“But how can you be so sure? No one is going to suddenly step back and make you… what? Prime Minister? King? You know it doesn’t work like that. This is a democracy.”
“I’m telling you it won’t be a problem. They will do what is needed.”
Kay pulled her hands back and folded her arms over her chest. “Let’s assume that the Council agrees that it’s the right time to reveal ourselves. What if you tell everyone about us, but they don’t choose you and Gordon to be their leaders? What will Gordon do then? This has to be done carefully, with consideration. We need to emerge from hiding in a way that doesn’t cause fear and hatred. This—”
He cut her off. “Listen to yourself, Kay. You’ve spent too much time hanging around with your norm. Sheep don’t decide whether they need a shepherd. It’s against the natural order. Why should the shepherds spend their lives hiding while the sheep make a farce out of our country, our world even? Honestly, it doesn’t matter what they think they want. We know better.”
The ice in her belly flooded outward to her limbs, and Kay had to pause as dismay robbed her of words. Her Shadows coalesced around her in a swirling armor, trying to protect her from the enormity of what he was suggesting. From the realization that he was utterly serious.
She rubbed her hands down her arms, trying to find some kind of warmth. “Those are people you’re talking about. And even if you don’t care about any of them, surely you care about me? Because, James,Idon’t want this. I have a life. I want to make my own choices, not be dictated to by you and Gordon.”
He clenched his jaw stubbornly. “You will want this. You’ll realize that it’s the best for everyone. Anyway, I promised Gordon that I would take care of you, and I will.”
God. She wrapped her arms around her belly, trying to find some kind of stability. “What does that mean? That you’ll take care of me? What exactly did you promise?”
“Nothing. It means that you’re my responsibility now.” He nodded as he spoke, muttering, almost to himself. “Everything is going to be fine.”
Nothing was fine. Nothing was ever going to be fine. James was gone, and a cruel replica was in his place. She had to get away, far away, and warn everyone.
He walked into the small kitchenette, pulled down two glasses, and filled them with water from the tap.
It was Kay’s chance. Maybe the only one.
She took off, ignoring his outraged roar behind her, and ran as fast as she could for the door. She pulled a Shadow key from the air as she ran and flung it toward the door, frantically wrapping her hands around to turn it in the lock. There was a click and she desperately reached for the door handle, but she was too slow.
James was behind her before she could get the door open. He grabbed her shirt and yanked her viciously backward. She lost balance and fell hard onto her back, winded and gasping for breath, but still fighting wildly to escape. She flung up a massive Shadow blanket to tangle him in, but he threw up his own hands, cutting through her attempt as if it was nothing.
Kay spun her hands, shaping her Shadows into a swarm of bees, and launched them, trying not to hear his howls as they flew into him, and he flung up an arm to defend himself.
Her breath came in gasping pants as she rolled onto her knees and pushed up to standing, reaching out for the door.
So, so close. She almost touched it.
But James flung a dense black Shadow over her head, and she suddenly found herself swathed inside a thick fog, unable to see anything, as if a suffocating bag had been pulled over her.
Kay tried to run, desperately pulling the Shadow off her face, frantically forming her Shadow daggers to cut it away, but it was too late. James hauled her back, one arm around her waist, his other hand tight around her neck, his voice low and menacing in her ear. “Stop it. Now.”
Kay stilled, fighting for breath.
She was covered in Shadows, unable to see, unable to drag in enough air as James marched her across the room. He shifted his grip to free one hand. Something clattered, a drawer opened and closed, and then he dragged her arms behind her back to bind her hands tightly together with tape.
She winced, but she refused to make a sound as the man who’d been her brother shackled her. He flicked away the covering over her face and towed her into the small bedroom where he dumped her onto the bed she’d seen earlier. Within a minute, he’d taped her ankles, adding more tape to join her hands and feet behind her.
When he’d finished, James looked down at her, his face a conflicted visage of sorrow and rage. “Sorry, Kay. I don’t want to do this. But you must know, if I can keep you safe, I will, whatever I have to do to.” And then he turned and left.
Kay lay quietly, letting her body relax. Allowing the shudders to pass as the adrenaline faded. Inviting the aching pain of grief to fill her. She had lost the man she had started to build her future on, and the best friend of her past, both in the space of a day.
She felt utterly broken—but she couldn’t give in. There was still a war to fight.
ChapterTwenty-Two
Kay vaguely hearda buzzer going in the background and woke up wondering, for the second time that day, who it could be. The afternoon had passed while she slept, and it was dark outside the window. The room was gloomy and she shivered in the chilled air.
James was keeping very still in the living room, as if he was intentionally ignoring whoever was at the door. After a short delay, it buzzed again. James stayed silent.
A few minutes later there was a loud banging on the door and a male voice called out, “Open the door, James. We know you’re in there.”
Kay knew that voice. What the hell was Zach doing there?
