to leave

They flicked across my face like she was sear

sn't going to

ainst the wall. "That sounded m

o the room like she owned it. "If I wanted to threa

raid I'd embarrass y

Not hard,

brought you back here because he missed you?" she said. "This is about politics. Str

You mean like I was when I got dragged out of here in chain

flickered

o

d. "And I don't need him to wa

ght away. Then she t

hout looking at me, "he didn't sur

she

he didn't have to. The air she

moment, letting

ooked like someone who couldn't be broken anymore. Someone wh

asn't what she said.

'd seen

ybe sh

e for Kael. I wasn't here for apologies. This was about balance. Levera

that, I couldn'

ted a

o know why

t still hurts like it

easy. And when it

sharp knock j

e ti

not pr

hidden in my boot an

asked, loud e

le

"It'

htened arou

ed the

mp. Shirt wrinkled like h

. No Lena

p back. He d

ow you someth

thought w

thought

m without ask

s weren't training yet, and the servants stayed out of t

e compound that used to house the archives. I knew

nd a pillar. It looked like it hadn't been opene

you," h

is is where you dump bo

nted you dead, Elara, I'd have d

through

lls. No torches. Just darkness. Kael moved behind me a

we going?

he tr

n't sa

At the bottom was a chamber-small, sealed, and dry. Inside wer

he desk and pull

ded it

ea

ened

ard military reports-movements

I saw t

n W

ach tig

classifie

el said. "Until

ad f

sn't about Or

bout sur

months. Feeding the Alliance information. Str

a brother looki

as a

lder on the desk

N

Not smug. Not c

is a

e traced it. His contact in the East

ould

ut he didn't do it for

lin

ha

intel, they'd take you back. That they'd protect you

ground shif

o

ldn't

couldn't. Not after I saw the recordings. Not after I reali

e file again,

ngs. One of them had Orin's voice.

is intel, they'll extract her. I don't c

ke the words had

hought I knew

told me,

arry it," Kael said. "He made th

at Kael, hea

you showin

ou deserve

n't a re

ings, but kind w

e destroyed

most

you d

N

until there was o

" I a

yes b

o lose you," he said, voi

know wh

ed. My hands woul

gs you don't me

e said. "I just didn

d n

ce said e

uld speak, the l

oed from the

eyes we

to the far wall. We crouched low behind the

em. But I recognized the mark on their

lackt

aight to the b

ttered. "Take it and move. We

al and pulled out a scro

ed under

in. "What

dn't

e he c

evealing that

d for a second I t

en one

ed th

snapped t

one's

moved

for them

ried to draw his blade, but I was alread

olla

scroll and shoved

ordered

e hell i

ti

r

here deep in Blackth

e alarm,t