Mag-log inThe side passage sloped upward. That was good. Up meant out. But it was also narrow and unstable. More cracks appeared in the walls as we climbed, and chunks of stone fell around us.But Andrei was slowing down. I could see it in the way he moved, the way he had to stop every few steps to catch his
Natalia’s POVWith a gasp, I pulled my boot out of the water and stumbled backward. My legs wouldn’t hold me anymore. I fell to my butt, hardly even feeling the stone cutting against me, and panted as I stared at the rippling water.Andrei was still kneeling at the edge of the pool with my baby clut
The King crossed the distance between us in two strides. He grabbed me by the throat and lifted me off the ground, sliding my back against the pillar. I clawed at his hand, but my fingers were numb and useless.“Clever,” he hissed. “Very clever. But not clever enough.”He slammed me into the stone f
Natalia’s POVI gripped the rusty blade the King had given me and tried to steady my breathing. My hands were shaking, although whether from fear, exhaustion, or the effort of keeping my disguise steady, I wasn’t sure.For the moment, I looked like Andrei. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired. The Ki
We returned to the chamber, but the cage was no longer there. The King led me to one of the many doors surrounding the chamber and opened it.“One minute,” he said, gesturing for me to enter. “So you may say your goodbyes. Because I am nothing if not merciful.” His jagged teeth flashed nastily at me
Natalia’s POVThe moment I saw Andrei hanging there in that cage, limp and lifeless, I dropped to my knees. I didn’t care that my kneecaps barked with pain from the impact of the stone floor. Didn’t care if I scraped my skin until it bled or the fact that the scream that ripped from my throat was ha







