“Please be safe,” she said softly to him. Then even softer she whispered, “I can’t lose you too.”
He pulled her into a hug, tucking his head into her neck, before he smirked. “Well, now I guess I have to come back since I’m so important to you and all.” She laughed, the sound more of a sob being muffled through tears. “I’ll see you in about twenty hours,” he said as he stepped out of her grip.
Peter turned toward where Kallon was lurking in the corner. Her hair was braided out of her face. Today it was black and saffron, the two colors mixing in intricate twists behind her back. She was armed with hidden daggers in case anything went awry. Peter had just as many, and I prayed he knew how to use them. Not that it would do much against all the guards in the prison. They were the most lethal and powerful Advenians from both the Tennebrisian guard and the Luxian army. Only the top of each took shifts watching over the prisoners.
Before Brock became second in command, he used to get rotated down there, which was the only reason I knew anything about it, but he barely went into details. He hated it, claimed over and over it was the most horrid, fucked up place imaginable. A pang of guilt rang through me.
I prayed Rainer was able to find him—not because he knew the prison layout better than anyone, and we wouldn’t have to go in blindly if he were here—I honestly didn’t give a shit if Brock wanted to sit this one out or not. I just needed him to be okay.
I shook my head, knowing Brock, he’d offer to help even if he could barely stand up straight.
I tried not to think about the constant torture he was mostlikely enduring just because of his association to us. He didn’t deserve whatever he was going through. Everything that’s happened in his life has been from taking on punishments for things he didn’t do, and I fucking hated that I was now adding to the list.
“You ready?” Kallon asked Peter as she came up behind him.
They disappeared before he could nod, leaving a trail of black and purple smoke in their wake.
I didn’t thinkthings could get any more tense as Rumor, Dovelyn, and I ate breakfast the next morning. Twenty-six hours had passed, and they should have been back by now.
“You know we have to leave today. Whether they come back or not. We can’t stay and wait for them,” Dove said as she took a sip from her glass.
Scottie’s plate was untouched. She hadn’t eaten anything since Kallon and Peter left yesterday. She set her fork down—which she was only using to move food around her plate—and glared at Dovelyn. “You can leave whenever you want. The door is there, but I’m staying and waiting for them.”
Dovelyn’s icy eyes turned to her. “Don’t you dare order me around inmyhouse.”
“This isn’t your house. It’s Tezya’s, and I’m not ordering you. I’m informing you where the door is. Unless you want to use the balcony again. Feel free to fly away. Whichever you prefer.”
“Well, you’re a bitch this morning. All I was saying is that the King is bound to notice you and the blonde’s disappearances, and if he realizes it earlier than anticipated, and you’re still here, you’ll regret it when he finds you. We already agreed before Kal and your friend left that we’re leaving the condo tonight. This is the first place he’s going to look for you, and it’s foolish to wait here any longer.”
“Don’t pretend to care about me,” Scottie snapped. I was surprised to see so much loathing in her voice. I knew the two of them never got along, but this was different.
“I don’t,” Dovelyn said casually, “but my brother does, and I care for him.”
“Is that really all you’re worried about? That your brother would be sad if I was gone?” Scottie nodded her head toward me but didn’t turn her gaze away from Dovelyn. “Or are you worried that if I’m captured, I’d join your father? I overheard the conversation you had with Tezya. I think you used the phraseI will turn against him.”
Holy shit. Everything stilled. Dovelyn actually stopped eating to glare at Scotlind.
“No? You don’t want to talk about that?” Scottie sneered into the silence with a surprising amount of coolness in her voice. Dove and I were still speechless. “How about we talk about the fact that you were the reason I was sent to Tennebris. Did you murder my parents?”
Fuck. That confirmed she overheardeverything. My mind whirled. How long had that been stirring inside her?
“What? No, of course I didn’t kill them. I wouldn’t do that,” Dove deadpanned.
“I don’t believe you.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t kill your parents.”
“Then why don’t you enlighten me?”
Dovelyn said nothing.
“No? You don’t want to talk about that either?” Scottie huffed. “Tell me, what other secrets are the two of you hiding?”
I felt gutted, finally understanding the full extent of her anger. I promised I wouldn’t keep anything else from her, but I lied. Again.
I was about to explain when Kallon and Peter portaled back.They were both drenched in water with a puddle already collecting under their feet.
Scottie jumped to her feet and rushed over to them. “Are you okay? What happened?”
