Page 7

SEVEN

RUNE

GIDEON WAS HALF-CLOTHED, AND a bloody spellmark blazed across his chest.

The sight of him, shirtless , made Rune freeze.

Gideon Sharpe had haunted her these past two months, but the memory of him was nothing compared to Gideon in the flesh. Every line and curve of his body spoke of power and strength.

He must have heard the soft hitch of her breath, because his eyes lifted. The room fell away as Gideon’s gaze met hers and his stare held her in place like a spell.

When her eyes dropped to his trousers, she found every button undone.

The sight woke something deadly in Rune.

“What are you doing here, Winters?” Ava materialized from the darkness.

“I came to…” Rune glanced at the pistol lying on the sink beyond Ava. The same one Gideon had pressed to her temple not twenty minutes ago. “… to tell you Cressida has orders for you.”

“Cressida already gave me her orders.”

“These are new ones.” Rune wished she’d had time to come up with a better plan. It wouldn’t take Cressida long to sign those papers, and Gideon needed to be gone before her return.

Rune took a small step toward the sink. “She wants you in the prince’s study. To, uh, bear witness to the signing. I’m supposed to watch the witch hunter while you’re gone.”

Ava locked her gaze on Rune. “ You couldn’t bear witness?”

“She requested you.”

Ava’s eyes narrowed. “Why would she do that, if you were already there?”

Rune was better than this. Smarter than this. But escaping the prince’s bedroom—she’d had to go over the balcony and drop to the one below—had taken more time and attention than expected.

“There was a conflict of interest.” Rune took another step toward the sink. “I’m going to be Soren’s wife. I can’t be Cressida’s witness.”

Ava’s voice iced over. “I don’t believe you.”

Knowing she’d lost, Rune lunged for the pistol.

Ava glanced at Gideon. “Restrain her.”

Gideon intercepted Rune, seizing both of her wrists and wrenching her arms behind her back.

What are you doing? she wanted to scream at him. I came to help you!

Pain shot up to her shoulders and made the world flare red.

The words died in her throat.

“Cressida will be so disappointed when she learns of your sabotage.” Ava tutted. To Gideon, she said, “Kill the Crimson Moth.”

Gideon didn’t hesitate.

Whipping her around to face him, he locked his hands around her throat and slammed her against the mirror. Glass cracked behind her head. Pain flickered through her.

And then he squeezed .

Rune’s eyes widened in shock.

Her fingers clawed at his hands, trying to force them to loosen. But Gideon had always been stronger than her, and his grip was a vise. Tighter and tighter. Blocking her air. She wasn’t sure if he planned to snap her neck, strangle her, or both.

His dark eyes bored into hers.

Rune’s mind blazed with panic.

Please… I’m trying to save you!

But why would he care?

This was what he came for, remember? You’ve given him a second chance to see it through.

Ava watched from a safe distance, arms crossed over her chest, unmoved by Rune’s struggle. Rune would get no sympathy there.

Which was when she remembered the pistol.

Gideon had shoved her against the mirror directly beside the sink, where his gun still rested. If she could reach it…

As her lungs burned, crying out for air, Rune’s knuckles knocked against the sink’s cold ceramic. She patted the edge, her hand shaking… but the gun was on the other side.

The room blurred.

The bright red symbol on Gideon’s chest filled her vision.

Rune’s lungs were about to burst. Soon, nothing would matter, because she’d be dead.

Her fingertips brushed metal.

Hope flared as her hand gripped the pistol.

One shot. Make it count.

Rune lifted the gun and fired.