Page 39 of This Blood That Breaks Us

“No, She was burning up. And Her eyes were different.”

“Maybe She wore contacts and slept on a heating pad! Are you not getting it? These people will stop at nothing to draw us in. She’s a good actor. We know this already.”

“But the queen told me these stories. She missed her mom.”

“Yeah, like She knows you miss yours. She’s fucking with your head.”

He sat at the edge of his bed. “No, I think it’s real. It makes sense. Maybe the queen is weak on the night of the new moon, and Her human form comes out.”

“If that’s the case, then all we need to do to get out of here is sneak in Her room and kill Her in Her sleep.”

Luke’s eyes went wide. “You wouldn’t.”

“Yes I would! If it would get us out of here faster. Her human side would probably thank me for putting her out of her misery so she wouldn’t have to be some Hell Witch anymore.”

Luke’s wide-eyed horror made the guilt creep in for saying that.

“You wouldn’t feel that way if you saw Her like that. She was . . . so weak.”

My brother would not make it in a place like this. Everything he said sent my heart into an uneven frenzy. I couldn’t sit anymore. He was making me pace the floor, and Ihatedpacing.

“Luke. Please. Consider it for a second that She could have been doing it to gain your sympathy. That’s all I’m asking. Don’t you think that would work? Pretend to be a sweet, helpless girl who needs you to warm her because she’s so cold and vulnerable?”

He stopped paying attention to me and stared at the fireplace while I spoke.

“Don’t you think that would be a great plan on making you feel needed and wanted? And don’t you think She would pick you specifically for that because She knows it would work on you?”

“I . . . I don’t know. Yes. It makes sense. I’m just confused.”

I walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I just want you to think about it. Because if we start trusting them, we’re never getting out of here. Don’t you want to get out of here?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Because while you were laying in bed with the queen all day yesterday, I think I found a way to get us all out of here. Well, kind of.”

I’d wavered for a moment but seeing that look in Luke’s eyes gave me the confidence I needed to ensure I’d get him out of this place before She poisoned him.

“Really?” Luke’s spark was back.

“No one watches the harbor. There is a ferry that takes people to the island, and they can see some of the property. A few of the members show tourists the far grounds, but other than that, it’s always empty. If we can find a way to get Will and Thane on a boat where they wouldn’t be missed, it could work.”

A loud knock sounded on our door. Probably Sirius. He had an angry knock.

“Talk about this later?”

Luke nodded, and we went for the door. I was right. Sirius, Thane, and William all stood outside our door. Thane looked way too happy to be a prisoner butler, and William was scowling at me. A typical day at the cult castle.

“You’re with Her today.” Sirius pointed at me.

“What about training?”

“You’re doing well. Better. But She specifically requested you today.”

“I guess we’ll get to test that theory today, then.” I turned to Luke. The dark circles under his eyes matched mine. It scared me a little.

“What theory?” Sirius said.

“Nothin’,” I said, forcing a bored expression over my face.