Page 182 of Twisting Beauty

“What’s taking so long?” Alistair growled from across the room.

Rua jerked her hand away from my pocket. “Um. Nothing.”

Then she stepped back from me, unable to look at me.

Her gift sat between us. Nothing.

If Alistair caught wind that she’d lied to him, he’d punish her. She was risking everything. For me.

My chest squeezed. I wanted so badly to say thank you, but I couldn’t.

My sister wasn’t evil. Just terrified and broken.

“Now throw them in the cell,” Alistair said.

Rua turned to Deargán first and shoved him, hard, in the chest with both hands. “Move.”

He walked backward toward the cell, his glare never leaving Alistair’s face.

She turned to me and the hardness went out of her face. Her hand came to the small of my back, almost gentle, and she leaned close enough that her breath touched my ear. “S-sorry.”

I let her walk me into the room that used to be hers.

The moment I crossed the threshold, the bedroom mask of it started peeling back into what it really was.

A cell.

The windowless walls closed in, the ceiling feeling like it was pressing lower. Every step deeper into the room made panic crawl higher up my throat.

Deargán stood just aside of the doorway, fists at his sides.

Alistair came up behind Rua, his gun still pointing. “Where’s the key, pet?”

Rua turned her head to him as she stood in the doorway. “Still in the door.”

Alistair smiled.

Rua stumbled forward, her hands flying out to catch her, and she tumbled into me, almost knocking us both over.

The cell door slammed shut behind her, Alistair’s face in the hatch.

The lock turned, sounding like a gun cocking.

“Daddy?” Rua’s voice came out small. “W-what are you doing?”

Alistair tilted his head. “I’m sorry, my darling. But you’ve become too much of a liability.”

“Please, Daddy, no.” Rua threw herself at the door so hard it rattled in its frame. Her fists slammed against the metal and she tugged at the handle as sobs tore out of her. “You can’t leave me here. I did everything you asked. Please.”

The sound of it hollowed something out inside me.

Alistair’s eyes moved from Rua to me through the hatch. He shook his head. “Such a shame.”

Then he turned and walked away.

Rua made a choking sound as she backed up, her hands going up to her chest. Her legs found the edge of the bed, and she slid down to the floor with her knees pulled up against her body, curled tight as she sobbed.

Not evil. Just broken.