“Absolutely not. I could use the storm’s force to help us escape.”
“No. They’ll have me close so if even an errant wind comes, they’ll hurt me.”
A pause. “You said they won’t kill you. Why not?”
Time for a confession. “Devlen needs me. I can find his mentor’s prison, which he desires. And the truth is…I’ll tell him. I can’t…I’m too weak to resist. A few sessions of his torture and I’ll do anything. Anything. I’m not proud about it. It’s just a fact.”
“Opal, you’re not—”
“Let me finish.” The howling of the wind turned shrill as the storm approached. They would come for him soon. I lay on the sacks, and, for once, I knew my course of action was the right choice.
“With me…dead…” Despite my decision, the word was difficult to say. “…there is only one person left who knows the locations of the prisons. I’m no longer a liability. No other Warper can use me to find them.”
“A noble sacrifice, but you’ll have to figure out another plan. I’m not going to kill you.”
“You want Devlen to torture me? Get what he wants and become a powerful Warper?” Anger fueled my words. “That’s all I am. Someone to use. Alea used me, Yelena used me, and now Devlen. And they do it because I let them. I want it to stop. I won’t be useful to anyone when I’m dead.” I screamed with the wind, releasing all my pent-up fury and frustrations.
“Feel better now?”
“A little.”
“Good. I don’t want anyone to use you, Opal. I don’t want to see you hurt. I would love to tear them apart with the storm’s force. But I’m too weak.” His voice trailed off.
“Once the net’s off you should have enough energy.”
“I didn’t mean…” He huffed. “Time for a weather analogy. I don’t have the strength to be more creative. Opal, you arrived in my life like an unwelcome hot-season squall. After my sister died, I just wanted to languish in the sun and be left alone. But no, you wouldn’t let me. You blocked the sun and pelted me with your raindrops of curiosity and empathy and intelligence. And you blew out of my life as fast as you arrived—”
“But you told—”
“Quiet until I’m finished.” He paused. “I should have been glad you were gone, but I found myself missing the turbulence. When I saw you at the Keep with Ulrick, I convinced myself you were better off with him, and I didn’t need the heartache of losing someone I loved again. I managed to hold on to that conviction until today.
“No. I won’t do anything to endanger you, because I’m being selfish this time. There will be an opportunity for you to escape, and I’ll hold out hope. Because without you in my life, I might as well let the storm take me, too.”
“I thought…You made it clear…” Logic dribbled from my mind. Deep cracks snaked through my glass heart. It broke apart.
I had known what to do. It had made sense. I wouldn’t have left any regrets behind. But now…“Kade, I can’t—”
“I know I hurt you and I understand if you no longer feel the same toward me. But I’m not changing my mind.”
Chained to a ceiling, recovering from torture, staring at a bleak future and yet I managed to find an instant of joy. Kade had been my choice from the moment on the beach when he handed me Kaya’s orb. I wished I had trusted myself, held on to hope and waited for him.
“Opal?”
“My feelings for you haven’t changed. I just lied to myself for a while. But now…Damn it, Kade, you’ve given me a reason to live.”
“How is that bad?”
“My plans worked so much better when I thought you didn’t want me. I don’t have any other ideas on how to get us out of this.”
“You’re smart, Opal. You’ll figure it out.”
Kade’s words matched his sister’s exactly. They both had such confidence in me. Perhaps it was time I proved myself worthy and had confidence in myself. Time to stop moping over Devlen’s trick. He romanced me. Plain and simple. I fell for him and probably would still be with him if he hadn’t revealed his true self. Another fact I wasn’t proud of, but I can’t change the past. My thoughts reviewed all the dumb and tragic mistakes I had made.
Yelena’s words, You can’t let the past ruin your future, had just been words to repeat before. The past shouldn’t be forgotten. It should be used as a guide for future situations and not used as a reason to avoid making difficult decisions. There was always a choice.
I focused on my abilities. So far, I tricked Devlen into coming here. I had discovered who made the fake diamonds. Tricky could no longer access the power source because of me.
My goals were simple. Save Kade, save myself and rescue Ulrick. I hoped Devlen hadn’t lied about him being safe and sound. With the possibility of Kade in my future, I had a reward. Now all I needed was a plan.
“If I manage to figure something out, you have to promise me one thing?”
“I promise.” His content tone made me smile.
“Don’t you want to know what the promise is?”
“Tell me later.”
30
DEVLEN WOKE ME from a light doze. He held a clamp in one hand and a knife in the other. He had changed his clothes and smelled of soap. “The fun begins,” he said as Sir and Tal came for Kade.
They untied his hands and feet, but left the netting draped around him until Crafty entered the storeroom. She pulled the net off him. Sir and Tal drew their weapons and stepped back as the Stormdancer stood.
Crafty said, “I have a null shield around him.”
Kade rubbed the blood back into his arms and legs. His focus never left Devlen. The Warper positioned a clamp on my left arm, twisting the screw until the device was secured enough to stay put without causing me pain.
“Crafty will escort you outside. As soon as the null shield is dropped, you’re to fill the orbs, and teach her how to dance,” Sir said.
“How many orbs?” Kade asked.
“I’m sure the great and wonderful Kade can fill at least five,” Tal said. He picked up five empty ones from the table, leaving two behind.
“If Crafty can dance, five will be fine,” Kade said. “If she can’t, I can only do three.” His tone remained flat.
I eyed the extra orbs. Potential weapons? Not if no one attacked me with magic. Besides, I couldn’t reach them.
I cried out as Devlen dug his thumb into my hip. “Deviate from your job in any way and—”
“Save the threat. I said I would cooperate. Let’s go.” Kade led the way from the room with a sense of purpose in his stride as if he were the one in charge. Crafty, Sir and Tal hurried after him.
After a few uncomfortable moments alone with Devlen, Tricky brought in Devlen’s pack. The day turned from bad to worse. Kaya’s orb sounded agitated and upset, emitting a high-pitched keening louder than the blizzard’s winds.
“We are going to try an experiment,” Devlen said, digging into his bag. “I know how much you like them.” He withdrew a knife.
“Let me see…somewhere her boyfriend won’t notice.” Devlen pushed my sleeve up, exposing my elbow. “Sit up. I want your arm bent.”
I struggled into a sitting position. My wrists ached from being manacled.
“Find the bowl,” Devlen ordered Tricky.
The storm winds shook the rafters. Tricky glanced up before searching in Devlen’s pack. “Your Stormdancer better hurry,” he said as he removed a wooden bowl from the bag.
“Hold it under her elbow.” Devlen rested the knife’s blade against my forearm.
The inside of the bowl was stained dark brown. Unease twisted around my heart.
Once the bowl was in position, Devlen cut a long gash in my arm. I gasped as fire raced along my skin. Blood welled and flowed, splattering the bowl with crimson drops.
When the bleeding stopped, Tricky asked Devlen, “More?”
“No. We’ll start small. I don’t want to waste blood if it doesn’t work.”