Page 103 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

Alana comes to a stop just as we reach the doors. Her hands begin to shake as she looks at me.

“Are you sure we’ll be safe?” she whispers just loud enough for me to hear.

“I promise. I would never willingly put you in danger...” Guilt claws at my throat, tightening my chest.

Alana gives me a sad look, shaking her head. Taking a deep breath, I grab her hand and pull her through the doors. Moving quickly, I pull her to the side, just as a guard walking right for us stops to frown at the door that just moved by itself.

Tapping her on the shoulder, I tilt my head to the right, telling her that’s the direction we need to go. She smiles in acknowledgment, keeping a tight hold of my hand as we move further and further away from King’s Tower and what has been my prison for the last six years.

And just like that, we’re free.

Thanks to Jazmyn, King’s special little tag on us has been neutered. At least, for now.

“We just need to make it to the docks and then you’ll soon be free, I promise.”

How was I going to tell her I wasn’t going with her?

Not really knowing this city or which way to go, I take out my new stolen phone, pull up a map, and search for directions.

The GPS tells me we’re only ten minutes out. A giddy energy runs through me, thinking how well everything went.

We make it to the docks in no time, Alana holding up well enough to keep a good pace.

Just as we head inside, a sickening feeling turns my stomach, making any giddy energy I had evaporate.

It’s just nerves.

Pushing on, I head to the spot I told Kai to meet us at but find it empty.

Where is everyone? Placing my bag on the ground, I hand another bottle of water to Alana. She smiles a thanks.

“I’m going to take a look around. Stay here.”

“Of course.”

Making sure there’s no one about, I keep Alana in view while I take a quick look around. After a couple of minutes finding the place vacant, I head back over to Alana finding her sitting on the ground happily munching on a chocolate bar. It brings a smile to my face, seeing her happy.

Noticing I’m back, she gives me another shy smile. “Is everything okay?”

I check the time on my phone. It’s ten past eleven. They should be here. Where the hell are they?

My stomach drops at the thought of them running into trouble.

Maybe I should have waited for them.

“It’ll be fine,” I tell myself more than Alana.

Alana stands looking at me curiously while glancing around. “Are we waiting for someone?”

I don’t get time to answer her before I notice them.

Shadows crawl along the crates, surrounding us and blocking us in.

Their boots are as silent as a predator, moving swiftly to form a wide circle around us.

Kaladar’s men.

They stare right at us as if we’re nothing but dirt.

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