Page 104 of The Shadow Sanctum

CHAPTER 29

LUNA

Snow crunches fast behind me, though the steps are even, in perfect rhythm. Too perfect to be anyone but him.

“Luna—”

Sawyer’s voice is raw, carrying through the cold. My heart skips, but I don’t turn. I don’t want to see the look on his face or hear whatever he has to say. As much as I care for him, right now, he’s the last person I want to see.

His hand catches my arm, and he spins me before I can jerk away. He pulls me chest-to-chest with him and grips my arms so I won’t move. I could. I don’t know if he knows it, but I could break his hold in the time it takes him to blink.

“Don’t do this,” he pants with anxiety I know he has but hardly ever see. “I know you’re stubborn, but you’re not stupid. If you try fighting a battle you know you can’t win, you’ll never get a chance to kill Aurelius.” He sucks in a sharp breath and continues like he’s trying to get all the useless words out before I can interrupt him. I won’t… Not this time.

“I have a plan.” He squeezes my arms. “You don’t need a ceremony to kill your father, and we don’t have time for poison.”

I frown but don’t interject, though what he’s saying is insulting. I just don’t have the heart to feel it now.

I’m not a coward. I’ll never live like a coward.

He looks behind him before bringing his manic eyes back to me. “When my island was dismantled, my enemies lit fire to my mansion to kill me. But I had a safe room, just like yours.”

Brows pinching, I nod for him to go on.

“Aurelius doesn’t know about your safe room, does he?”

“No,” I say, feigning interest.

“Then let’s lure him to the Keep.” Sawyer’s hold on my shoulders finally loosens as he nods up at the Keep. “We’ll throw shit out the window and say they’re documents that exonerate you.”

“The documents prove I’m guilty.”

Sawyer shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter; we just have to make a scene and plant doubt. Your father will try to stop it, and once he’s inside, we set fire to the building. We’ll go out the tunnel and head for the gap in the fence. Your father will be dead, evidence will be destroyed, and your people will be free to do whatever they want.”

I swear I don’t react, but Sawyer must not like what he sees anyway because the blue of his irises seems to squirm with panic. “Or we’ll find them someplace to go… We’ll go with them,” he says a bit more enthusiastically. “We’ll say the fire was an accident and⁠—”

“Sawyer.” I gently pull from his grasp to cup his face. “It’s okay.”

His Adam’s apple bobs, and he inches even closer.

“I’m going to be fine.”

We promised each other we wouldn’t lie anymore, but…

“I already have a plan,” I assure him. I don’t know if it’s kindness or cruelty, but it falls effortlessly.

He deserves better.

“I saw plenty of people in the crowd at the square who looked unsure of my father’s words. I’m going to rally them at the ceremony… It’s going to be fine. But I need you to do something for me.”

“Anything.” He grabs my wrist with so much energy, it sinks my shoulders.

I hate myself for bringing him here.

For telling him how rotten he is for forcing a woman he claimed he loved into captivity when I’ve done the same.

I told him he could leave when I really wanted him to stay. I should’ve insisted on it. I should’ve pushed him out, seen what was best for him, and acted accordingly.

My selfishness ends today.