“The guards will go section by section along The Wall until they’ve found you. And unless you have some secret way out of Solis, you’re not going to make it very far with the barricades they set up along the streets. Not to mention the surveillance drones that will soon pick up around the Quarter.”
I watched the two males exchange a silent conversation, clearly debating their options before turning to me.
“And what do you propose?” Blackwood asked, amber eyes narrowing as he tugged his dunewrap up against his nose.
“Follow me,” I replied before blending into the shadows and leading the way.
25
CALLUM
SCOUTING DAY 13 (6 days since last contact with Guild)
“Don’t smokein my apartment. It’s not attractive.”
I took another slow draw as I stared at the female across from me, her cheeks darkening under my gaze. “I didn’t realize you cared whether I was attractive or not.”
I let out a long exhale as she paused. “I don’t—I didn’t,” she stammered as she picked at her fingernails nervously. “Just don’t smoke, okay.”
I could have ignored her comment, but something about the way her cheeks flushed nervously as she demanded I stop had me pausing. Pressing the tip against the dark hue of combat pants I’d worn today, I confirmed the embers were out before I glanced up to find her watching me, a look of surprise across her features.
“Satisfied?” I prompted as I settled down on the couch in her apartment.
“No,” she bit back. “You lied to me.” The first real wordsshe’d said since she’d brought us back to her apartment after we escaped from the Tilted Tavern.
My eyes narrowed at the accusation. “Once again, how?” I questioned, the word coming across harsher than I’d intended.
“For the past few weeks, you let me believe that you both were guards for Lucanus,” she stated.
“We did,” I confirmed as I met her gaze, watching the fire blaze in her eyes. “But I didn’tlieto you.”
“You just admitted you did,” she answered.
“No,” I said. “I admitted that welet you believethat we were members of the RSG.”
“Same thing.”
“Perhaps,” I replied. “But I will make one thing clear, Raelyna.” Her sea-glass hazel eyes widened the slightest fraction at my use of her actual name. “Ididn’tlie to you. Not once did I specify that I was a guard—that I worked for Lucanus. Or anything of the sort.”
She laughed, a cruel laugh of disbelief, and I felt the hit. “You were wearing RSG uniforms. You were inside the court. You may not have directly lied to me,Callum, but you let me believe that you were something you weren’t, without ever once changing the narrative.”
“You’re right,” I said, guilt nagging at me, even though it had to be done.
She scoffed. “I know I’m right. The other day, you asked me to trust you.”
I nodded, remembering the moment.
“Well,Cal, there’s always a reason not to trust someone. And you . . . you just gave me yours.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I physically pulled back at her words. I had always known keeping my true identity a secret could hurt her, but I didn’t have any other option.
“I’m sorry, Rae.” The words came out in a pained voice. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice,” she whispered.
“If you no longer have any reason to trust us . . .” Axel interrupted as he pinned his gaze on her. “Why are we sitting here, in your living room, while RSG members search the Tilted Tavern for the two Aurelian Guild spies?”
Her breath caught as she looked between the two of us, the question having clearly caught her off guard. My fingers drummed against the worn material of the faded purple couch. Waiting for a reply, I took in the surroundings of her living room, including the stack of books on an end table and the family photos that decorated the space.
