“I wish I could, Cam,” Keeda says, and to her credit, she does look remorseful, her brows puckered and her lips tight with apology. “Maybe if you’d gotten to me first, then things would be different. But I can’t go against Kael’s orders. This place”—she throws out her free hand, her gaze following the motion before refocusing on Cami—“is my home. I haven’t had one of those since before my parents died. It’s all I have in this world, and I won’t risk losing it, not for anything. Kael says no, so I have to say no.”

She offers one final apologetic glance before ducking out of the alcove. I don’t try to call her back. I know Keeda well enough to understand that once her mind is made up, there’s no changing it.

“What do we do now?” Cami asks in a small voice.

A hundred thousand possibilities fly through my mind, none of which will get us anywhere. Cami only knows the main paths into and out of Lengard, all of which would result in our capture. As for me … I was unconscious during our escape, just as I was unconscious when I was first delivered to the facility years ago. Indeed, the only memories I have of entering from the outside are from the two times I was taken topside during my imprisonment—once with Ward when we spent the afternoon sightseeing with Falon’s children, and again after my first visit to the zoo with my Lengard friends. Both times had us using the elevator that leads to the shopping mall located beneath Centrepoint Tower, right in the heart of the city. There are so many security requirements— scans, biometric readings, voice-activation prompts—that I doubt even my most creative attempts at Speaking would get us through without notice, especially once we reached the manned guard points.

But the look on Cami’s face right now …

I made her a promise, and unlike Kael, I plan on keeping mine.

I wince inwardly, realizing I’m not being fair to Kael—again. Just a few hours ago, he reminded me of his good intentions. I believe he means well, that he will eventually see his promise through. But I also know that as a leader, he has to focus on the security of his people and prioritize accordingly. I understand that. I just don’t like it. Nor do I like that his concerns for my safety mean he’s giving orders to others that will actively keep me from carrying out my own plans until he’s ready. That I can’t allow—that I won’t allow. I refuse to be the type of girl who waits for a prince to come riding in on a white horse to save the day. If Kael is unable—or unwilling—to help us right now, even going so far as to pull rank over people like Keeda to keep Cami and me protected, then so be it. But clip my wings, and I’ll just find another way to fly.