between us vibrated like a plucked harp string, and then a knot tightened in my stomach. One must’ve tightened in his too, because his chin dipped into his neck, and his gaze dropped to his navel. “Did you just waste yourgajoïon my silence?”
“I don’t consider it a waste,” I murmured.
Shadows fell over his expression. “I wouldn’t have snitched, Amara.”
My heart ratcheted up as I searched his face. Wouldn’t he have? I’d gifted him ammunition to get me into a world of trouble. My parents loved me, that I had zero doubt about, but I’d infringed a law, so they wouldhaveto punish me.
He turned, and since he was still holding my hand, he jerked me back into movement. And then he walked so fast that for every stride he took, I had to take two. Oh, he wasn’t hurt; he was furious. “I guess now you’ll be stuck with me as a husband. Won’t that be fun?” He popped the word out.
Dread rained goosebumps over my skin. “You said you weren’t interested in my crown.”
“I changed my mind.”
I stopped walking and yanked my hand back. Or at least, tried to. The only thing I managed was to make him stop his crazy speed-walking. “You’re not serious?”
“Till death do us part, sweetheart.”
“Remo, that’s not funny.”
“Am I laughing?”
“No, you’re not. You’re acting strange and scary.” Not to mention his fingers were crushing mine. “And you’re hurting me.”
He tossed my hand away as though it were amikosand then he pivoted and stalked away, vanishing inside the mist.
23
The Cage
Ididn’t go after him, allowing him time to cool off, but I kept walking toward the cliff, hoping he hadn’t decided to return to the train without me. The thick mist made it impossible to see more than a yard away, impossible to tell where he was. My trajectory was the cliff cresting over the white smog. Although I stepped carefully over the veiled terrain, I almost stumbled twice. By some miracle, that miracle probably being my snail’s pace, I didn’t come nose-to-moss with the ground.
As the steep wall of gray rock loomed closer, metal clanked and then a thunderous, human growl rent the air.
“Remo?” I yelled, hoping the sound had emanated from him and not some beast come to slurp me down.
My name was snarled, which all at once reassured me—not a wild creature since animals neither knew my name nor spoke—and spurred my legs to travel quicker—proud Remo was obviously in a heap of trouble if he was beggingmefor assistance.
As though some god had blown out a deep breath, the mist cloaking the prison cell dissipated. And not just a little but completely, giving me an unhindered view of Remo’s predicament. His hands were wrapped around the golden bars of what looked like an oversized birdcage, his knuckles white from the strain.Please let this not be a cupola.
“Amara, behind you!”
My heart detonated as I twisted around. Since I was running, the momentum disrupted my precarious equilibrium. I tumbled, but at least I smacked down on my ass.
“It’s coming for you! Get up!”
I jolted to my feet even though I hadn’t seen anything coming for me, then backed up hesitantly, scanning the ground and air faster. When nothing moved, I called out, “What did you see, Remo?”
