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My face is dripping with the useless tears, but I nod to show I heard her as she leaves the room.

Unclipping my bra, Sidney’s fingers slather lotion on my back, making me sag in relief. “That’s lovely,” I whisper, my voice raspy with sadness and pain.

“Cinder went to town,” Ayden mutters as he looks at my back. “It looks like she lost control too.”

“She did.” I sigh. “I think Cinder is manic right now. She’s doing things that are reckless and stupid, losing track of time and facts that she clearly knows. There’s a summit of meetings starting this week, so she needs to be on her toes. Charming even came home for it.”

“What else hurts?” Isaac asks, also pushing Grayson out of the way, who snorts.

It’s nice to see them doing so well together. That’ll be important when I’m gone.

“Silla,” he barks, making me jump, wincing when things tense up that hurt.

“Fuck,” I croak, wincing. “Nothing that can be fixed outside of time. Sidney I need—”

“Gods, yes. Our window is closing, fuck,” he curses as he runs out of the room.

Gray has moved into the room, thus no longer in the doorway, which is good because I’m sure Sidney would have attempted to forcibly move the mountain otherwise. Andrya returns shortly after, with comfortable clothing, helping me throw my bra to the side and quickly dress. I keep my arm over myself, because I’m almost certain there’s a bite mark or two. Fucking savages.

“That’s better.” I sigh, because getting out of the dress is progress. Wincing as I lift my arms to unpin my hair, Andyra quickly takes over.

“Why is Sidney in the kitchen throwing herbs around and muttering to himself, Kitten?” Ayden asks as he sits on the floor by my feet. Ruffling his hair, I shrug.

“He’s closing up some loose ends, is all,” I murmur. “I’m a little worried about the Underground’s stunt, and I’m hoping Cinder doesn’t think that I made a run for it—”

There’s a ringing sound coming from my bag that someone brought in, and I lean down to open the zipper. Moving is getting noticeably easier after Sidney rubbed me down with his special cream. My dirty mind apparently is alive and well too, because I’m smirking as I sit back up with a phone. There’s a note on it that says:

This phone is meantto be used to speak to me and for the mission. Use me.

-Cinder

Rolling my eyes,I answer the phone on the last ring.

“Hello?” I answer carefully, though I’m fairly certain it’s my step-sister.

“What the hell happened?”Cinder roars, and there’s a hint of fear in her voice. “Where are you?”

Thinking quickly, I give her pieces of the truth. “You had an Underground member on castle property, pretending to be a soldier. I know you don’t typically have soldiers inside the gates, but with delegations arriving today—”

“We brought people in for extra security,” Cinder finished.

“Somehow he stole a uniform, and told me I couldn’t use the royal transport for my travels today. Instead, he said I needed to walk to the nearest public transport or rideshare, he said it would cause undue attention based on my clothing. I look like someone who works for the Queen,” I explain.

“I didn’t think of that,” she grumbles. “You’ll have to go shopping.”

“The man ended up pulling me out of the safety of the courtyard, threatened me, and then released me just outside of the apartment. Apparently the leader of the Underground wishes to speak to me," I tell her, stretching the truth a bit.

“You’ve already managed to do more than any of the other assets. Unbelievable,” she complains. “As long as you’re not their prisoner, then I guess everything is fine. You carry too much information in your little brain to be taken hostage. Goodbye, Drizella.”

Staring down in surprise at the phone, I blink twice. There were no threats, a backhanded compliment in there, and an offer to buy normal clothing. Who kidnapped my step-sister and put a pod person in her stead?

“Silla,” Andrya says insistently, moving my hair off my shoulder to press a gentle kiss onto my neck. Startling, I realize this isn’t the first time she’s called my name.

“Yeah?” I ask, turning.

“What happened?” Ayden asks, lifting his face up to look at me. Ruffling his head, I smile a little.

“Cinder wanted to know what happened when I left the castle. She sounded a little hysterical, but she bought what I said. I think this is the perfect time to say that this explains how fucked up I am, because there wasn’t one threat in that phone call, and I’m very surprised by this,” I chuckle sarcastically.