Weapons ready.
Punishment incoming.
Shit.
Think.
New strategy.
My face hardens as I turn back to Luna. The muscles in my cheeks are so tight, they ache. No mask, no charm, no bullshit.
“Fine.” My voice is flat as stone. “Beg.”
Her brows knit together. She moves her eyes between the Keepers growing closer and me. Unsure what to do, unsure what to think.
“Do you want to live, Luna?”
She only answers with a blink, confirmation in the proudest form.
Infuriating.
“Then make damn sure they know you ran fromme, not them. Do you understand?”
Her gaze snaps to the Keepers closing in. Precious seconds pass while she sifts through information, scenarios spinning behind her eyes.
Then—because she’s as smart as I’ve pegged her—it clicks. And for the first time, we get on the same page.
We are not friends.
We are not each other’s solace.
But it’sbothour lives on the line… And like it or not, we’re in this together.
“Somebody help me! Please, help me!”
CHAPTER 10
SAWYER
“Over here!” I yell to the Keepers as if they haven’t already found us. As if their body heat isn’t shifting the temperature.
“Help me, please.” Luna’s lower lip trembles—convincingly. Almost enough to fool me.
Wow.
Standing up tall, I swipe the dirt from my pants, brush the hairs on my arm, anything to keep my hands moving.
If they stop, they’ll shake.
If they shake, I’m scared.
If I’m scared, I’m weak.
If I’m weak, I’m useless.
If I’m useless…
“Get her back to my room,” I sneer, jabbing a finger at Luna. The first man goes to her, while a woman with two tight Pippi Longstocking braids hanging over her shoulders grabs mywrist. She yanks my arm behind my back, then grabs the other, grunting four octaves lower than her blushed-cheek face would suggest.
