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She flinched like I was going to attack her.
“Skies, I’ve been looking for you. I didn’t think—” I took in the sight of her, her hair shining like the polished obsidian walls, her pale skin glowing like the first star to appear at twilight. It was obvious why I hadn’t recognized her at first. “I didn’t know that—I guess I thought?—”
“Smooth,” Kah said.
“What do you want?” she asked, distrust in her voice.
I’m here to steal a map from youdidn’t quite sound right. I need a different tactic. “Do you remember me? I helped you in the mine?” I waited for a sign of recognition to spark in her eyes, but none came.
“Leave me alone,” she said, quivering and backing away toward the wall like a wounded deer.
“It might be time to turn on the charm,” Kah suggested.
I exhaled loudly, eyeing the door. The commander could return at any moment. “Let me help you, k’da?” I said, offering her the gentlest smile I could muster, which was still painfully forced. “You can’t stay here. Commander Bloodbain’s planning to kill you.”
“Bain’s not going to kill me, you fool. I love him! I’m not leaving him. Now, go away! Get out!”
Bain? Really?
If the map she possessed wasn’t the key to saving Lila’s life, I would have left this angry, lovesick girl to fend for herself.
“Jeddak, the tea,” Kah said, drawing my attention to the half-empty cup left on the table set for two. “What’s in it?”
I snatched up the cup and held it to my nose.
“Blazenhell.” I glanced back at the girl, putting the pieces together. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused. Her words slurred slightly, despite the venom she tried to put behind them. She seemed disoriented, like she’d lost her way in the endless maze of her newfound infatuation with the guard commander.
I’d been so distracted that I’d completely forgotten about Bloodbain’s conversation with the Arden servant earlier. He was using this tea to drug the girl. Even though I couldn’t tell exactly what herbs were in it, I could take a wild guess what the result was. “It’s a love potion.”
“A really strong one,” Kah added.
Suddenly, it made sense why the girl in front of me wasn’t the same brave, fiery one I’d met in the mine who’d kicked that mineguard square in the crotch.
My fist clenched at the thought of Bloodbain poisoning her for his sick purposes.
I threw the cup on the stone floor, and the girl startled when it shattered into pieces. Oh, this was not going to be easy.
I took a careful step closer to her. “Listen, I—” My next words vanished on my lips when she held up her hand to keep me away.
Kah and I both gasped.
“It’s a suli map,” I hissed under my breath, staring at the medallion-like marking on her palm.
Suli maps were rare. I’d only seen one before now. I knew just enough about them to know I had no idea how to extract the map from her hand.
Black skies, there weren’t enough curses in all of Eastlandra to mutter right now.
“Jeddak, they’re coming back,” Kah interrupted.
In the hollows of the tower, I could hear voices echoing up the stairs. Time was up. “Change of plans, Kah,” I said.
Stepping forward, I grabbed the girl’s arm and pulled her toward the door. Commander Bloodbain would return any moment, and I couldn’t waste any more time coddling this unhinged girl. I was going to have to take her with me and figure out the rest later.
“No!” she cried, sinking to her knees like a moody child. “I love him! I’m not leaving!” Tears ran down her flushed cheeks.
Of all the scenarios Kah and I had run through earlier that day, at no point did we discuss how to transport a crying, poisoned, scared girl out of this Rathalan stronghold. “See, this is why plans don’t work,” I mumbled under my breath.
Desperate, I knelt in front of her, pushing her hair out of her face. Her eyes were empty, staring through me like I was a window to another world. “Here, drink this,” I said, uncapping my flask and holding it to her lips. I forced a few drops into her mouth before she shook her head in protest.
