Perry reached the edge of the crowd. The wooden dais stretched before him, Sable only a dozen paces away.

And Aria.

“Call your men off and I’ll let her go!” Roar yelled. “This is between us! It’s about Liv.”

Sable took a pistol from Aria’s father and stood, pushing back from the table. “I can’t say I’m surprised to see you.”

Gasps erupted from across the clearing as the crowd surged back, clearing the field between them.

“You have a debt to pay.” Roar’s voice sounded rough, hoarse with anger. His diversion was working; all eyes remained fixed on him.

Perry lifted the gun and aimed at Sable, searching for a clear shot. He found it. A kill shot, right to the back of his head. Steadying his breath, he exerted steady pressure on the trigger.

Aria shifted, suddenly in the way.

Perry let up, his heart climbing to his throat, but he wasted no time. He crept around the dais in search of another angle, knowing he had only seconds before the Horns spotted him.

“Sable, do something!” Kirra pleaded, struggling against Roar.

“No one else has to get hurt,” Roar yelled. “Only you. You need to pay for what you did!”

Sable raised the pistol in a quick, precise motion. “I disagree,” he said.

Then he fired.

51. Aria

51

ARIA

The gunshot shook the air. An instant later, Roar and Kirra collapsed to the earth.

Aria reacted without thinking, throwing herself into Sable. She rammed into his shoulder and they crashed to the platform. The hard edge of a plank bit into her back, Sable’s weight smashing her down. They rolled off together, onto the grass.

She twisted as they fell, grabbing the pistol in his hand. Her fingers found the trigger and squeezed. She heard the weapon fire just as Sable’s fist struck her across the temple.

Pain burst deep in her skull, a blaze that shot all the way down her spine, and everything went dark. The only thing she knew was that she still gripped the gun.

But then it tore from her fingers as unseen hands closed on her arms and wrenched her upright. They pulled with such force that her neck snapped forward, her chin hitting her breastbone.

Aria lifted her head. She couldn’t see—not the earth beneath her feet or the people around her. She blinked hard, trying to recover her vision. Trying to stay on her feet.

When her eyes cleared, she thought she’d died. That she’d shot herself while trying to kill Sable. It was the only explanation for why Perry stood only ten paces away, on the platform, pointing a gun at Sable.

Perry stepped down to the ground. Shouts exploded around the clearing. A dozen of Sable’s guards aimed their weapons at Perry.

He went still, his gaze flicking to Aria. Then he lowered the gun.