Rhay’s eyes travelled down her face, focusing on her neck, which was still slightly bruised. Frowning, he took a step closer. “Did Saydren not give you anything for that?”
Lora crossed her arms. “You mean the bruises thatKarwyngave me?” Rhay visibly flinched. “Let’s not sugarcoat it. Saydren didn’t because Karwyn told him not to.”
Rhay didn’t look at her. “What happened, Lora? What did you do to provoke him?”
“What didIdo?” She let out a curt laugh. “You’re asking the wrong questions. Why don’t you ask your best friend whatheis doing?” Lora moved closer to Rhay, but he tilted his head away. “Aftereverything,are you still too afraid to see what’s right in front of you?”
Rhay’s eyes were like the ocean in the middle of the night, waves about to break. “Karwyn won’t tell me the truth, so tell me.Please.” He turned his head to face her. She was surprised he would ask her. “What is it you and your friends andRioare trying to do? Take Karwyn down? That’s never gonna happen. You can’t stop him.” Now Rhay was the one laughing. “You think I don’tknowwho Karwyn is? I know now. I fuckingknow.Part of me wishes I never became friends with him.”
“So your solution is to sit by and look away every time Karwyn does something wrong? Did you know he planned the attack in Quarnian?”
Rhay clenched his jaw.
“Did you know before or after the attack? Does it even matter to you?”
He dropped his gaze again, which only increased her anger. “Doesanythingfucking matter to you?”
“Ididn’tknow before.”
“But if you had known, you wouldn’t have done anything to stop it, would you? Just like you didn’t do anything to stop Karwyn from hurting me.”
Rhay pushed a hand through his messy pastel blue hair. “I…I don’t know. Fuck, I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry that I juststoodthere—”
Lora pointed a finger at him, her voice rising. “Youdoknow. You would have ignored it. It’s all you bloody do. You donothing.”
“I did tell you about that door, didn’t I? If it wasn’t for me, Karwyn would have caught you in the underground.”
“It’s not enough.”Not even close.
“What areyoutrying to do?” Rhay snapped, anger blazing in his eyes—at himself or her, she didn’t know. “What areyouaccomplishing? Your friends are gonna end up dead, that’s all you’ll have to show for it.”
His words hit her like a slap in the face. The thought had crossed her mind often. But there was no going back. They were all in it.
A new thought came together in her mind. “Is that why you flirt your way through half the palace but never actually connect with anyone? Never take anything seriously?” Rhay took a step back as if he could save himself from Lora’s words. “Are youscaredthat if you really let yourself care about someone, Karwyn will take that person away from you? Because there’s only one person Karwyn cares about, and it’syou.If he decides to, Karwyn could take anyone from you for his own benefit. The only one safe isyou.”
Rhay didn’t respond, but she thought she saw tears gathering in his eyes. Lora got closer, not letting up. “Doesn’t it get lonely never letting anyone in, never having anyone’s back, never taking a side, never—”
“Stop it!” Rhay yelled, cutting her off. Lora didn’t flinch, embracing his anger. “You think it’seasyfor me? I fuckinghatemy life, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear? Are you fucking happy now?” He took out his blood-red flask and gulped down the liquid inside before she could respond.
There was a deep sadness hidden within the party-loving persona Rhay had created. She could see it now, and it broke her heart. But at the same time, she wanted to shake some bloody sense into him.
“I’m not happy, Rhay,” Lora replied, her voice turning gentle. “I wish you weren’t in the position you are in. I wish you could party and drown all your worries, but life doesn’t work that way. Sooner or later, it will catch up to you, and that time isnow.” She laid her hand on his arm, staring into those troubled ocean eyes.
“You once told me I shouldn’t be anything but myself, and you were right. It was hard, but I’m starting to see therealme. The question is, who areyou?Who do youwantto be? Who is hidden underneath all that booze, all that deflection?”
Rhay turned his gaze to where her hand touched his arm, then up to her face. She could see the struggle shining through his eyes. His expression turned pleading as if he wanted her to take it all back, to erase everything that had been said. Breathing in slowly, she waited for Rhay’s response.
A veil fell over his eyes. He pulled back. “I wish I knew. But you’re right. I can’t go on like this. I should leave the palace, leaveeverything—”
“Are you serious?” Lora yelled, her blood boiling. “That’s your solution? We’re all trapped in Karwyn’s web, leaving isnotan option. We have to—”
The door pushed open abruptly. Rhay’s head whipped around, but Lora caught the brief flash of relief on his face at the interruption.
Layken peeked into the room. “Time to go, Rhay. You’ve been here long enough.”
Rhay gave Lora one last confused look, then rushed out of the room. She only hoped he would make the right decision. He’d been living this fake life for far too long. It was time he broke through the wall he’d built around himself and finallyacted.
They could use his help. No one was closer to Karwyn than Rhay. No one else had that kind of insight. And no one else had the potential to royally screw them over should he choose to follow Karwyn.
