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Lazar’s guilt changes – suddenly, he’s confused. He doesn’t feel betrayed any longer – but he doesn’t understand what’s happening, either.

I don’t know if it’s me speaking, or some deep, animal instinct telling me what to say. All I know is there’s only one way this could have been something other than a kidnapping.

If she’saskedus to do it.

You’ve set me free.

Four words. She mouthed them to us, in that broken-down building. Lazar said she repeated them to him. Those words meant something to her. Something deep. Something real.

I wish we hadn’t have had to keep her there. She deserves a palace, not a prison. She deserved better than a run-down, industrial hideaway.

But it wouldn’t have mattered where we were. All that mattered were the words. She gave me the best memories of my life beneath that abandoned factory.

Not only that – but she’d mouthed those words to us – and I’d felt that I’d achieved my life’s purpose in hearing them.

My triad is looking at me with wonder. I explain.

“When we saw her, she mouthed three words to us:Set me free. Set me free, she mouthed, begging for us to help her. We came back that night, and we took her from her home. She didn’t want her father to know that she’d asked to be freed, so she kicked, and screamed, and acted…”

I take a deep breath.

“But this wasnota kidnapping. This was a rescue.”

I’ve never strung so many words together all at once before. They feel like they’re coming from a higher place. It feels like Natali herself planted the seeds of this idea deep in my mind.

The crowd buzzes with energy. Then, Lieutenant Taggar motions, and a new video plays on the holo-projector.

It’s Natali, in a Reaver, speaking with the Lieutenant himself.

“You can’t convict them! They didn’t do anything wrong!”

“They took you from your home,” the recording of the Lieutenant speaks. “The story is spreading. Government agents capturing a human woman? The fact that you are their Fated Mate only makes it worse. Every man is worried about the women in his life – and the way an Aurelian could lose control at any moment makes them scared ofus. The actions of Brennan, Lazar, and Otho make Aurelians look like base beasts. Theymustbe punished. I understand that it’s painful for you, but it’s whathasto happen.”

Natali swallows. “They didn’t kidnap me.”

“We have video footage that they took you from your home. Do you deny that?”

She looks down, embarrassed – or, is she merelyactingthat way?

“I… I’m never allowed outside my home. Those walls are like a prison for me. When I saw those three Aurelians…” Her face lifts, staring into the camera. “Well, Iaskedthem to take me. I asked them to help me.”

“Bullshit.”

I tense as the Lieutenant hones in on her. Will she convince him? Will our testimonies match?

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier!” In the video, Taggar is clearly in disbelief – but I can hear the suspicion in his voice. Hewantsto believe her. Hewantsto believe that we acted with her consent. Hewantsto believe that a Fated Mate and her triad can be together, if only for the future of the Aurelian Empire.

“I… I didn’t want my father to know.”

“I don’t believe you,” Taggar repeats – but this time, with less conviction. “What could you possibly have said to them that made them think they could steal you from your own home?”

In the holo-vid, Natali shifts uncomfortably. “I couldn’tsayanything. They were in a meeting with my father. All I could do was mouth three words to them.”

Lieutenant Taggar grunts. He’s frustrated.

“When I bring them into court, will they be able to tell me what you mouthed? Out with it, then.”

Natali pauses. I can see the stress in her face. She was giving me one way out – just one breadcrumb to find her.