I don’t actually know where Ryker took her. Don’t have any idea if she’s safe or captured or already dead. But I need Alaric to believe she’s far away. Need him to think she has run for her life and won’t be coming back.
“You know what else?” I lean my head back against the wall, exhaustion creeping in again.
Alaric’s eyes narrow. “What?”
“She won’t come looking for me. You know how much she hates me.” A resentful smile tugs at my lips. “You’ve seen it. Everyone has. She can barely stand to look at me. She sent me away for six years because she couldn’t deal with having me around.” I shake my head. “So, you’ll have to make do with me, I’m afraid. She’s not coming back to save someone she can barely tolerate.”
He studies me for several seconds. Then, his hand pulls back and strikes me across the face.
My head snaps to the side yet again. Stars explode across my vision.
“I will beat it out of you,” he says calmly. “One way or another, you will tell me where she is. Who took her.”
I slowly turn my head back to face him again. Blood drips from my split lip. “You’re welcome to try.”
“Brave words for someone in chains.”
“I’ll bite out my tongue before I tell you anything.” I say it flatly, without emotion. “I’ve already accepted that I’m going to die here. You can’t threaten someone who has nothing left to lose.”
For the first time since entering the cell, uncertainty flashes acrosshis face. He’s realizing I mean it. That torture won’t work because I’ve already given up.
“We’ll see about that.” He turns and stalks toward the cell door.
“Alaric.”
He pauses, glancing back at me over his shoulder.
“I hope she lives long enough to watch your legacy burn.” I hold his gaze. “I hope she’s there when everyone finds out what kind of monster you raised.”
His eyes flash gold. Then he’s gone, the cell door slamming shut behind him.
I sag against the wall, my body screaming in protest. Blood trickles down my arms. My face throbs. My ribs ache with every breath.
But my mother got away. That’s all that matters.
I close my eyes and let my head fall back against the stone. My wolf whimpers deep inside me, trapped and frightened. I try to reach for her, to offer comfort, but the magic in the chains keeps us separated.
Time passes in a blur of pain and exhaustion. I drift in and out of consciousness, jerking awake whenever my body slumps too far forward and the metal chains dig deeper.
I’m not sure how long I’ve been sitting here when I hear voices. Familiar voices. Then silence, then footsteps.
My head lifts slowly. I must be hallucinating. There’s no way…
“Oh my God.” Anne appears at the cell door. Her hand flies to her mouth, her eyes wide and anguished as she takes in my appearance. “What have they done to you?”
I stare at her. At her face, which looks too real to be a dream.
“What are you doing here?” The words come out slurred. “How did you get in?”
“Sienna and I flirted with the guards.” The shock has left her voice. “Slipped a little something in their drinks. She’s keeping an eye on them.”
I shake my head, trying to clear it. “You’ll get caught.”
“We have maybe ten minutes before someonechecks on them.” Anne grabs the bars of the cell door, pulling hard. The metal doesn’t budge. She pulls again, harder, her face straining with effort.
“What are you doing?” I watch her struggle, but it’s futile. “Stop. You can’t—”
“I’m getting you out.” Anne grunts, still pulling.
