Page 81 of Truth's Blade

He turned to smile at her. “As long as I keep them in their box or in line, they’ll never lose power.”

“So the barrier lost some power when you opened it to let the others go?” she asked.

He gave a laugh. “Sorry to dash your hopes, but no. I moved the last stone in the arch to let them out, so I break the arch and then reset it when I put it back, with minimal power loss. The stones keep up a strong barrier as long as they’re in alignment. I’ve had them for years. They’ve kept many, many prisoners in. So think about that.” He brought her round to the side of the building, and moved the stone with his shoe.

He waggled the pouch at her as he backed up, and she obediently stepped through. He rolled the stone back in place and sent her a nasty smile.

“You hurt me, and I’m going to take as long as I need to heal. Which means don’t count on food or water any time soon.” He turned and walked slowly back to his house.

She thought about reminding him that an army was on its way to him, that he didn’t have time to lie around and heal, but decided to keep quiet. He seemed to ignore whatever it was he didn’t like to hear.

Maybe he thought the others would become ensnared in one of his traps, or that either Gus or one of the town guards would stop them.

Or he was so far into his own reality, he simply refused to consider that his time might be coming to an end.

She turned and made for the prison door, pushing it open.

Hands grabbed her gently and pulled her in.

Arms came around her in the pitch darkness of the cell. “Are you all right?”

She buried her face in his chest, suddenly shaking. “I am now.”

CHAPTER 31

Theo strippedthe rope off her, alarmed at her shivering.

“What did he do to you?” He tried to pull back, to get a better look, but as soon as her hands were free, Melodie hugged him and he stilled, letting her come in as close as she could.

“It doesn’t matter what he did,” she whispered. “What matters is I got the better of him.”

“Of course you did.” He ran a hand down the back of her head, smoothed her braid between her shoulders.

She chuckled against his chest. “You don’t even know what I did.”

“Whatever it was, it was magnificent,” he said.

“I stabbed him. And I think I found out how we can break free.” She lifted her head at last.

“You stabbed him?” Looking at her in the faint light coming from the window above, he saw blood smeared on her cheek. He wondered what price she’d paid for that, while he sat here, unable to do anything.

“He made me paint something. So I painted a knife and stabbed him with it.”

He had to hold back a sudden shout of laughter. “He didn’t think it was a bad idea to watch you paint a knife?”

“Somehow, not. And I hurt him, but not enough to put him down. And he . . .” She suddenly shivered. “He retaliated. But the main thing is what I got him to say about the stones. Reading between the lines, I think their power is dependent on them being in alignment. That’s why he closed it back up before he took me to the workshop.”

He stared at her, suddenly sick to his stomach about what that retaliation might have entailed, but she fisted her hands on his chest.

“If I understood what he was saying correctly, we just have to push any stone other than the last one out of alignment, and I think the barrier might eventually shut down.”

Eventually could be any time, but he refused to mention it. He didn’t have a plan to escape, so hers was the best they had. “So how do we move one out of alignment?” he asked.

“Let’s go see.” She pulled back. “I have an idea.”

Theo stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed, as she walked along the barrier, studying each of the stones in turn. It was better for them both if he stayed in the shadows and reduced the risk of Marchant seeing him.

She looked toward the house, studying it as carefully as she had the stones, and then gestured to him. “I think he’s asleep, all the lights are off.”

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