Page 50 of Coal Hearts

Where are we?

For all my research and poring over maps to better understand the properties of minerals and ores found on every continent, I couldn’t pinpoint where we were.

Victor joined us and smiled proudly. “Welcome to my home. Joyero.”

“Joyero?” Henri cleared his throat, his eyes round and catching dawnlight. “That’s jewelry box in Spanish.” He glanced around. “Are we in a Spanish archipelago?” The way he asked sounded as if he wasn’t happy with that idea. “Canary islands or—?”

“All you need to know is...you’re home.” Victor interrupted. “You’re free here. You can be whoever you want to be.” Striding forward, he nodded as the four guards who’d flown silent and mostly unnoticed down the back of the plane flanked us. Victor fell into step with them, Roland followed, and Henri threw me a look that mirrored my own.

The moment we stepped foot through that wall, there was no coming out.

Not without permission.

I shivered as a cool breeze blew up the cliffside and whipped in my hair. My skimpy top and frilly skirt did nothing to protect me. The stress of the night and the fear of my future sent goosebumps scattering everywhere.

“Bring your jewel, Henri,” Victor said over his shoulder, not caring we’d fallen behind again. He didn’t bind me or tell his guards to train a gun on me. He acted as if I was there by my own free will.

Sickness roiled in my stomach. The urge to run electrified my feet, and I shifted in my silver boots.

Henri stiffened. He shook his head ever so slowly, his short dark hair soaking up the fading night. “Don’t be stupid. You’d get two steps before those guards on the wall lodged a bullet in your brain.”

I glanced over my shoulder at the cliff and the smashing waves below.

Could I make it before they shot me?

“You jump, you die,” he whispered. “And I want to keep you alive for as long as possible.” With a heavy sigh, his hand snaked out and latched around my wrist. “Come on.”

“No.” I leaned into his pull, fighting his momentum. My nails dug into his hold as I scratched him. “Let me go. I have to try. At least let me try to get away. I’ll never be able to live with myself if I don’t.”

Throwing me a black look, he gritted his teeth. Another strangled heartbeat later, he huffed, “Fine.” Unlocking his fingers, he crossed his arms. “Victor, please tell your men not to shoot.”

“Wait...y-you’re letting me go?” I blinked in shock.

He checked we were too far away to be overheard before saying tightly, “I’m proving to you that there’s nowhere to run to. You’re far from home and have no one to save you.” He bent over me, his height pressing me into the landing strip with painful domination. “You’re aware I’m your only friend, and the deal between us still stands, even if it is complicated. But...I can’t promise I’ll be able to stop whatever they’ll do to you, and the awful fucking truth is, I’m the reason you were targeted. It’s your fault I’m going to end up as destroyed as you. Your fault I’m struggling. But it’s also my fault that I’ve dragged you down with me, so...if it will erase any ideas you have that you could’ve gotten free tonight and if it will ease my guilt over what I will have to do to you, then...so be it.”

Stepping even closer, he sent a wash of electricity down my back. “If I’m honest, I hope you do escape. But we both know I’ll catch you. And when I do, I honestly don’t know if I’ll be able to stop myself.”

I tripped backward.

Victor tapped his patent shoes in the lush grass. He eyed both of us before a grin stretched his lips. “Playing a game of cat and mouse already? It’s a bit early, but be my guest.” Holding up his hand, he closed his fist and shouted, “Hold fire. Let’s see how this plays out.”

My pulse skyrocketed. My skin itched with terror.

Henri groaned as if he truly didn’t trust himself.

Light broke through the stone wall as a drawbridge cracked open, dropping silently on well-oiled chains, forming a wooden road over the lake-sized moat ringing the battlement.

“I’ll give you twenty seconds,” Henri muttered. “That’s more than fair.” He glanced at an old-fashioned watch with a cloudy glass screen hidden beneath his perfectly tailored cuff. The two things didn’t match. One spoke of truth, the other hid with lies.

Who the hell is this man?

“Twenty seconds is nothing.” I backed away.

“I could give you twenty minutes, and I’d still find you.”

I winced.

The tension in his voice, the aching black promise in those words.