Page 125 of The Rebel and the Rose
‘Crystal clear,’ said Theo, at once.
Blinking slowly, Val nodded.
The prince clapped his hands, applauding their acquiescence. ‘Wonderful,’ he said, through that blinding smile, before spinning on his boot heel and striding towards the bar. ‘Now someone get me a fucking drink.’
Still watching them closely, Lark Delano rolled to his feet. His eyes slid like oil from Val to Theo and back again.
‘Until tonight, then,’ he said, that irritating smirk curling, as he sauntered off after the prince.
Chapter 31Ransom
Find the acolyte.
Kill her.
Bury her body.
Ransom was in the grip of a nightmare. On his knees in the dark, his little sister was finally within reach. Smiling. Trembling. All grown up. It was a gift of fate, a kindness from Oriel herself, but there was a worm in his head telling him to kill her.
He had to kill her.
Anouk’s hands were achingly cold, the chains around her wrist rattling as she gripped him. Her nails dug into skin, like she was afraid he would disappear. ‘Are you real?’ she whispered. ‘Bastian, is this real?’
The fog was creeping in again. Head splitting. Worldturning. Breath hissing. Like a puppet, he felt the strings around him tighten. No.No.
Kill her.
Bury her body.
Through his teeth, Ransom begged, ‘Anouk, let go of me.’
She shook her head, a familiar fierceness returning to her face. ‘Not a chance. Not after ten long years.’
Kill her.
Bury her body.
‘Anouk, you have to let go.’ Sweat beaded on Ransom’s brow as he fought the urge rising in his chest. His fingers twitched beneath hers, his eyes drawn to the column of her neck. How easy it would be to snap. And then it would be done.
He just needed it to be done.
‘Caruso,’ he groaned, fighting his own will. ‘Restrain me.’
The Dagger, who like Nadia had been observing their reunion in confused silence, stepped into the tower. ‘What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?’
‘Yes,’ he ground out.
Kill her.
Bury her body.
‘CARUSO! NOW!’ An anguished scream ripped out of Ransom. Too late Anouk released him, scrabbling backwards. He was already lunging at her, but Caruso was faster, collaring his neck and dragging him backwards. Holding his elbows behind his back with one arm, he drove his knee into Ransom’s back, pinning him to the cold stone floor. There was just enough space to raise his head.
Anouk, who had flattened herself against the far wall,struggled to catch her breath. Her eyes were so wide in her narrow face, the olive pallor all but drained. She looked like a frightened doll come to life, her cheekbones sharpened by weeks of starvation, her narrow limbs mottled with bruises.
And somehow, he still itched to kill her.
Hehadto kill her.
