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Cavis slumped against the wall, his eyes glassy. Crawling over to him, I reached for his hand. It was freezing.
My whole body trembled. My wounds were shallow enough that I wouldn’t bleed to death, but the pain remained.
“Cavis? Can you hear me?”
He slowly turned his head, a hint of recognition entering his gaze. “Pris. You need to kill me. I can’t do it myself. The compulsion won’t allow it.”
I snatched my hand away. Cavis caught it and squeezed.
“Cavis—”
“Listen to me. I know too much. I’m…remembering now. Regner waited all this time so I would have decades close to his enemies. So I would know the fae court. So I would understand Conreth’s mind, predict Lorian’s strategies. I know how our people respond to threats, and who will be used for each type of attack. I understand how each territory will vote, and who is likely to work with Conreth. If I live, Regner will learn all that information as well.” Grief flickered across his face.
I shook my head. I wouldn’t even entertain this. “We’re going to find a way to undo what he did to you,” I said. “As soon as we get out of here, we’ll travel back to Lorian and the others. We’ll keep you somewhere you can be watched while we learn how to…”
“There’s no fixing this. The longer I spend alive, the greater the threat I present to you, to Lorian, to everyone. I know how to break the fae wards at the hybrid camp. The camp where Sybella and Piperia are currently living.”
My eyes stung. I heard what he was saying. But if we managed to get free of this place, he could be healed. I knew he could.
“Cavis.”
“I’ve lived a beautiful life, Prisca. I may have lost parts of myself while I was too young to remember it, but in exchange, I found brothers whom I’ve fought back-to-back with for decades. I found Sybella. Piperia. I would die a hundred times to keep them safe.”
My throat was so tight, it ached. “You deserve more time. Don’t give up, Cavis. Please.”
Cavis just squared his jaw.
I refused to accept this. Refused.
The manacles around my wrists seemed to tighten in response to my thoughts, and I studied the locks. Unfortunately, they’d confiscated my hairpins. I swept my gaze around the cell.
“The red-haired guard has the keys to our chains and the cell,” I whispered to Cavis. “We’ll need to work together.”
The look he gave me was achingly gentle. “Tell Sybella it was always her for me. From the moment I saw her. She knows it, but I want to remind her. Tell her…tell her every second of this was worth it for the time I got to have with her. And one day, when Piperia’s old enough, tell her I helped in the war against Regner. Feel free to make my part larger than it was.” His smile widened, even as his eyes glittered. “Every little girl should think her father was a hero.”
My throat was so tight, I couldn’t say a word. Cavis just continued talking.
“Look after Lorian. Hold him tight and savor every moment. He’s been waiting a long time for you. And tell him and Galon and Marth and Rythos… Tell them that being their brother was the honor of my life. “
“I’m not talking about this.”
Cavis let out a low laugh. “Don’t lose that stubbornness, Pris. You’ll need it. I remember now, you know. When I was a small boy. I remember my parents dying, and I remember running for safety. Someone hit me, lifted me into their arms, and I was taken to Regner. He was pleased to learn of my power. He said one day I’d tell him all the secrets I’d learned over my life. All the conversations I’d overheard in every language.”
We were quiet after that. I refused to entertain the thought of him not walking out of here, and he seemed content to stare thoughtfully at the wall.
Eventually, I began to shiver. Cavis lifted his chained hands, and I shuffled until I was lying against his chest. “Don’t give up,” I begged.
“I’m not. But I need you to be prepared. If something happens to me, you get out.”
“Stop,” I insisted. “We’ll get out. Or Lorian and the others will find us. It’s going to be okay.”
Cavis smiled. But he didn’t agree. “Promise me, Pris. You get out, and you don’t let them break you. You don’t let this break you.”
I stared into those dreamy eyes, unable to deny him this. “I promise.”
* * *
The bitch wasn’t lying.
