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“You and I,” I whisper to him.

He blinks, the narrow slits of his eyes expanding. I press a hand against my chest.

“Listen,” I say softly.Listen to my soul.

Recognition sparks in his eyes.

SNAP.

A wet crack echoes through the dungeon, followed by another. Theo howls painfully as his body contorts, bones and muscles snapping and rearranging. His scaley skin tears open, making way for the human skin underneath. He hunkers down, curling into a ball on the ground.

“Open the cage!” I order the guard standing slack-jawed behind me. He jolts, alarmed, before springing into action, running over with the keys in his hand. As soon as he pulls the door open, I scramble in, falling to my knees next to Theo.

“It is alright,” I soothe as the guard throws a blanket over him. He sobs and shivers as I bring him up the stairs and to his chambers.

“How did she do that?” the guards whisper to each other as we leave.

“Witch magic?”

“No, it was…something else.”

They stand out of our way, suspicion and accusation in their eyes. I ignore them and go through our routine—making him comfortablein bed, tipping lavender tonic past his lips and holding his hand until he falls asleep. It is only when he is snoring softly that I allow myself to sit back and think about what the truth truly means.

You are out of time, Vanya’s voice whispers in my mind. Theo’s unexpected turn gave me a grace period, but it will not last long. I grasp Theo’s hand and will him to recover before the guards decide I have outlived my usefulness and come for me.

Chapter 33

Iwake up with a start. I am in Theo’s bed, alone.

I blink the sleep away and half-sit up, looking around his chambers.

“Theo?” I call.

“I am here,” he replies, stepping out of the washroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He is still wet from bathing and he throws a second blood-stained towel to the side. “We need to get ready.”

I rub my eyes blearily.

“What can you mean?” I ask, my brain addled from too little sleep lately.

“To leave.” He says it plainly as though it is obvious. My heart stops. The memories of the last few days come back to me in a tsunami, pushing me beneath the surface.

“Theo—”

“It is too late. My father will have ordered your head by now, with this…kidnapped woman intow. You must use the hidden tunnel and leave. Now.”

I shake my head, both my hands in my hair.

“I cannot,” I say, my voice pleading. “There—”

“Shivani.” Theo crosses the room and sits on the bed next to me.

Water droplets from his hair trail down his temple to his scruffy jaw. His eyes are red-ringed and laden with dark bags. I grit my teeth.

“Please,” he says. “I do not know how much time we have before the guards—”

“I am not leaving without you,” I say firmly. “I will not leave you to the king.”

“I must stay, Shivani.” He reaches across to squeeze my hands. “I am a danger to people outside these walls. I remember what the guard said to you last night—I had turned and I was not turning back. What if it becomes permanent? What if—” he falters, voice breaking. “What if I hurt someone? What if I hurtyou?”