Page 71

“Water?”

“How about the bathroom?” she counters in a raspy voice.

“Let’s start with water.” I offer her the bottle, holding it to her mouth. She drinks greedily, spilling it down her chin, until she coughs and splutters, and I pull it away.

“Are my parents okay?” she asks, her voice still hoarse. I nod, and she slumps back with relief, before looking at me with suspicion again. “Why am I here? Why haven’t you killed me?”

I cap the water bottle, considering my words. “You’re here because we have unfinished business,” I say finally, my tone even. “With Grandmother. With Ariadne. With each other.”

Scarlett lets out a mirthless laugh. “Unfinished business? Is that what you call it? You and I both know you follow orders. You had orders to kill me. So why haven’t you?”

She sounds absolutely furious about it.

“Because I blame myself for what Grandmother did to you. You’re my creation just as much as you are hers. She took everything from me, just like she tried to do with you. Just like she’s done to countless others. And it has to stop, Scarlett. You’re going to help me stop it.”

“Why not just go after her yourself?”

I lean in, my face inches from hers. “Because as much as I hate to admit it, we’re stronger together. Because you’re the only one who truly understands the threat that Grandmother presents. And because...”

I trail off, the words sticking in my throat.

Because I can’t bear the thought of a world without you in it.

Because despite everything, I still want you.

Because I…

But I don’t say any of that. Instead, I stand again. “Just think it over.”

“I don’t need to think it over. I’m in.”

There she is, that brave, determined warrior that I saw fighting alongside me against the Sokolovs. Against Grandmother’s guards. That’s the Scarlett I need for this job.

“There’s one more thing you need to understand,” I tell her. “After we’ve dealt with Grandmother…I’ll be coming for you. Because like you said, Scar—I do follow orders.”

She laughs, scratchy and hard. “That old tune? You need to find a new one, Wolf.”

“That’s the deal. Take it or leave it.”

She looks down for a moment, but then her chin comes up, determined and proud, those hazel eyes glowing fiercely. “I’ll take it.”