From the very first moment I’d met him in that ballroom, he’d felt otherworldly—chained and restrained with a power clawing at his veins to get out.
What if it’d gotten out?
What if—
Whisper nudged me, interrupting my spiral. He pressed his massive head into my side, his golden eyes soft with sympathy.
“Did you know about him?” I asked quietly, ruffling his ear. “Wasit him? Did he burn so hot he made the wall catch fire?”
The panther sighed heavily and pulled out of my grasp. Padding toward the locked exit, he scratched at it with a whimper.
Damn.
Did he need to go out?
Did the house-trained panther need to pee?
“Eh...” I went to him, my brain fixating on this new problem, almost as if it wasn’t ready to fixate on the one caused by Lucien.
“I don’t think they’ll let you out, tiny cat. And I don’t think I’m prepared to ask them to. What if they take it as an opportunity to shoot you? What if you’re caught and they take you away?” I shuddered at how Lucien would react. “I’m not willing to take the risk.”
Turning to face the bathroom and the still raining shower, I added, “Just wait until he’s finished and then you can pee anywhere you want in there. I’ll clean up after you, okay?”
Whisper snorted as if I’d suggested he cock a leg in public.
“I’m sorry, alright?” I spread my hands in surrender. “There’s not much else I can do right now.”
The poor panther sneezed in disgust and went to sulk by the only window.
Fresh pain throbbed behind my eyes, sharp and relentless, climbing into dangerous territory.
I need air.
I couldn’t wait any longer.
Couldn’t exist in this limbo anymore.
I need out!
Panic wound tighter and tighter in my chest.
Tomorrow we would be thrown back into Cinderkeep if we didn’t run.
My aching eyes shot to the old-fashioned cuckoo clock on the wall.
10:37 p.m.
Marcus would return in the morning.
We need to go!
My gaze dropped to the blood-soaked towels on the desk.
If Marcus found out that Lucien had removed the cuffs and fried the vitalsync core. If he knew what he’d done to the wall—
Panic.
Panic over what almost happened, what had happened, and whatwouldhappen.
