But there are people on this island who do.
And despite this entire plan imploding before my eyes, I’m going to fight and get out of it for them.
“And even though you know now,” Dane continues, his voice cruel and punishing as he inches closer to me. “You’re still going to do what I say, because I’m the only way you can leave. You are still going to find the cure for her.”
I almost laugh, but I hold it in. The island has given me the only way I can truly hurt him. Back when it happened, I saw it as a curse, as the lowest point of my time here, being deemed unworthy. Now, I realize what a gift it was.
Dane doesn’t care about me, about anyone here. He only cares about one thing, and I’m about to rip the hope right from his chest.
I steel my face, the fury I feel inside flaring in my eyes as I stare him down and grit my teeth.
“I already found it.”
The shock on his face is immediate, and a wave of triumph washes over me. Knowing how much he manipulated me, how he thought he had me wrapped around his finger, succumbing to his every whim and push, I can’t help but feel satisfaction and pride at having bested him. He thought I would run to him, tell him everything I learned and everything I found, but I didn’t. I hid something from him, more than he truly knows, and watching the confidence fall from his face brings me a sick sense of joy.
I watch as the hurt crosses his face. Whether that’s for my betrayal or losing hope for helping my mother, I don’t know. As much as I can see this hurts him, I’m not through hurting this man that hurt me and people I love. He needs to pay for everything he has done to everyone here, and all the families he’s ripped the hope away from.
“It doesn’t matter what you want, or what you think I can give to you,” I snarl. “The island didn’t give it to me. So you can’t have anything. You can’t save her.”
His eyes darken and his lips pull back in a sneer.
“Then you’re fucking useless to me.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Useless.
The word stings like a slap across my face as years of emotions come cascading over me, pushing me back down into the shell of the person I was before. It’s all I’ve ever felt.
Useless to my father, to my kingdom. Useless to my mother, unworthy of bringing the healing waters home to her.
My entire life has consisted of the driving need to prove myself, to be worth my place and worthy of notice.
Until now.
From the moment I stepped onto that ship, even before I saw it myself, I wasn’t useless. I became part of something, part of a crew, who saw me for who I was.
Lennox.
Someone who isn’t useless with a blade, who protects and defends those she loves, and who is a new part of this crew, this family, a place no one else can fill.
They never saw me as useless.
Because I’m not.
Dane may know who I am, where I come from, but he doesn’t know the real me. Something deep inside urged me to hold thatpart close, to keep it hidden from him. It urged me to hide things from him, not to tell him about the map, about meeting Weston, all things that completely altered the trajectory of my time on Dawnlin, and brought the truth to light.
Maybe it was the magic, or maybe it was me, but whatever it was, I’m grateful for it, even down to the nightmares that have plagued me, planting a seed of uncertainty about him that ended up being real.
Like Sig said before I left her and the rest of the Castaways behind, I know who I am.
I will not let him control me or influence me any longer.
And I’m going to fight.
There’s no one waiting for me outside, no one to count on if something goes wrong, no one to scream for. It’s just me and Dane, and I have a family to get home to.
I lunge quickly, rolling off the end of the bed toward the hearth with one sole focus. My fingers wrap around the scabbard as I yank it toward me, trying desperately to pull the blade free, but Dane is too quick. As if he read my intentions, he’s on me in a flash. His thick arms wrap around me, pinning mine to my sides, and I thrash wildly against him, trying to get enough space to release the knife.
