The fox stealing from the lion.
Now the shackles.
I hesitated. My fingers clenched the iron rings until my knuckles ached. This was it. I might never see Gavin again, and I just stayed there, memorizing his features as if not moving meant I could stop time.
But time was a slippery thing, and mine was running out.
Moving painfully slow, I closed one end of the cuff around the metal rail, trying to time the snap with the crash of a wave. Then I eyed Gavin’s arm, still resting above his head. His wrist was inches away from the bar as if fate was on my side.
If it was easy, did that make it right? Probably not. But this was a game he’d started. And now it was a race to the vine that I had to win. I held my breath.
Click.
The second shackle locked around his wrist.
Gavin’s eyes snapped open.
His free hand shot out as I tumbled backward on my hands and feet against the cold tile. The shackles jerked, his whole body straining against the iron.
“What did you do?” His voice was sharp, fury laced with an edge of panic.
“It’s better this way.” I pushed to my feet, hands shaking as I scrambled for my gear. The cuffs clanged in the air behind me. I stuffed my feet into my boots as Gavin shouted my name.
I squeezed my eyes shut, teeth clenched against the guttural sound. Then I grabbed my gear and stood out of his reach.
“There’s food and water in your bag.”
He smacked it away. I threw it back.
“I left Cass the key. She’ll set you free after I’m gone.”
Gavin seethed. “Release me now, Marin. You’re not thinking clearly.”
“That’s the thing—I am! This would never have worked.We are broken.” I choked on the words. I hated them. “Look, you want treasure? I’ll bring you back whatever I find. I promise.”
“Marin! Unlock these cuffs!” Gavin wrenched against the shackles, muscles straining so hard I thought he might snap the rail, or worse, his arm.
“Stop! You’ll hurt yourself.”
I knew what chains could do. The raw skin. Broken bones. The streams of blood.
I felt sick.
Earlier, Gavin had been hollow. Now he was filled with rage, desperation, and a fire that blistered through me.
You better run.
It wasn’t a whisper. My mind screamed it.
I listened.
Rocking back on my heels, I spun toward the terrace stairs.
“Don’t do this, Marin. Donotrun from me!”
Moonlight glinted off the rail as my boots landed in the dirt. A sob constricted my chest. And with Gavin roaring my name into the night, I raced into the darkness.
Chapter 26
