Page 95 of The Puppet Master
When I peer around the tree, Luna takes my face and brings me back to her. Her hands are soft and cold. Gentle but with purpose.
“What are we doing out here, Sawyer?” she asks, her voice too loud.
I can tell by the look in her eyes what she truly wants. And it isn’t to know about my scars. It’s to get on the same team. It’s desperate. Hopeful. Urgent.
Help me.
Save me.
Please.
I open my mouth, but all that’s on my tongue is another lie. I want to tell her we’re here looking for a potential way out. For her. That we’re scouting together because I know this forest better, and I want her to have the best shot of escape once I’m gone. I almost speak these words even when she’s begging for the truth that she could never handle. In the end, I know they’re too cruel.
In two days, Aurelius will summon her to the river where every member of The Shadow Sanctum will be required to watch her ceremony. Herrebirth.
They’re going to hold her head under water until her heart stops beating. Once she’s dead, they’ll try to revive her. If it works, she’s pure. If it doesn’t, well…
I don’t want that to happen. Idon’t.
I want to prepare her. I want tosaveher. If her ceremony wasn’t my very best shot at getting to the money, then I would.
There are people counting on me. Many more people than Luna.
I sigh while tucking hair behind her ear. “Hiking. I just thought you could use the exercise…”
She breaks away before I have a chance to say any more, and I’m glad. That is the most pathetic lie I’ve told, but it isn’t the cruelest. I get her anger. I really do.
Her steps are too loud as she clomps through the forest, but when I whisper to keep it down, she doesn’t listen. She doesn’t even turn around.
“Hey…” I hurry to catch up, taking her arm as my eyes dance around the ground, really looking for traps this time. Luna walks right by one, and I have to jump behind her just to avoid it.
“Could youpleasebe careful.” I get beside her while she strides.
“If my leg gets caught, say I ran again. I’m sure it won’t be an issue for you.”
“I wouldn’t just leave you out here.”
She barks out a laugh and shakes her head. She’s so much braver than I’ve seen. No more nice girl act. No more appealing to my humanity.
“You seriously think I’d do that?” I ask as if I’m offended. I’m not.
“I think you have plenty of practice trapping women. You bought a whole island just to trap them. So yes, I think?—”
“It wasn’t like that.” We step over tripwire Luna doesn’t look down to see. She hardly slows. I’m beginning to think she’s more stupid than brave.
“Then what was it like?” She asks in the most sarcastic, disgusted tone. I can’t help it when my teeth grit. I can’t help it when my blood runs hot.
I stop, my hands flexing at my sides. Luna walks several more yards before she turns back with a scowl.
“The vast majority of women on my island were living lives you and I wouldn’t see in our nightmares. They were addicted to drugs, prostituting themselves, homeless… You’ve obviously grown up privileged so I don’t expect you to understand, but my island wasn’t acage. It wassalvation.”
“Ha!” She tips her head back, collecting the last of the sun on her porcelain face.
“Is that funny?”
“In a very unfunny way. Yes.”
I yank up both my sleeves. Jerk my arms out. “You said you wanted to know how I got my scars. The residents who decided I was evil burned my manor to the ground and forgot about the thirty plus women who were trapped on the third floor.” I hold up one arm, gesturing to the full length of distorted skin. “I got these when I went to free them.”
