Page 27 of Claim Me

Nothing positive, anyway.

My shoulders fall as the door closes, my gilded cage snapping into place around me with renewed force. Kaspian isn’t wrong—he’s treated me with respect and kindness. These quarters are certainly more comfortable than my last accommodations with Klas. Hell, they even beat my room back in New York.

But that doesn’t change what I am—a prisoner. A ward under watch. A witch no one can trust.

I don’t blame Kaspian for his choices. He’s the House King. He has to protect his constituents first and foremost, and honestly, that’s what makes him a strong leader.

However, that doesn’t mean I have to like being caught up in this web of constant interrogation.

Telling him the truth would only lead to further complications, one of which being my immediate deportation back to the Outcast Coven. Or that’s how I assume Kaspian would handle the situation, anyway. Neither Klas nor I belong in Gold and Garnet. I’m still not sure how Klas managed to infiltrate the House ranks, but I know it wasn’t done legally.

I should be Houseless.

Living in No Man’s Land.

Stuck with the Supernatural Syndicates.

Home with my bastard of a father.

Near Issy.

Not here in Reykjavik, in the king’s palace.

Fallon?my sister whispers into my mind, her voice instantly grabbing my full attention.

Issy. Oh, thank the stars…

She huffs a little.No stars here,she replies, her voice sounding tired.Just one hell of a headache.

What did they do?

It doesn’t matter,she replies.And we don’t have time to talk about it. We need to discuss what you’re going to do.

I swallow.I… I don’t know.

Well, I do. Or I have an idea, anyway.

An idea?I repeat.On how to escape?

Yes. No. Sort of.

That’s helpful,I deadpan.

I’m still waking up,she grates out.But I think it might work. Just… give me a minute to think.

I know better than to interrupt her. Issy spends most of her days reading, and she absorbs everything from foreign languages to science books to magical texts. If she has an idea, it’s probably from her years of studying ancient spells.

Okay. It’s a… resurrection spell… I just need to find the right book.

Resurrection spell?I repeat.For Klas?

No. For you. Sort of. It… it mimics death? Hold on. It’s in one of these…She trails off, leaving me drumming my nails against my thigh for so long that I’m certain I’ll have little indents.Aha! Here it is. So you’ll—

The door to my rooms opens, causing me to say,One second, just as Nox strolls in holding a sundae. His light brown eyebrows waggle at me as he saunters forward, his expression knowing. “I thought you might need one of these after, well, you know.”

“After being interrogated again by Kaspian, you mean?” I translate, aware that “interrogate” may be a bit strong for the discussion we just had. Because as far as questioning goes, it was pretty light. Actually, it was basically nonexistent. More of a lecture than anything else.

A game ofI’ll trust you when you give me a reason to trust you.