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I flinch The rag she gives me is clean, but it still smells like blood I shouldn’t care I already have blood all over s to eline, Ptolemus, the nymph lord, all those who tried to kill me in the arena I suppose some of it is Cal’s as well He bled freely on the sand, cut and bruised by our would-be executioners Now he sits across froin the slow process of healing naturally I glance at one of the eline Still fresh, and deep enough to leave a scar Part of ically wiped away by a healer’s cold hands Cal and I are not in the Silver world anymore, with someone to simply erase our well-earned scars We have escaped Or at least, I have Cal’s chains are a fires htning girl It’s what they’re after"
For once, I do as I’ red fabric up over their mouths and noses Cal is the last uncovered face, but not for long He doesn’t fight Farley when she ties hishim look like one of us
If only he was
An electric hu, screeching Undertrain It carries us inexorably forward, to a city that was once a haven The train races, screa over open ground I listen to the grating metal, feel it deep in th back in the arena see behind only pain and fear I can scarcely i, everything he ever held dear A father, a brother, a kingdoether, still but for the rocking of the train, I do not know
No one needs to tell me the reason for our haste Farley and her Guardsh explanation for
Maven caain This time with the fury of his soldiers, his mother, and his nen Yesterday he was a prince; today he is king I thought he was my friend, my betrothed, now I know better
Once, I trusted him Now I know to hate him, to fear him He helped kill his father for a crown, and framed his brother for the cri the ruined city is a lie--a trick--and he knohere the train leads The sanctuary Farley built is no longer safe, not for us Not for you
We could already be speeding into a trap
An ar my unease Shade I still can’t believe est of all, like er than both
"I won’t let theain," he murmurs, so low I can barely hear him I suppose loyalty to anyone but the Scarlet Guard, even family, is not allowed "I proe could still pretend to be children Nothing existed but thethe future Now the future is all I think of, wondering what dark pathto do now?" I direct the question at Farley, but uardian with a clenched jaw and bloody bandages To think he was a fishero Like Shade, he seehost of a time before all this
"There’s always somewhere to run," Farley replies,else
She expects hiht, to resist, but he does neither
"You keep your hands on her," Farley says, turning back to Shade after a long moment My brother nods, and his palm feels heavy on eneral or a tactician, but her reasoning is clear I a bolt in human form People know my name, my face, and my abilities I a to stopback How , even though he is likeI’ve ever seen, I do not know But I must believe, even if it sees Another escape will be the least of theun barrels echo down the train as the Guard htly, his grip tight on the rifle slung across his chest He glances down, his expression soft He tries to srave and afraid