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Face the devil himself.Those words echoed in my mind, feeling important.
“So where did she go? What is she doing?”
“That I can’t tell you, because I don’t know. Kenz is aware of my tendency to intervene, so she didn’t tell me her plan. She knows to reach out if she needs me, that I will help in whatever way I can, but she’s yet to do so.”
“So you have no idea what she’s got planned? What she’ll do? Where she might be?”
“No, I don’t. But I trust her. You should, too.”
Hayden gripped the phone so tightly I worried that he might break it. His tone was angry when he responded. “If you hearanything,call me immediately.”
I was pretty sure she would have responded by telling him not to order her around, but he hung up before she got the chance. He stared down at the phone, and I felt the same confusion, the same helplessness.
A single question floated through all our minds, no doubt—what now?
“What the hell was she thinking?” Char muttered.
“Should we try to find her?” I asked, an uncomfortable fear tugging at me. I pictured her alone somewhere, frightened and crying. “We could put off the plan tonight and focus on her, instead.”
Hayden shook his head. “We can’t do that.”
His words took me by surprise, given Hayden was by far the most paranoid and overprotective. It meant I’d expected him to agree right away.
He must have taken my silence for surprise, because he continued on. “Lorien is the most dangerous thing to Kenz. If we back out of our plan, Lorien will suspect something’s wrong, might realize Kenz is gone. No matter where she is, it’s safer that she’d be here.”
“So we just ignore that she’s missing?” Char asked.
Hayden sighed, and the troubled look in his eyes made me feel guilty. He was as trapped as the rest of us—worse, if anything, since he usually held himself responsible for everyone around him. This couldn’t possibly be easy on him, even as he tried to do what was best. “It isn’t about ignoring it.” His voice came out soft. “We have to focus on what will make the most difference for her. Kenz deserves to feel safe, and the best thing we can do is to give that to her. She’ll probably show back up at Nem’s in a day or two—let’s make sure she has a safe place to return to.”
I wanted to argue, but how could I? Hayden was right. We’d made our choice already, and Kenz running off didn’t change it. Finding her would be a temporary measure that would only make things harder in the future. The only option we had was to keep moving forward, to remove the threats to Kenz before they could harm her.
And in the meanwhile, we had to hope Kenz kept her head down, that she didn’t have some foolish plan in her mind, that she didn’t intervene and get herself hurt. If only I had faith that she was that sort of practical person.
Just what the hell are you up to, Kenz?
Chapter Nineteen
Kenz
Back here again, huh?
It was strange how different it felt, now. I was back in that damn cage, the same one as before. Bradley had offered not doing that, given this time I’d turned myself in willingly.
However, something fitting had me repeating the same as before. At least I wasn’t drugged this time.
Small miracles.
“You look surprisingly good.” Bradley’s voice had me turning in the cage to find him there, dressed as he usually was. It was strange just how different I felt about him as well. Instead of him scaring me, I almost saw him as a partner in crime. Or, perhaps, it was better to say he was a hyena to my lion. He would kill me if he saw an opening, but so long as I left scraps for him, he’d happily take them.
“This is better than last time.” I glanced down at my outfit, the dress far different than the one I’d been given before. “I’m surprised this one is so much classier.”
“Well, the last time your worth was mostly in your health, your age and your body. We wanted you to appear sweet and innocent and attractive. This time, however, your bloodline and power will attract bids. You should know selling is all about presentation and packaging.”
I rolled my eyes at the way he saidselling,the term bothering me. It was fair, I suppose, but it still chafed. “Did everyone come?”
Bradley nodded. “Lorien has checked in, as have Tor, Hayden, Char and Vance. None have given any sign that they know you are here. It appears your plan is working.”
“What plan? You’re giving me too much credit. I’m just here to keep them from fighting and getting themselves killed.”
