“She won’t tell anyone she saw us. It’d only solidify her death. Father doesn’t accept mistakes.”
“That’s…good.We don’t need the cores knowing you’re working with the rebellion.”
“I’m sure Father figured it out as soon as I beat him and stole from his office. Only I would have known my way around that well.”
“Well, at least we’re safe.”
“For now,” he whispered, grabbing the note from Caleb. I wrapped my arm around him, trying to come up with anything helpful to say.
“Do you feel better or worse after what she said?”
“Better, in a way,” he mumbled, toying with the tail of the snake. “At least she admitted to it all. Not that it makes any of it okay, but it is somewhat nice to know she loved me once. Even if only briefly.”
“What your father did to her was despicable.”
“Yeah, well, that’s what all core men do. We ruin things. Break them. Destroy them.”
Grabbing his jaw, I forced him to face me, my voice firm as I said, “Not you.”
A tear beaded on his lower lashes, hanging there as if too afraid to fall. I pressed my thumb lightly against it, catching the liquid before it could run its course. He watched me with a pained crinkle of his eyes and a stiff jaw. As if he might break and was fiercely holding himself together.
“You’re nothing like him.”
“My mother would say you’re wrong.”
“Because she never took the time to know you.”
“Or maybe you only know the better parts of me,” he said, closing his eyes and leaning into my hand.
“I know it all, Az. I’ve seen it all,” I whispered, stroking his cheek with my damp thumb. “You’re better than all of them combined.”
Pushing his forehead into mine, he breathed deeply, sucking in the air between us. When he pulled back, his tears had dried, but the agony still painted his face in tight lines and jagged strokes.
Slowly, he unfolded the parchment, flattening it on his knees before holding it up so we could both read it.
Az,
I swear to every fucking star above that if you don’t come and get the three of us soon, we will find you and beat your ass.
Things arenotgood right now. I mean, obviously, but I’m serious. Talon keeps randomly showing up at each of our houses and asking about you. He says he thinks you’re holding Nova hostage. And what am I supposed to say, huh? Pretty sure she’s the one holding him hostage IN HER CUNT?
Oh, Quinn wants me to add that you’rea bitch for not answering his lettera royal ass fora jerk for not responding to his letters.
Remind me to remind Quinn to be less uptight if we all survive this mess.
Also, I’ve got more bad news. I heard from Pri. Her mother is taking her to meet with your father next week. She’s going to offer her to him like a fucking pig, Az. Likebreeding cattle.You have to come get us. Now.
Cal
“Stars,” I whispered, my hand flying to my mouth. “They can’t be serious?”
“They’re serious,” he said. He stood, grabbing the statue of Death and rearing back his arm. I braced for the throw, but he stopped himself midway, as if frozen. I stood slowly, reaching up and wrapping my fingers around his.
“We’re going to help them, Az.”
“How? I can’t even see a path to that! My mother knows I’m alive and will be watching both the clearing and my room. I cansend the response to Cal, but he won’t be able to say anything back. We have no ability to coordinate. I can’t give him our location because it’s too big of a risk. So what do we do? How do we get them?”
He collapsed back onto the sofa, the sculpture slipping into my hand as he released it. With a groan, he dropped his face into his waiting palms. Of all the people on Dajahim, I had to be the worst one to help him with a dilemma like this. I’d fought for how long to save my family? And I had failed. Yet, in some cruel twist of fate, I was the only one who could be there.
