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“I didn’t. I was pushed by one of your invisible friends.”

Lucien’s face hardened. “You shouldn’t have tried to escape. How did you think that was going to work out?”

“I’m not going to just sit and languish in this room until your family finds and murders my brother.”

“I don’t know if you have much of a choice now,” he said, nodding towards my shoulder. “I tended your wounds, but there’s only so much magic can do to help.”

He healed me? Cooked for me?

I didn’t want to believe him, but I had no reason to doubt him, either. Someone had patched me up, that much was certain. And he had been the one to bring food up to my room—twice. What was his game plan, here?

“I suppose I should be thanking you, then,” I said.

He shook his head. “I don’t need thanks. I’m just telling you what happened after you… fell.”

“I told you, I didn’t fall. The creatures your family keeps as pets decided they would have a little fun at my expense, and they pushed me.”

“They’re dangerous,” he snapped, “I know you want to leave, but that was stupid.”

A short, awkward silence followed as I glared at the side of his head; he still wasn’t able to look me directly in the eyes.

“I don’t understand. Did you come here to deliver food, or critique me on my failed escape attempt?”

Lucien sighed. “Look, I know you hate me. Whatever, you’re right to hate me, but I am trying to help you.”

“Help me? If you really wanted to help me, you would be trying to help me escape.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Then what do you want from me?”

“Nothing. I don’t want anything from you.” He paused. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“You don’t…” I trailed off.

“No. What makes you think I do?”

“You killed my family.”

“My father and Carla did that.”

“You are part of your family, which means you’re as complicit as they are.”

It looked like he was about to argue but he stopped himself, shook his head, and turned around.

“Forget it, I didn’t come here to fight with you. I came to see how you were and deliver your meal.”

“I don’t need you to check on me. I need you to help me get out of here.”

He shook his head again. “You don’t get it, do you?”

“Enlighten me, because I clearly don’t.”

“My father won’t let you leave this place. Not until you give him what he wants.”

“And when I give him what he wants, he’ll kill me in cold blood.”

“He won’t, I know that he won’t.”