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Tye looked up at me, pained golden gaze giving way to a yellow one of horror as he took in my disheveled state and then his own.

"Witch, I didn't …" he said, words slow from drink. He shook his head as if trying to clear it. "Get away from me. I can't keep —"

I swallowed hard and righted my dress, then smoothed down my hair. "It's okay, Lieutenant. It's fine. I didn't do anything I didn't want. And I stopped it once I realizedhewas in charge."

Those eyes turned gold, and Wolf-Tye was back, lips quirking at the corner. "You know you liked it with me in charge! Next time, I'll —"

Normal Tye wrestled back control, yellow gaze full of horrified disgust as he pressed his hands to both sides of his head, digging his fingers into his hair.

"LEAVE ME," he snarled, eyes closed. "I … I will accompany you to collect volunteers in the morning. But for now, you must leave. I need to get the last of the tattoos."

"Last of the tattoos? But what about — wait." The haze of worry made his words all the more confusing. "You're going along with my plan? We're going to getvolunteers from the little villages instead of using the prisoners?"

Tye hunched over — breath ragged, but he nodded. "Yes. We will finish this. But you must get back to your rooms. Now."

He looked up at me, eyes flickering between yellow and gold, and every instinct inside me screamed at me to stay and help him. He needed to stop fighting his wolf side! If he could just accept it was a part of him, perhaps it would stop whatever Wolf-Tye had been trying to warn me about …

But the image of Frexin with her dagger … the man with blue eyes, blood pouring from his neck filled my mind.

Wolf-Tye had been wrong. Tye had a plan and would be fine.

I forced myself to turn away, making my way to my room.

This was a good thing. He was going to get more tattoos so he could be free, and I would be able to complete my mission without delay.

The prisoners would finally be safe.

Yes. That was the right decision.

But it didn't feel right. Not one bit.

Chapter 45

Kaiya

"I'm sorry," the man said from behind that damn hood. "I should not have shown the memories to you all at once. I see now it was too much."

"It's fine," I lied. Nothing about anything was fine right now. But it would be soon enough.

"The storm came again last night," he said. "There are very few memories left. We will see a few more critical moments tonight … and then the last room."

My heart skipped.Last room?That sounded ominous …

"What are these last memories? More like last time?" I didn't know if I could handle more painful memories. Not right now.

Jaiel's past had haunted my nightmares until I longed to go back to that damn ballroom …

"No," he said. "Not like those."

I groaned. "Then what are they?"

"Different."

FUCK. Could he not just give me a real answer?

"Can't you just tell me where Jaiel is?"

"Not yet," he said, voice soft. "But soon you will have your answers."