Maybe Adelaide was right. I do need a vacation.
When I drag my duffel bag from the closet and text Adelaide to let her know I’m leaving, I tell myself it’s an ordinary trip. Driving somewhere far from here to clear my head. A long vacation until I relax and feel like myself again. Because helping a killer escape justice? That isn’t me. I'd never forgive myself.
I shove clothes into the bag without paying attention, hands moving on autopilot while my brain spins in circles. I'm already out the door, bag slung over my shoulder and keys in hand, when my feet stop moving.
I won’t be able to live with myself if I help a killer escape justice. But what if I can help an innocent man and I do nothing?
I can’t live with that either. And if the man happens to be my mate…
When I turn around and head back inside, my mind’s already made up. If I walk away when there’s a chance he’s innocent, when I have no idea if he’s truly my mate, I’ll never stop wondering.
I need to see this through.
I yank clothes from my duffel and raid my roommate's closet instead. We’ll also need scent blockers, non-perishable food, what else? Gathering supplies takes a bit of time but the basics of a plan are all figured out when I’m finished. I put into motion as much as I can beforehand and then… it’s time to leave.
Time to risk everything for a demon I barely know. A demon who might be my mate.
What if I’m wrong about Marlow? What if I’m the only one who’s right? Something tells me to trust him. I can’t quite makethe leap and call him my mate, but… it doesn’t really matter. If I’m the only person willing to help an innocent man no one else believes, it doesn’t matter what our connection is.
I’m in, no matter where it leads.
7.Not Exactly aRomanticGetaway
Wynn
Marlow doesn’t notice as I approach his cell. I rap my knuckles against the bars, and he jumps, doing a double take. He shakes off the surprise a moment later and joins me near the front of his cell like he was expecting me in the middle of the night. Whatever he's about to say dies on his lips when he catches my expression. His mouth snaps shut. Good. This is already going well.
"Don't speak," I warn. "Don't say a word. Swear to God, I'll turn around if you try anything funny. The only thing I want to hear is an answer, an honest one. Do you understand?"
Marlow nods.
"Drink this." I extend a potion vial. He reaches for it, his fingers grasping the bottom while I hold the top, carefully avoiding contact. He raises an eyebrow in question.
"It's a truth potion."
"Is this really necessary?" he asks quietly.
"You better hope I don't start asking that question. Is it really necessary tostick my neck outfor you, torisk my own freedomon a man who's already tricked me and—"
"Okay, you were right. No talking. My bad." He mimes zipping his lips.
I roll my eyes and gesture for him to hurry up.
His whole face scrunches up as he figures out the logistics of drinking something when he just mimed zipping his lips. Ridiculous. He makes a quick slashing motion over his mouth, undoing the imaginary bind he just made, before gulping down the potion quickly.
We both wait. The potion needs a minute to settle into his bloodstream. Standing still and waiting has never been harder.
I go over everything in my mind for the millionth time. The last guard made his rounds an hour ago and already checked on the prisoner for the night, so we should be in the clear there. Since we live in a magically protected area run by covens, our pack trusts magic and the enchantments fortifying Marlow’s cell.
The patrols up top have tripled as a precaution, but I memorized the rotation. If I've calculated correctly, we'll slip through the gaps between shifts.
No one should get in trouble for the prisoner escape either. Marlow’s already escaped custody once, so he's capable of doing it again. And his rap sheet was obviously missing a few details since it didn’t include his little gargoyle friend.
Okay, then. This is it. Moment of truth. The potion’s circulating in his system. There are two things I need to know.
"Did you kill anyone?" I ask.
"No," he answers without hesitation. Good. That's good.
