KOTLC Deleted Scenes

Legacy B&N Exclusive Edition- Tam's POV

Hi there, Keeper fans! Consider this your friendly reminder: If you snuck back here to spend a little time with our favorite silver-banged Shade before reading Legacy - STOP! TURN BACK! SPOILERS AHEAD! Even the next paragraph is iffy, so I'd recommend fleeing now.

*pauses for one more SPOILER ALERT*

Okay! The scenes you're about to read take place simultaneously with what's going on throughout the course of Legacy, to give you some glimpses into Tam's side of the story. There are several references to moments you've already seen through Sophie's eyes, but now you'll see Tam's reactions and hopefully get some deeper insights into what our sweet, angsty boy is going through.

Happy reading!

—Shannon Messenger

First Day

Don't talk to anybody.

Don't listen to anybody.

Don't make friends.

Don't let them break you.

They were the words that Tam had repeated to himself every morning before he headed off to Exillium.

The rules he forced himself to follow.

The only way to survive.

And they were going to get him through this.

Hopefully he'd learn something useful too.

Tam studied his tiny, stuffy room, smirking at the ridiculous touches someone had added-as if they thought he'd look at the embroidered pillows and the jeweled moon jars and think, Oh, I guess I'm not a prisoner, because they gave me a mirrored tray with...

Is that a sparkly cat statue?

He rolled his eyes and tried to decide if it would be better to gather up all of that junk and shove it under the bed to show them exactly what he thought of it, or to leave it where it was.

What he really wanted to do was shred the pillows, fling the moon jars against the walls, and smash the stupid, shiny cat.

But this was a long game.

Best to start slow. Test the water.

"How did you sleep?" Lady Gisela asked behind him, and Tam kicked himself for flinching-but he hadn't heard the door open.

"Awesome," he told her. "Nothing says 'sweet dreams' like a concussion. You should try it sometime. I'd be happy to knock you out."

Lady Gisela sighed. "This will go much easier for you if you cooperate."

"Pretty sure it will go easier for you," Tam countered, spinning around to face her.

Her hair was pulled back into this supertight bun that looked like it had to be giving her a headache, and the skin on her face had this weird, stretched look to it. It almost looked like it hurt when she moved her mouth.

Tam really hoped it did.

"I know how to deal with stubborn, snarky boys," Lady Gisela told him.

"I can tell. Thanks for the cat statue!"

Her eyes narrowed, and Tam realized her should probably ease off a but. It was only day one. He needed to figure out the boundaries before he started slamming against them.

"I am not the enemy, Tam," she told him, and it was really, really hard not to laugh-until she added, "But I can be if you insist on being difficult. You're here for a reason, and I will make sure you fulfill it."