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Rubbing my eyes, I squinted at the misshapen shapes.

Ahh.

The guard uniforms we'd been hiding in the duct at the end of the cell block.

The prisoners with laundry assignments had smuggled out a dozen uniforms over the last two months, and they were just as important as the keys and engine room materials.

They'd planned so well that even Liam would have to admit they had a real chance at escaping.

At least, as long as no guards showed up before the morning rounds…

More prisoners passed by carrying crates. Excitement and sadness warred inside me.

I'd miss the hubbub of voices —

"Be careful, Rorin!" Darlene's snide voice called. Well, maybe I wouldn't missallof them.

But definitely the Harlsteds … and even Liam, a bit.

"Who was the visitor?" whispered a familiar voice.Mrs. Harlsted?

Shifting on my pile of straw, I found her crouched in front of Liam's cell, peering in at him sitting by the bars.

"It was some Lieutenant from the Empire," he said, voice tired. "He talked to Kaiya alone. I think he tried to convince her to leave us."

I inhaled sharply.How had he gotten that from our brief conversation?

"Did she accept?" Mrs. Harlsted asked.

"No, I don't think so," he bit out. "She should have, though."

For some reason, his words stung. Ignoring the odd feeling, I looked up at the ceiling. If I stayed quiet, surely they'd lose interest and stop …

"This Lieutenant," Mrs. Harlsted continued. "Was he a big man? With tattoos?"

Oh gods.

I sat up straight.

In the first days, before the sessions started, I'd worked with Mrs. Harlsted in the laundry room.Just one day.But in that one day, she'd pried the truth out of me about what happened after I left Dragon's Peak.

And of course, that included Tye.

"I don't know about tattoos," Liam said, voice thoughtful. "But he was a very large man, and he seemed to know Kaiya …"

"Kaiya, you awake, dear?" Mrs. Harlsted moved to my cell. "Was it Tye?"

Perhaps if I pretended I was still asleep …

"Yes! Holden called him Tye. Who is he?" Liam asked. "Would he help with finding the bonded prisoners?"

I wanted to roll over and bury my head so I didn't have to listen anymore, but if I moved, she would know I was awake and the questions wouldneverend.

Gods be damned …

After several long seconds of fake snoring, she left my cell and walked back to Liam's.

"Perhaps," Mrs. Harlsted said. "Especially if you tell him you're doing it for Kaiya. He's loyal to the Kings, except when it comes to her. I'm sure he'd help you if he knew that's what she wanted."