"A wager? For what?" My life? The thought almost had me scoffing in disbelief that fear reigned in. Silas was right. He wasn't here to end my life- and my troubles. He was here to add to them. The only question was, how?
"If I can get us out of here unnoticed, you'll behave."
This time, I didn't almost scoff, pride I couldn't afford had him hearing it loud and clear, evident by the tightening of his hold.
"Causing trouble will get you nowhere good."
Trouble...
Once again, the thought of Rowan had unease stirring in my hollow chest.
Causing trouble led me to Rowan... If the last few hours, maybe days, of my life that I could recall had taught me anything, it was that Rowan was good. When he wasn't using my desperation against me.
"And if you don't?" I questioned through teeth that were gritted in regret. Now was not the time to poke the bear. This one didn't have fur as thick as Silas and Rowan's. He wouldn't brush off small disrespects as nothing like they did.
The realization had the empty hole in my chest widening into an abyss and... had a faint warmth blooming that it threatened to swallow.
"Then you'll have bigger concerns to worry about."
Possibly. He definitely would, but it wasn't like I had a choice-
"And, before you get the smart idea to alert someone to your predicament, ask yourself," he leaned in to whisper in my ear as he jerked me back and against the wall as a soldier turned onto the path in front of us. His hand lifted to cover my mouth just in case his words didn't have their intended effect as he continued in a faint whisper. "What will they believe, the truth from a human, or a crafted version of it from a fae?"
They- as in Ezekiel's men- might have listened to reason, but he wouldn't. He would buy into what fit his narrative- that I was guilty.
And I was, in some ways that I was just now learning, in others that I hadn't hesitated to admit-.but not how he believed I was.
I wasn't my parents. I was their scapegoat. One Ezekiel was more than satisfied with now that they were gone.
Which had me wondering if this unexpected kidnapping was a blessing in disguise...
But the burnt remains of their bodies? He presented their charred remains to me while drowning every detail of their lives out of me, small details of their day-to-day lives that I actively tried to steer clear of unless I was looking for the rare opening to help Ash without being spotted, something that was growing harder and harder to do with each close encounter that raised their suspicions. He was right, humans lied. Especially when they were being drowned for answers they didn't have.
But then again, I knew nothing, evident by everything that was revealed during my interrogation. And that was only the beginning.
What I did know though, was that I didn't know nearly as much as I should have, despite talking to Ash... he never told me the truth. He never said it was that bad.
He never told me anything.
Why?
"Why?" My voice cracked as I echoed the question that had been playing in my head on repeat for the fae when he lowered his hands, his eyes still tracking the soldier as he disappeared around the curve of the path.
"Human's lie-" he began, giving me a shove that indicated for me to start moving again. Thankfully, this time his hand didn't return to my hair. Instead, the point of a blade pressed into my back to motivate me to pick up my pace.
