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I won’t let that happen to Aria and Akuji if he’s here.
Instead, I stay silent, waiting, watching, and wondering what his next move will be. Suddenly, there is a groan from Aria. My eyes snap to her as she wakes, the groans filled with pain making me wince. The noises stop, and her eyes open, squinting in the light. She lifts her head, and her eyes lock on me.
I watch as emotions cross her features, almost too fast to track—shock, guilt, worry, happiness, and fear.
I know what this must look like, but I just watch her, eyeing her bloodstained, bruised face. Her clothes are filthy, and her hair is crusted with dried dirt and blood. She looks like hell, and I’m spotless. I hate it. I want to tell her everything, to beg her to trust me, but I don’t because I can’t give the plan away.
Not yet.
She takes in my face before dropping her gaze to her chained hands and then looking back at me.
“You’re not chained.”
Her comment is casual, but I hear the accusations underneath and flinch. She doesn’t trust me. My heart cracks. Aria is my friend, one of my only friends, and she doesn’t trust me. I shouldn’t blame her, especially given what she’s woken up to, but it hurts.
I look over her shoulder to Doctor Hayes, who appears smug, and I see her stiffen and try to follow my gaze, but she can’t see him. “I told her if she tried anything, I would hurt you. Talia is smart enough to know her odds, unlike you. No, our scientist here is smarter than that.”
Her eyes stay locked on me, trying to read my expression as a million thoughts flicker through her own. Her fists clench, and I have no doubt she’s wondering if smashing heads will help. I wish it would. I wish I were half as brave as she is, but all I have is my intelligence, and right now, they need that.
They will keep Cato, Aria, and Akuji alive as long as I play nice.
I can’t stand the pain in her eyes, though, nor the anger directed at me as she questions my every motive. It hurts more than I thought it would.
“I’m so sorry, Aria,” I find myself saying, knowing I shouldn’t. I reach for her, hoping she won’t reject me. I can’t lose her, she’s too important to me. Her eyes close for a moment, and it makes me worry how severe her injuries are. Did they drug her or hit her? I glare accusingly at Doctor Hayes, who just smirks at me.
When Aria says nothing, Doctor Hayes circles behind me. It’s my turn to have my spine stiffen, uncomfortable with him behind me. Aria watches him, and I swallow my nerves.
“We knew you would come for her. I’m surprised about the other monster, but we knew her mate would follow her. It’s exactly what we wanted.”
I jerk in surprise. Did he lie to her or to me? Cato and I aren’t mated, so that’s a lie. What game is he playing, and why can’t I figure out the rules?
“A trap,” she replies, following his game and his lie better than I can. “Is Akuji okay?” she finally asks, and her voice is small and worried. Her love for her monster shines in her eyes, and I wonder if mine do that when it comes to Cato. I wonder if Doctor Hayes truly believes we are mated to monsters.
“Is that the monster we found you with?” Hayes asks, and I want to tell her not to answer, because there is interest in his voice—interest you don’t want aimed at you. It means he wants something from you. I try to warn her, but she ignores me.
“Yes,” she snaps. “Where is he?”
“Would you like to see?” Hayes queries softly, pretending to be nice, even though this is exactly what he wants. She’s playing into his hands, and I want to scream and shout, but that will do nothing. Instead, I watch Aria nod, and then her shackles are released. Her hands are still chained together, but no longer attached to the table. She tests them while eyeing him with malice. Maybe she’s not falling for his games as much as he thinks.
“I’ll take you to him,” Hayes offers and moves around me. I watch as he heads to the door, my eyes locked on Aria. I silently beg her to be safe and play the game, but I know she can’t understand.
She struggles to her feet, keeping her eyes on me, and in her gaze is a promise to come back for me.
I wish she wouldn’t. I want her to get out of here, to be safe and run away as fast as she can, because this is the true monster’s nest, not over the wall.
With one last look at me, she turns and walks from the room, and I worry it will be the last time I’ll see her.
FORTY
TALIA
Iwait in the room, but Hayes never comes back. Instead, a guard drags me from the room and back to my lab, where he throws me down and demands I work. How can I when I’m so distracted by my worry for Cato, Aria, and Akuji?
What are they doing to them while I’m chained to a table and being forced to work on the very experiments that made them?
I’m left alone for hours without food or water. Eventually, the guard reports that I haven’t been working to Hayes, and I’m dragged back to my cell and thrown inside. I scramble over to Cato. He’s on his side, jerking with the force of the collar.
Oh god, tell me they didn’t leave this on the entire time?
