Chapters (51)
- Title Page
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- PROLOGUE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- EPILOGUE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- Also by Adrienne Young
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Newsletter Sign-up
Ezra looked confused. “Who?”
“Auster. You saw him that night, but you pretended not to.”
The answer was in the way his eyes narrowed. Whatever his reasons, he’d let Auster disappear when he left the Roths. I could only hope that even a shadow of the same loyalty might extend to all of us.
“I’ll deliver the commission tonight.” Ezra spoke through clenched teeth. “You hurt him, or ever mention a word about this to anyone, and the cost will find you.” The threat was clear in the words. “You don’t want to step foot in Henrik’s shadow. Understand?”
“I understand.” I nodded, feeling the truth of the words cut deep. I could see that some part of him liked the mischief at play, but he wasn’t going to go down for me with Henrik or with Holland, and he wasn’t going to sacrifice the boy on their altar.
“You’ll be fine.” Now Ezra was speaking to Tru.
He pulled up the collar of his jacket before he slipped back into the shadows with the others.
The boy’s eyes widened, and he let out a terrified whimper when he realized they’d really left. I took hold of his jacket and yanked him from West’s hands, wrapping my arms around him protectively. “What the hell are you doing?”
West slipped his knife back into his belt. “We needed leverage. I took it.”
I wiped the blood from Tru’s neck with the hem of my shirt. “Come on.” I put my arm around him and started walking. “You’re okay. We’re not going to hurt you.”
He didn’t look convinced, glancing over his shoulder to the dark alley where Ezra and Murrow had disappeared.
West followed on our heels, not looking the least bit phased. This was all so simple to him. Order the crew to Yuri’s Constellation. Lie about the deed. Sign the contract with Holland. Kidnap and threaten to kill a child.
What else is he willing to do?
Willa’s words echoed in tandem with my footsteps on the cobblestones.
Auster had warned us not to trust the Roths, but I’d still put all the power into their hands. Now, West had taken some of it back.
THIRTY-SEVEN
The color Holland chose was the deepest shade of emerald, the strands of silk moving in the light like threads of green glass. It ignited a memory, like breath on embers, but I couldn’t place it.
The seamstress carefully ran her fingers over the edge of the hem, pinning it into place at my waist so the fabric draped over my legs like a sweep of wind.