Page 79 of The Secrets of Jane: Reborn

I want toplan.I want to be incontrol.

Jane is close behind me, her heart altering so much with that dagger. There wasn’t even the intention to open her up—I just wanted her to have something that proved shedoesbelong. That she’s capable and worthy.

She’s open to me like she is with Kathleen.

I will take care of her.

The ship’s shadow envelopes us as we’re taken below to the storage level. Pain, agony, and dread fill the belly of this ship, and it all comes from one source. I pause to glance at Jane, who radiates determination. It’s even a little concerning how well she wears that pirate’s bandana. “This will not be pretty.”

Hazel eyes peer through lashes to connect with mine. “Neither was clinging to my dying mother. I need to know who to hurt.”

Her ire feels more tempered, the frayed edges of it burned away. It’s the person I knew my powers sensed was within, and I fucking adore it.

When we enter the room that no more than five men occupy, both Ritter and Tempest are present, along with Bones and two who belong to this ship. Shade’s eyes flash my way, and his energy warps into chaos. “You’re fucking serious?”

Tempest sits down on a box labeledrope. “Please, Soren, do your work.” She spreads her legs and leans over to rest her elbows on each knee.

Shade’s eyes flash with something I know gives him away—he’s been caught. No lies will work anymore. Whatever truth he’s terrified to reveal is going to be exposed.

“This is all rather rude,” he states, his bound hands between his thighs. “Didn’t even bother asking me anything before clearly assuming the worst. You’ve all already asked me all the questions I can answer. Is this necessary?”

He’s still as indiscernible as before, although it’s interesting I can sense the general things that plague him, just with no specifications.

A magic wearing off?

“Why couldn’t I read you earlier,” I casually ask, as if telling him the weather. Basilisk shuts the door to this room while Jane stands behind me.

“I will die with sealed lips.” Blood sputters out from what looks like blunt force trauma to the face. Bones rolls his fingers like he’s revving them back to life, and I have a feeling I know who did it.

“Strip him,” I command. “Completely. He’s hiding something, and I want it all removed.”

The betrayer grunts, his body stiffening as Bones and the others begin to cut his clothes off, shredding them like beggars searching for hidden gold. Tempest and Ritter both watch on, and Jane does so from behind, while Basilisk stalks from the shadows, his golden eyes glinting like metal. It’s then that I sense a creature before noticing another set of golden eyes, but more round and only a foot off the ground—later.

Shade thrashes, his face reddening. “Where’s my fucking dignity?” he shouts as they yank his boots off and cut at his pants.

“Yes, I have a reputation for giving a shit aboutdignity,” I reply coolly, my gaze unwavering, reprioritizing his torture. As Shade is stripped of his last piece of clothing—a wool sock—I feel that pang of sympathy that nearly always creeps up when I know that one day, this is howI’mgoing to die, no doubt: attacked, mauled, or mutilated.

But who the fuck cares when my fate is already damned to an end like this? “I still can’t read you,” I state.

“Well,” Bones says, running a hand through his short hair, his mismatched gaze downward at Shade. “I can see why he was a lady’s man.”

A few snigger, and I fight the temptation to pinch the bridge of my nose. Even Tempest gives a chuckle.

“Can’t help but look at my cock?” Shade mocks.

“It’s hard to miss when it’s basically a third leg.”

The tension around lightens, although not from me. I still can’t feel shit from Shade. “It has to be underneath his skin,” I say, looking over the interlocking scars and tattoos. Something from Jane emanates behind me, a discomfort that seems out of place. I tuck that away and save the concept for later, trying to detach from her.

His legs fidget at my words, and that’s all the confirmation I need. “Poke and prod and see if you feel anything around his scar that might be a foreign body.” Our gazes connect when I say, “Or we can sever you limb by limb, shred them apart over sieves, and see what we find. Jane can heal your mutilation, so no need to worry about that killing you. All you need is a brain and heart to function.”

Shade’s chest heaves, strings of saliva stretching when he pants. “You won’t get me to talk with such barbarism. I’m a fucking gladiator. I can handle pain.”

They all say that, but everyone talks once the flaying starts, especially if a healer can keep them alive and awake. I squat down, the man starting to shiver. No doubt the wood is frigid, and his entire being rattled. “There’s no such thing as pushing through pain when you’re sleep-deprived. You are forcing me to do that to you. Iwillget what I want before we leave the ship. You know no one is rescuing you.”

All it takes is a nod of my head for Bones to grab an arm, the other man putting the heel of his boot into Shade’s shoulderto press him against the pillar, all while I watch, still squatting down.

“Let me,give you a hand,” Bones mocks, gripping Shade’s wrists.