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I turned to see Kaiya trying her best not to glare right back.

What in the seven hells did she do?

Chapter 26

Kaiya

We traveled back to the airship in near-silence, and all I could think about was how stupid I was for interferingrightafter committing to obeying Frexin.

All I needed to do was obey the rules, but my stupid mouth had refused to stay shut.GODS!What if Frexin hurt or killed the Harlsteds because of my mistake?

Liam had just looked so much like the Eli I'd known and cared about with that rebellious lift of his chin and that daring glint in his green eyes as he stood up to those guards …

No. It didn't matter. I'd fucked up. And now I had to find a way to fix the mess I'd made.

Tye stood to my right, Holden to my left. They glared at each other in silence as we walked.

Ahead of us, Korym led the group. I could practicallyfeelthe anger radiating off the cloaked mage as he waved off our escort.

Sure enough, the second the escort was out of sight, he rounded on me.

"What. Did. You. Do?" he screamed, face red.

"Nothing," I bluffed, trying to keep my expression blank. "You can ask my babysitters. I was with them the entire time."

His beady eyes shifted to Tye, then Holden. "Is that true?"

Tye stiffened, but nodded.

Holden's jaw clenched, and his gaze slid to Tye, but he nodded, as well.

"Well, she didsomething!" Korym spat. "And you two will bear the blame for it, unless you can figure out what it was. This mission was essential to Lady Frexin — and YOU fucked it up!"

A glimmer of hope blossomed in my chest.

Maybe Holden and Tye would take the blame.

Maybe everything would turn out alright …

"And you!" Korym spun to face me. "Don't think you got away with this,Savior! I don'tneedproof to convince Frexin that you did … something." He stepped closer, hot breath smothering me. "I hope you said goodbye to your friends before you left today. Because when you return, shewillpunish you the same as she did me when I failed her last time."

His hand tugged on the fabric covering the scars across his neck, and my throat tightened.

He had no proof.Lady Frexin wouldn't believe him — would she?

My stomach did flips as the furious mage turned to face Holden, nostrils flaring. "You will escort these three back to the fortress." He tossed Holden a small key. "Take off their collars so they don't get killed. Or don't." His angry gaze slid to me. "I don't actually care at the moment, and I doubt Frexin will either."

Cloak fluttering behind him, he spun and stalked to the ship's boarding ramp.

My ears buzzed and my body tensed. Frexin could very well hurt the Harlsteds based on his words, and if I wasn't there to defend myself —

My mind slid back to the man on the ship, throat slit, dying in my arms, and I slammed hard on the panic threatening to overwhelm me.

Fuck! Why hadn't I just done as I was told?!

"You can't leave me with them!" Holden yelled, charging up the ramp after Korym. "I did exactly as I was told. This isn't my fault!"

Korym spun, fury twisting his features. "Youwantedto be the team lead," he spat. "Well, your team failed. So shut up and accept the consequences!"