Page 65 of Deadly Alliances

He brought my hand to his lips and brushed a cold kiss on my knuckles. “Oh, don’t worry. I can assure you he won’t be dying for a long, long time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.”

Then he released my hand and vanished.

What have I done?

***

I raced to the dungeons after giving my guards the slip, practically tripping down the stairs of the lower levels to where Tobias was being held. I didn’t know what I was going to do or say. I only knew that I had to see him.

My siren voice had a tremble to it as I compelled each set of guards in the dungeons to let me pass, but it worked all the same. I only slowed when I neared the room with Tobias’s cage, coming to a complete stop just before the entrance. What the hell was I going to say? How could I tell him that things were going to get so much worse for him, and all because of me?

The heads of Tobias and Char snapped in my direction as I came into view, caution plastered all over their faces. I whipped my hands out of my pockets, instinctively hugging myself, and not just because of how inhumanely cold it was down here.

Tobias’s face seemed to have aged in the handful of hours he’d been here. The skin under his eyes looked bruised, his eyes dry and bloodshot. And then there was Char, who still looked gorgeous even with dirt smudged across her face and hair bunched in tangles.

“Arya? What are you doing here?” Tobias yelled at me in a whisper, if such a thing was possible—leave it to Tobias to be a walking contradiction.

I crept to the bars, gripping them for support, but hissing and pulling my hands away as the metal seemed to burn me. I inspected my singed palms, then looked up at the prisoners, noting the burn marks on their arms. Understanding bloomed inside me.

Lead.

The bars were lead. Even the floor and back wall of the cell were lined in it. My mind flashed back to the attack in the alley when Tobias had been shot with those lead pellets, and I remembered the horrible effect they had on him. Hadrian knew full well that avians were allergic to lead. This wasn’t just war politics to Hadrian; no, he enjoyed making his enemies suffer. A lesson I would not soon forget.

I took a deep breath, curling my stinging hands behind me. “Tobias, I messed up. I tried to talk Hadrian into letting you two go.”

“You did what?” he asked, looking bewildered.

“I thought that as his daughter, I could change his mind,” I went on. “I thought he’d do it just to make me happy, to further convince me he was on my side. But, then...”

Tobias scooched closer, the act being made much more difficult with his broken arms dragging limply at his sides. His eyes were filled with concern as they locked on me, but not for himself—for me. I covered my mouth, trying to keep the bubbling emotions from spilling over.

“I take it he didn’t grant your request?” His voice was raspy, but deepened by a hint of sadness.

I shook my head. “Tobias, I’m so sorry. He figured out that you...that you weren’t just a friend to me and... that it didn’t end well. I didn’t mean to tell him, he just—”

“And now he wants to punish me for hurting his daughter,” he guessed. It wasn’t an accusation. There didn’t even seem to be any anger or resentment in his tone. His expression was smooth, though somewhat defeated.

“Tobias, I really am so sorry,” I pleaded, tears beginning to spill. “I know you must think I did this on purpose to get back at you, but I would never—"

“It’s okay, Arya,” he interrupted. “I know you wouldn’t do that. Getting information out of people is what vampires do, and Hadrian is a master at it. The truth is, he wouldn’t have let me go no matter what. He has a particular hatred for my bloodline. But I’m touched that you tried.” He offered me a weak smile.

I wiped at my cheeks and under my eyes until I could see clearly again. Then I reached through the bars as far as I could and put my hand on his knee, ignoring the slow burn of the metal on my arm. “I will get you both out of here, I promise.”

Tobias huffed a defeated laugh and smiled wider. “No, you won’t,” he said, shaking his head. “The best you can do is get yourself out. Hadrian’s daughter or not, this isn’t where you belong.”

My brows creased as I stared at him. I didn’t want to believe he was right. I had never fit into the human world, and despite my best efforts, the shifter world had rejected me at every turn. Here, I had Alex. I was respected. Feared, yes, but respected nonetheless.

I didn’t know where I was supposed to be or what I was supposed to do. My heart told me that Alex needed me, but…asmuch as I hated to admit it…my heart also told me that I needed Tobias.

“I would never leave you to rot in a place like this,” I said softly. “I promised that I was going to get you out, and I have every intention of keeping that promise.”

“Arya, please,” he whispered pleadingly.

If Hadrian was true to his word, he wasn’t going to just kill Tobias, at least not right away. No, he wanted to make Tobias suffer. That meant I still had time. Iwouldfree him.

“I’ll be back,” I promised, slipping my hand back through the bars and turning for the hallway before he could make any further objections.

Tobias had risked his life to save me. If necessary, I would do the same for him. Even if I didn’t still love and hate him in equal measure. Imprint or not…he was still my mate.

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