“Why do you hate me so much, Stanley?” I whisper.
“Because you belong in Slate. That’s where you’ve always belonged. Those assholes with their expensive clothes and pretty jewels have put ideas in your head. Made you believe you are worth more than you are. When you aren’t. You’re worth nothing, nothing at all.”
It isn’t about that at all, of course. It’s about power. Once, he had some over me. Now he’s lost it and it’s made him angry, jealous, and cruel.
“And where do you belong, Stanley?”
“Somewhere better,” he says. “Somewhere better than you. Iron.”
“Maybe we all deserve somewhere better.”
“Stupid dreams,” he says. “Stupid words. You think I’m dumb, Briony Storm, but I’m not. I know how this ends. If you’re lucky enough to survive this, if you’re lucky enough to defeat the Empress – and let’s face it,” he digs that knife a little further into my throat, his fingers squeezing as hard as they can againstthe bones of my shoulder, “that’s looking mighty unlikely right now – all you’ll do is put your little boyfriend on the throne, and nothing – nothing at all – will change. Not for people like me.”
I nearly snort. All of his words are ridiculous. Describing Beaufort as little when he’s anything but is probably the most ridiculous of all. Has he met the man?
“That’s not what’s going to happen, Stanley. I won’t let that happen. I am going to change things.”
“Meaningless words. Because I’m handing you over.”
“You know you can’t. You know all I have to do is send my magic soaring through my veins and melt you alive. I can fry your skin on your bones. I can kill you in an instant, Stanley Chandlers.”
“But not before I’ve thrust this knife through your neck and killed you first.”
“And I’ll heal it. I’ll heal the wound. I won’t die, Stanley.”
I can feel his body hesitate. He didn’t know that. He didn’t think of it.
“You’re lying,” he says.
“Do you really want to find out?” I say, venom on my tongue.
This boy tortured me so many times, just like my stepmom did. He doesn’t get to decide my destiny. He doesn’t get to hold any power over me ever again.
“Do you want to find out what I’m capable of?” I whisper.
He growls.
And I don’t give him a moment longer. He’s had too much of my time and my attention to last a lifetime.
I zap him with my magic.
It’s not enough to do all those things I threatened. Itisenough to have his body spasming on the ground, and I jump away from the knife, reaching up to touch my throat. Red droplets of blood stain my fingertips. I peer down at him, writhing on the ground in agony, as I heal my throat.
I could waste a lot of time torturing him, but I have better things to do.
So I send my magic into his brain and turn it off like a lamp.
He’s not dead – just unconscious – but he won’t be causing any trouble.
I roll his body to one side and run to find the others.
I find them standing in a row, peering out toward the marshland.
“What was that noise?” I cry as I come to a skidding halt between Beaufort and Fox.
“Look,” Beaufort says in amazement, his gaze fixated straight ahead.
I follow his gaze and see a band of shimmering light encircling the grounds of the academy.
