Imposter

Chapter 22

"Pack your bags," Liam's voice boomed from outside her door. "Now."

Katrina nearly dropped her roll of gauze when his fist thudded against her door.

She had been going through her morning routine of wrapping her body in gauze. While it was cheaper to just glamour herself, she hated doing that.

Beyond that, it always felt like she was betraying Jericho.

"Kat? Are you in there?"

"What do you want?" she snapped, pulling her shirt over her head. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"I think you will," he said.

After she wiggled into a pair of jeans, she walked over to the door and flung it open.

Her father's stern, unsmiling face stared down at her. His hair was a softer shade of pink than hers, and his eyes were the same mossy-green as Dante's.

"What's going on?" she asked, lifting her chin.

"I received word that The Young Executioners are making their way for Terial," he said curtly. "They will be here in about a day."

"Let them come," she said, moving to slam the door in his face.

He blocked it with his foot. "Kat, if you don't go—"

"No, if we run, suspicion will be thrown our way," Katrina said. "They'll follow us, and they will find us. You won't be able to protect me."

"We'll move fast."

"Not fast enough." Katrina shook her head. "I'm not leaving. It's too risky."

"So is staying here," Liam argued. "Kat, you'll be found out one of these days. What if they have a way of detecting magic that we don't know about?"

"That would probably be a form of magic itself, which seems incredibly hypocritical."

The way she couldn't sleep or concentrate made her think maybe someone should go warn them.

Someone with a great deal of power was still hiding in Kor, and it didn't feel like they were leaving anytime soon.

Liam's shoulders sagged. "I do love you, you know," he told her. "Despite all of. . .this. . ."

"What? You mean, forcing me to use my magic?" The whispered word left a bitter taste in her mouth.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just promise me you won't do anything to grab their attention."

"I'll behave as I always do," she promised. "I'm not worried about it."

The thought was terrifying, but she had become skilled at hiding her secret. It wouldn't be any different than normal.

"Maybe someone should warn Karel," Katrina said, the blood draining from her face.

"Kat, no," he said firmly. "It's too risky—"

"Daddy, he won't stand a chance," she said, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. "You know they'll tie him up and throw him out to them like a sacrifice. He'll think it's nothing more than the regular beating and he won't fight back—"

And then he would find himself at the end of an iron sword, aimed straight for his neck. Or his heart.

"You can't warn him," Liam said gently. "You know that."

Katrina chewed on the inside of her lip. "No, but I know someone who can," she muttered.

"You're really beginning to make a habit of this," Mason said disapprovingly when he opened the door to his room. "This is the fifth time."