She gave him a weak smile. “I’ll be here.”
He nodded shortly and led her mother away, matching his pace to her shorter one.
She wondered what he wanted to speak to her about. He probably just wanted to apologize again. Or settle their debts. Or say good-bye.
A hollow feeling settled in her chest as she watched him leave the room.
39
Rowan couldn’t open her eyes.
Darkness surrounded her, pressing against her. She strained her eyes, turning her head, searching for even a shade of paler gray in the blackness.
There was none.
She dragged in a rough breath, but the air was foul and damp, rot and animal musk and blood. So much blood. The breath turned into a sob and she lurched forward onto her hands and knees. There was nothing but grit beneath her fingertips. The floor was cold and uneven.
She had to get out of here.
She had to get out before the witch recovered.
Asher was gone. He’d left her behind. And Casrian… She choked on another sob. Casrian wasn’t coming. He’d only ever been worried about saving his men. He wasn’t going to come for her now that he had Asher safe.
The chains on her wrists scraped across the stone.
Her searching fingertips grazed against cold metal.
She closed her shaking hands around the rusty bars and hauled herself up, every muscle in her body protesting themovement. Her burned hand screamed in pain where it was pressed against the flaking iron.
The door was closed. Locked tight.
No.
Why had Asher left her behind? She’d trusted him. Why had he locked her in here with this thing?
The witch had stopped burning. She could still smell the smoke, but she couldn’t see even an ember. It was still. Dark. Quiet. But she knew she wasn’t alone in the cell. She knew the witch wasn’t dead.
Something moved behind her. A thread of soft laughter twisted through the darkness.
She spun around. “Stay back. Get away from me.”
A whisper of sound like dry skin rubbing together.
“Don’t.”
Another soft laugh. “Little witch, why do you run from me? I am not your enemy.”
That voice wasn’t real. It hadn’t happened this way. Asher hadn’t left her behind. She’d escaped this cell. She’d gotten out.
Casrian killed the witch. He wouldn’t lie about that.
“You’re dead.”
“Your little soldier couldn’t kill me. He’s ruined my doll, yes. But I remain. I can always find another doll to play with. There are so many of the broken things scattered about.”
A finger stroked down her cheek. Burning. Cold. So cold.
“This isn’t real.” She pinched her eyes closed until sparks lit behind her eyelids. “Not real. It’s not?—”
