Page 41

As I utter the words to quash his rambling, I realize it’s the truth. I almost died because he couldn’t control his itchy finger, but if that is the cost of having a life away from the palace, I’m willing to pay it again and again.

Lev is about to add something else when the door to the back opens, and Numair stumbles outside. A wince twists his face, blood drips from his hands.

“What have you done?” I ask.

Numair only grunts.

“Where does all this blood come from?” It’s only when everyone has jumped to their feet that I realize I’m shouting, but I don’t care. I turn to Valdus. “Is this what you meant when you said you would do anything? You are torturing him?”

“Neylan—“ he starts with a frown.

I can’t stand by and hear another lie. Before anyone can even take a step, I snatch the keys from Numair, dash into the back room, and shut the door behind me before anyone can follow. The keys are slick with blood, but I lock the door before bangs, shouts, and a racket of voices begin in the main room.

Shutting everything away, I follow the sound of rasping breaths to a body slumped on the floor. His clothing covered in blood, Rev lies with his eyes closed.

I’ve heard stories of how ruthless the rebels can be, but since I’ve come to Valdus and Inara’s home, I started to doubt them.

I won’t make this mistake again.

Unlocking the door to the cell, I crouch next to Rev. Neither his legs nor wrists are bound. It takes me but a moment to see a dish broken on the floor and sharp shards missing. I pull away, but it’s too late. The jagged edge digs into my neck, and I curse. It’s not enough to break the skin, but a wrong movement on my part, and he just might carve me up.

“Such nasty words aren’t befitting for someone of your stature.”

“To oblivion with you.” I want to break free, but I don’t even dare to take a deep breath. “What have you done?”

“Survive. Seems we have that in common.”

“It was you who hurt him. Not the other way around.”

“Nothing will stand in my way. Not even a man with a misguided sense of doing the right thing.”

“Let me go,” I say, fighting to push him away. “As a princess, I command you.”

“Command me?” Rev’s voice is a warm trickle at my ear. His voice sends a crawl up my skin. “That depends, Princess Neylan. Did you get it in your head that I’m here to help you?”

Seconds tic by, and Rev pushes the ceramic shard deeper into my neck until a trickle of blood spills from my broken skin.

“Yes. Fine.” Each word is a gasp. “Just let me go.”

Rev drops his hand that’s been holding the shard against my neck as soon as I utter the words. He climbs to his feet with too much ease for someone who hasn’t had a meal in more than a week.

“You go first. I’ll be just behind. Don’t you dare do anything stupid,” he says, turning the shard in his palm. “I can do much more harm with this thing than you might think.”

I’ve seen Numair. I believe him.

I hate to see a tremble in my hands as I pick a key from the chain and turn it in the lock. It strikes me only now that the banging has stopped. Valdus must have been smarter than I was and had listened to Numair before jumping to conclusions, but I don’t dare hope for a rescue. Letting Rev escape with me must be a better deal than trying to stop us.

“You would dare to hurt a princess?” I ask, trying to distract Rev.

He looks down at the jagged shard in his hand and back at my neck, giving this question too much thought for my liking. It’s only when he throws the make-shift weapons across the room that I realize I was holding a breath, waiting for his answer.

“I won’t hurt you, but I’d advise you to move,” Rev says. “I’ll use any means necessary to take you back to Our Sun and Light, even if it means I have to throw you over my shoulder and cross the desert on foot to get you there.”

My heart sinks, but I do as I’m told. I can’t win this fight. Not when my adversary has been nurtured by my father to become the man he is.

Rev looks around, glancing at every corner and shadow, but no one is waiting to spring at him. He grabs an abandoned revolver and a handful of bullets.

“Tell me, princess. Where is the necklace I gave you?”