Page 59 of By the Flames of Her Fury

I swallowed, nearly choking on my own words. “Yes, yes—do whatever you want to me. I’ll give you my magic. Just don’t hurt him.”

He smiled, teeth gleaming, then rose to his feet. He tipped his head toward someone on the other side. Just like that, the screams stopped. I slumped to the ground, barely able to hold myself up.

Mortep tapped on the cell bars. “You’ll be a bit more compliant next time, won’t you, little bird?”

I gave a single nod, and my head sank lower. The guards chained Swift’s door shut once more, then stalked down the corridor and out of sight.

It was silent.

I squeezed my eyes shut, summoning the strength to crawl to the wall. I pulled myself up and leaned against it.

“Swift,” I whispered, voice shaking. “Swift, please—please be there. I—I can’t⁠—”

I can’t, what? Bear the thought of him being gone? Listen to any more of his screams? Live with myself for causing him pain?

“I’m here,” he rasped.

I sobbed, pressing my palms into the wall as if I could feel him. “I’m so sorry,” I gasped out. “I’m—I’m so sorry, Swift. It’s my fault. He did it because of me. Because I wouldn’t do what he asked. I’m so⁠—”

“Don’t apologize.” He coughed, then let out a grunt. “You can’t give him what he wants. That’s how they win.”

I slumped farther down the wall. “I have to. When it was just me, I didn’t care. But now, I—I can’t listen to him hurt you. I can’t—” My voice caught, and I took a breath. “I can’t stand it when you’re in pain.”

Mortep was right. He found my weakness. I would do anything he asked of me.

It was quiet again, and I thought Swift had passed out. Then I heard his exhale, right by the hole in the wall. “I’m still here,” he murmured. “It’s over, and I’m okay.”

I swallowed another sob. “For now. He’ll come back.”

“Promise me something,” he said.

“What?”

“Promise you won’t stop fighting.”

I took a breath. “Swift, I⁠—”

“Listen to me. I heard what you said, when you told him to take you instead. You were going to give up.” He grunted in pain. “Don’t ever say that again. Don’t ever trade yourself. Not for me, not for anything.”

“But—”

“No,” he said. “I’d rather scream. I’d rather bleed. I’d rather he break every bone in my body than watch you offer yourself for me.”

I cupped my hands over my face, feeling hot tears surge down my cheeks.

“I can live with the pain,” he whispered. “But I can’t live with losing you. Songbird, I—” He cut himself off, and I thought he was going to say something else. Instead, he said, “Promise me. Don’t let your fear make you unable to fight.”

I shook my head, knowing he couldn’t see me, then took several deep breaths. I didn’t know when we had become this. When the thought of losing each other hurt worse than anything Mortep or Scarven could do to us. When his safety meant more to me than a lifetime spent in that laboratory chair.

But I needed him. Desperately. And now, Mortep knew, too.

“Okay,” I said on an exhale. “I—I promise.”

28

Everett

Isensed the dryness in my mouth first, then the uneasy rocking of a ship. I pried my eyes open to find Tessa’s legs thrown on my bed, her head leaned back with her tricorn over her face. I pushed her legs off mine with a grunt. They slammed to the ground, and she shot upright.