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“Are you crazy?” She sputtered, wiping at her face and scowling at Isaacs.

“I’m a survivor.” More gruel got dumped into her mouth. “I’m going to teach you to be one, too.”

Randa turned her head, trying to evade him. “You eat, if you’re so keen on staying alive.” Anger lit her eyes, and Kahn was thrilled to see it. She wasn’t broken. Not by a long shot. “I would rather die than let him touch me, again.” She told Isaacs fiercely. “I would rather die than…”

“You’re going to live.” Isaacs interrupted, like it wasn’t up for discussion. More food went into her mouth, ruthless and uncompromising.

Randa choked, spitting most of it out. “That tastes vile!”

“We won’t leave a tip for the chef. But it’ll keep you alive.”

“Why do you even care? We don’t even know each other.”

Isaacs focused on the bowl, as if it hurt him to look at Randa’s bruised face. “Earlier this week, Ty, of the Water House was in this cell. I put her here.” This time he offered the spoon to her, rather than insist that she eat.

Randa reluctantly took it, her temper fading. “Is Ty dead?” She asked in a resigned tone.

“No, Gion saved her. I figured he would. I’d just hoped he’d kill Parald, while he was at it. Instead, they’re gone and I’m in here. But I didn’t expect…” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Blood was caked in the blond strands, creating sticky clumps. “He took you, because he’s pissed at me and Ty and Gion. He wanted a distraction and a target. I’m sorry. I didn’t expect him to pick some unwilling, totally innocent girl to victimize.”

Randa swallowed some gruel and wrinkled her nose in revulsion. “It was Saxon.” She drew in a shuddering breath. “He was my Match’s brother and he’s always hated me. I’m sure he encouraged Parald to take me.”

Isaacs considered that. “Our glorious king isn’t known for his lengthy attention span. Saxon probably thinks he can have you himself, after Parald loses interest.”

Kahn gave a furious snarl.

“I would rather die.” Randa repeated firmly.

“You can escape, before Saxon gets you. Parald’s going to beat me, again. He’s going to force you, again. He’s going to make us watch the other suffer, because we’re his toys, for the moment. But he’ll get bored. We just have to wait him out for a few days. Maybe a week.”

“A week!” Her voice went shrill, causing Kahn’s chest to knot with the need to comfort her.

He hated that she thought she was alone. That she didn’t realize Kahn was right beside her. Always.

Isaacs kept talking. “Once his attention wanders away from you, you’ll have more opportunities to escape. You need to leave the Air Kingdom. Plenty of Houses are offering amnesty to us, if we stand against Parald.”

“I’m not an Air Phase. I never became part of this House. I’m a Stone Phase and they disowned me. Where am I supposed to go?”

“To me.” Kahn wished like hell she could hear him. “Come to me.”

“Job will accept you into the Earth House.” Isaacs’ tone was certain. “Go there.”

Randa shook her head, denying the entire situation. “I can’t do this.”

“You will.” Isaacs insisted harshly. “Survival is the only choice. I have been stuck with that maniac Parald for a decade and I’m still here. You know why?”

Randa looked at him, her eyes shadowed. “Why?”

He leaned closer to her. “I’m indestructible.” He delivered that news like it was a closely guarded secret.

Randa blinked. “…Really?”

“Really.” Isaacs sounded so certain that even Kahn believed him. “I won’t give anyone else the fucking satisfaction of causing my death. Oh, no. I will endure, long after Parald and Saxon are gone, I promise you. No one will ever kill me, except me.”

Randa was listening intently.

Isaacs’ brows went up, as if he was a teacher concluding a very important lesson. “And that is how you become indestructible: You just. don’t. break.” Each word was spaced for emphasis. “You hang on to spite the world. No matter what you have to do, you survive. You endure. One more minute, one more hour, one more day.”

“I don’t know if I can do that.” But she ate more gruel.