Page 110 of Burdened Bonds

“Try to get some more sleep, sweetheart,” he says, dragging me back down onto the mattress with him. “Everythingwill seem better, brighter in the morning, and we’ll find a way.”

I snuggle into his embrace, his heart beating right below my ear, his arms wrapped around me, his hands stroking along my spine.

A way. We’ll find a way.

If there is one.

42

Azlan

To my surprise,she’s back asleep within minutes and I’m left there in the dark, examining her face, the thoughts rushing around in my mind as I try to formulate a plan. One that extracts the Moreau boy from my uncle’s grasp but keeps Rhi out of harm’s way. Again and again the ideas I find hit a stumbling block, some impassable hurdle, and I’m forced to scrap them and start again, all the time watching her face for any signs of another dream.

The last one had her trembling and clutching at her throat, struggling for breath. It was terrifying to see, and I don’t want her to suffer another one like that. The first sign she’s plunging into another of those dreams, I’m waking her up and dragging her out of it.

At last the dawn filters through the curtains, the darkness chased away by the light, and I know there’s only oneway we can do this. Gently, I nudge Rhi awake, and after we’re washed and dressed, we return to the kitchen.

The first thing I spot is the pig. He’s no longer lying on his side, trembling and feverish. He’s trotting around the kitchen, snorting at everyone and demanding food and affection. He’s also wearing what looks like a cardigan and a bonnet.

I frown, but Rhi’s already dropping to her knees and scooping him up into her lap, showering him with kisses.

“Pip!” she cries, “are you better?” She looks up at her friend. “Is he better?”

“His fever broke this morning and now he’s back to his usual lively self.”

Phoenix mutters something under his breath, but both girls ignore him, Winnie crouching down beside Rhi and adding her own kisses to the pig’s head.

“That pig receives more affection than any of the rest of us,” Stone mutters, pouring out a coffee for Rhianna.

“That’s because he deserves it,” Rhi says.

I shuffle on my feet. We don’t have time for these niceties and distractions.

“Rhi had another dream last night,” I tell the others. Rhi’s body stiffens and she buries her face against the pig’s body.

“The same one?” Phoenix asks.

I peer at Rhi. “This time the beast was … dead.”

Winnie gasps and falls backwards. “You don’t think Spencer’s–”

“No,” I say firmly, more for Rhi’s sake than Winnie’s or any of the others. “I think Rhi would know if he were. But I think it means we have limited time. We need to act now.” They all stare at me.

“You have a plan?” Phoenix asks.

“Yes,” although they aren’t going to like it. Hell, I don’t like it. “We’re going to have to hand Rhi in.”

“What the fuck?” Barone says, leaping to his feet, and knocking over his own cup of coffee. “To who?”

“To my uncle, to the Lord Protector. It’s the only way we’ll be able to make it inside the house where I think Spencer is being kept.”

“You’re fucking crazy,” Phoenix scoffs. “You’d hand Rhi over to him? And then what exactly?”

“Together, Rhi and I can fight him. We can rescue Spencer and Tristan.”

Phoenix shakes his head.

“Even if you were strong enough to fight your uncle,” Winnie says, “you couldn’t fight him and all his guards too.”