The same two guards who unlocked Ines’s shackles pull Ash from his. They stand him up, restraining his arms, while the tall bouncer cracks his knuckles and waits. Ash looks at me, as if to tell me it’s okay, but I don’t believe him; I’m in full-blown panic.

“Let’s see here,” Jag says, assessing Ash.

I brace myself, waiting for his question. But before Jag even asks one, he gestures toward Ash and the bouncer punches Ash in the face, splitting his lip open and sending a line of blood down his chin. I want to scream, but I know it will only make things worse.

Jag clears his throat. “Now, I want you to think carefully about how you answer me, granddaughter, because a wrong answer will have unfavorable consequences.”

I hate that he calls me granddaughter. And I’m certain that’s why he keeps doing it.

Jag nods, seeing that I understand. “So…I know you killed the five guards on your way in, but what I don’t know is who killed the two in the main hall?”

For a second I just stare at him in complete shock. “What are you talking about?”

“Strike one,” Jag says, and smiles. “A terrible sport, baseball, but it’s an American expression I’ve always been fond of.” He gestures again and this time the bouncer knees Ash in the stomach. Ash grunts and sucks in air, wheezing.

My mind whirls. We didn’t hurt those guards; we only knocked them unconscious. And then it dawns on me…Layla. Could it be Layla who killed the guards? I don’t pursue that line of thought, however, because right now my best chance is to appear confused and distraught, and that’s actually perfect, because I am. My emotions are finally a tool, not a hindrance.

“Okay, okay, wait,” I say quickly, spreading my palms open as if to appear nonthreatening. “I’m just as confused as you are.”

Jag lifts his eyebrow.

“We put those guards to sleep using Angels’ Dream,” I say, choosing my words carefully. “And then we came directly down to the dungeon. We didn’t kill them.”

Before I can continue, Jag looks at the bouncer and he punches Ash so hard in the face that Ash’s head flies back. My eyes well at the sight of Ash in pain.

“Strike two,” Jag says. “I didn’t ask you if you killed the guards, I asked you who killed the guards in the main hall. Be careful, now. Three strikes and you’re out.”

The bouncer pulls his knife from its sheath.