Page 49 of Bound

Lucian finally speaks. “We force him to spend his final move.”

“You need him to think you are doing exactly what he wants and that his emotional warfare has paid off. Then,” Isobel almost smiles, “his pride and ego will inflate. He’ll think he’s already won. And that’s when he becomes weak.”

“We need a controlled arrival at Bachman Village. Visible enough to wake his surveillance. Protected enough to limit exposure.”

“And I need to be there,” I say. “If Carlos sees me, he’ll think Lucian’s failed to protect me, that he’s put our attack over my safety.”

“And he’ll inflate. And make mistakes,” Isobel agrees.

“No,” Lucian says.

My head turns. “What?”

His eyes are on me, and they turn black. “Careful.”

“No.” I take another step. “You don’t get to pull me back, now.”

Blaze whispers, “Where is my popcorn?”

“Shut up,” Lucian says.

Blaze shuts up. Miracles happen.

I look only at Lucian. “He calls me queen because he wants you to treat me like a piece on your board. A game move you can play when you feel threatened.”

“I do feel threatened,” he growls. “And when I feel threatened, I want to lock you away. As far from our games as possible.”

“Lucian, I see the board clearly. I’m a game player, not a pawn. But for us to succeed, he needs to think I am.

His jaw flexes. “I hate this,” he says.

“I know,” I say.

“I hate every word coming out of your mouth.”

“I know,” I say.

“I hate that you’re right.”

That makes me smile. “I know.”

Rafe clears his throat, wisely gentle. “She does not need to enter uncontrolled. We can build a contained arrival. Erin appears as part of the visible team. Not isolated. Not exposed. Lucian within reach. Blaze close. I control exterior feeds. Gregory monitors the old gate sequence.”

“And Isobel?” I ask. The room goes quiet.

Isobel’s face pales further. “Carlos said queens burn better than ghosts. He wants both, the old one and the new one.”

“And what?” Lucian asks. “You want to volunteer as tribute, Katniss?”

How dare he reference my favorite book character at a time like this.

“No,” she says, her voice thin but clear. “But if you hide me, he will use it. If I appear controlled, guarded, alive, and not crawling back to him, it may force him to adjust.”

Lucian’s stare could freeze oceans. “You do not get to ask me to trust you.”

“I’m not asking for trust,” Isobel says. “I’m offering predictability. Carlos will watch me. Use that.”

A bitter laugh leaves Blaze. “Hell of a sales pitch.”