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“I don’t want to sit here and do nothing.”
Atticus clenched his fists. “Me neither, but we don’t have much of a choice. And you definitely aren’t in any condition to pretend to be the hero, Leo.”
I was the useless one in this dynamic.
I was the poor man.
I was the one without power or influence.
For the good of the mission, for the good of the team, for the good of Christine, it would be better if I just gave up.
I failed her. I failed everyone.
I would have to let her go.
She deserved better.
She deserved the kind of life she would have with Augustus and Atticus.
“How long before the wedding?” Augustus asked. He was sulking in a corner of our cell. We all felt hopeless, but he seemed to be the most defeated. Atticus was angry. Augustus was devastated.
I was dying.
“I’m not sure,” I mumbled.
“My father won’t want to waste time,” Atticus replied. It was probably uncomfortable for him to not be in control of a situation.
I let out a groan as a wave of dizziness washed over me. Augustus scooted closer and touched my forehead with the back of his hand. “Shit, he’s feverish. It’s not good,” he said while peering at me with concerned eyes. I didn’t think I’d ever had him look at me with anything but indifference.
“They won’t let him die,” Atticus said, though he didn’t sound convinced.
Augustus shook his head. “I don’t know…”
I could feel my pulse throbbing painfully in my neck, as if my heart had been squeezed by some unseen force, threatening to burst at any moment. The metallic tang of blood filled my mouth, and I swallowed hard, looking up at my friends and feeling the darkness closing in around me.
“They won’t…” I murmured, my eyes fluttering.
“Leo,” Atticus’s voice sounded from some faraway place, far from the suffocating cell. “Hold on, man.”
I tried to murmur something else but couldn’t quite understand what I said. I felt my heart falter, and I gasped with the pain that coursed through my body, burning me to the core.
“Shh, it’s alright, buddy, we’re here.” I heard Augustus’s voice ring out and felt his hand on my shoulder. I gripped it tight and he squeezed in return.
The last person I thought about was Christine. I wondered if I’d still be her shadow in death.
No Such Ring
BLOODY ROYALS
Chapter One
CHRISTINE
It was as if my blood was boiling as I clenched the silver butter knife in my soot-covered hand, the cut on my palm burning with a painful scream that matched the level of rage simmering within me. My mind was already picturing how I could plunge the blade into Theodore DuPont’s eye socket, and if there weren’t a guard looming with a gun behind me, I might have gone ahead with it.
“Smile for your future husband,” said Theodore from the head of the table. “He’ll be here soon.”
My frown only deepened as my mind raced with turbulent thoughts of escape and revenge.
