Page 111 of Wolf of Ashes
“Losing the boy ismyfailure.”
Lucian’s lips twist. “But my father needs you, Jonah. You’re useful to him.”
Jonah’s brow furrows. “You’re his heir. Without you—”
“He can fuck another woman. Have another heir.”
Jonah seems to have no comeback for that.
When he remains silent, Lucian retracts his wings, and I notice again the way the edges of his outer feathers glint before they disappear.
I struggle up to my knees, groaning and not entirely faking my pain. It seems that my palm has some feeling left in it after all.
At least my vocal chords are healing and my voice is stronger. “Either kill me or take me to your father. It’s your choice.”
Lucian crouches down in front of me again. His focus finally lowers to my hands, which are now resting on my knees, but I retracted my claws as soon as Halle left. My left palm is badly burned.
His voice is quieter. “You must think I’m fucking stupid.”
I remain silent and he raises his eyes to mine.
“I don’t know how you cut through Halle’s magic, but I know you could have killed me with those claws already.” His hand whips out, wrapping around my throat again, squeezing slowly this time.
“Do it,” he says.
I attempt to lean back from him, eyeing him warily. “Do what?”
“End me!”
Does he think I would be more merciful than his father?
My closed fist rams down on his arm, knocking his hand away from my throat. “Take me to your father.”
His lips twist as he jumps to his feet again. “Jonah, restrain her! Or better yet, knock her out and keep her that way.” His chest heaves as he continues. “I have my own people placed along this train line and we should reach their position in another five minutes. They can get us off this train. We’ll be back in New York soon enough.”
Jonah approaches me, his footsteps appearing cautious.
I imagine he wishes he could read my mind.
Will I betray Elijah’s location? Have I figured out that Jonah knows who I am? What else might I know?
Have I come to kill him, too?
I have as many questions for Jonah as he must have for me, yet I can’t ask any of them.
Even if I could, I wouldn’t trust the answers he’d give me.
Oh, these dark paths we walk.
I don’t speak, other than to turn my burned palm up as a reminder of my promise that Elijah would be safe.
Maybe Jonah will read it that way. Maybe he’ll read it as a threat.
But his feelings don’t matter to me.
My thoughts are now fixed on my purpose and turned firmly away from the knowledge that I lost Anarchy tonight.
The keeper will get Elijah to the people who can keep him safe.
