“Useful how?” I narrowed my eyes.

“If you stay alive, you’ll find out one day.” Stepping forward with a blast of black, he snatched my hand and slapped the dagger into it. The hilt was some sort of stone or bone—cold and slippery compared to the wooden one. “If you throw this away, I’ll kill you. If you don’t practice how to use it, I’ll kill you. If you’re late to work tomorrow, I’ll—”

“Kill me. Yeah, I know.”

His lips pursed as if he wanted to curse but he gave a curt nod and let me go. “Leave.”

I held his eyes, wondering if I should rebel against such an order.

After everything that’d happened today.

After all the things we’d said and felt—

But in the end, I accepted defeat and left.

I also took that awful knife with me...just because he told me to.

Chapter Thirty-Three

I STOOD ON THE ROOF OF the highest tower.

Rain soaked into my clothes as I held my face to the sky. Below me, the braziers and torches of Cinderkeep burned in perpetuity, thanks to Brimstone Industries’ patented volcanic energy.

I’d feared I would live here until they either broke me, cloned me, or I died of natural old age.

But...I finally had hope.

That delicious, sickening emotion I’d completely forgotten about now burned right alongside the pain of the vitalsync core.

Except...hope somehow had her name.

She was meant to be nothing more than a tool. A blessing I hadn’t expected to find that could somehow quiet the static in my head, ease the fire in my blood, and give me just enough strength to get the fuck out of here.

But she kept confusing me, choosing me...

Was she telling the truth that she wouldn’t trade my secrets for money? Was it real when she got angry on my behalf?

Or was it fake?

Because having her defend me? Hearing her confess that she wouldn’t betray me...

Fuck, that did something to me.

If she was real—if she truly was on my side—she was quite possibly the most terrifying thing to ever happen to me because what if I began to believe it?

Only for it all to be a lie?

I could already feel my sanity threatening to crack.

The despair she delivered each time she did something nice for me made me beg for Marcus to have given her to me sooner—to never have known how awful life could be all by myself.

But it also paralysed me because if I got used to her—if I started to feel...and it all turned out to be nothing more than another game...

Fuck.

I should get rid of her myself.

I should kill her, so she never had the opportunity to hurt me.

Out of everyone who’d ever abused, tortured, and controlled me, she could be the worst.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Couldn’t stop wanting things, needing things, craving things—

She’s dangerous.

My hands curled.

Whatever she was and whatever feelings she dragged awake, I couldn’t let her distract me.

She was nothing more than a means to an end, that was all.

With her help, all the pieces I needed would soon be in place.

And after twenty godforsaken years...I’d be free.

Either dead or outside these walls, I didn’t really care anymore.

Because finally, after two agonising decades, it would all be over.

Chapter Thirty-Four

I COULDN’T GET WARM.

No matter how tightly I wrapped myself in the blankets or how many jumpers I threw on, shivers lived in my bones.

I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

How he’d taught me to kill.

How he’d accidentally landed on me, kissed me, shot me down and—

God, stop.

I couldn’t do it.

He made my system turn crazy and the pain was too much.

I’d been so wrapped up in him, I hadn’t been aware how close I’d been to burning out.

Having him force me to hold a knife against his throat. Having him so close and angry and intense.

The moment I’d stumbled into my pavilion...I’d paid for every word, every look, every second of anxiety and scalding-hot connection.

All night, I’d suffered.

Dawn had arrived and I’d begged the migraine to stop.

I clung to my raindrop pendant, wishing it could take away my misery, just like my mother claimed it could.

My mouth watered for something bitter and metallic as red, red, red filled my mind. Bone-aching regret crippled me that Evelyn had stolen Lucien’s blood.

I would’ve happily swallowed the entire vial.

I would’ve gotten over my aversion of what it was because it was the only thing that could help me.

“God...please.” I pressed my palms against my eyes, trying to shut out the light as the dawn turned to brighter day.

I couldn’t exist like this much longer.

My teeth rattled as I curled up into a ball beneath the blankets.

A soft growl echoed from outside my little nest. Something firm nuzzled against me, trying to find me beneath the covers. Vertigo made my vision dance as I pulled them back and met Whisper’s glowing gaze.

His massive silhouette filled everything. His whiskers flared as if scenting my pain.

Balling my hands under my chin, doing my best not to tremble, I whispered, “If you’re here to take me to Lucien, I can’t today.”

The bed dipped as he leapt over me and settled his enormous warm weight against my spine. I whimpered as the motion jarred my head.

He immediately stilled as if he knew he’d hurt me.

Gritting my teeth against fresh nausea, I turned to face him. He watched me, head cocked, ears pricked. Leaning down, he pressed his velvet muzzle against my temple with a surprising gentleness.

Tears stung my eyes.

“Whisper.” My voice broke. “It hurts.”

The panther rumbled a deep, vibrating purr as if he understood. Lying down, he slung a heavy front leg over me.

I froze as he nuzzled my hair.

I choked on a sob as he settled close.

He offered such comfort. Such protection. Such kindness.

With a gasp of absolute gratitude, I clutched his fur. His claws unsheathed, catching on the covers as he kneaded me.

For the first time since I lost everything, I had someone hold me while I shattered.

I didn’t have to pretend I wasn’t broken.

Didn’t have to suffer alone.

I couldn’t help it.

I cried.

I gave in to huge wracking sobs that made my head splinter but somehow felt so, so good.

Whisper growled, the rumble like an earthquake in his chest.

His sandpaper tongue tugged my hair as he licked me.

I cried harder.

“ROOK!” Laura’s voice rang sharp with panic. “Get off her, you vile beast!”

No.

What?

What was she doing here?

Whisper snarled, loud and vicious. Launching to his feet, he stood over me, bristling and violent.

My vision faded in and out as I rolled over and gawked at the girl who’d been dragged into this mess like me.

Laura’s face turned ghost white, her eyes round with terror. “Get off her! S-Stop eating her!”

Eating me?

Whisper rumbled a bone-shattering growl, fangs bared, and black gums wet with saliva.

“Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck.” Her voice turned shrill as her gaze flew around my room.

“Laura—” I coughed, wincing as fresh agony stabbed my skull, making me blind for a second. “It’s okay. He’s fine—”

“He’s killing you!”

“No, he’s—” I gasped as nausea splashed up my throat. In my hazy sight, she flung herself toward the kitchen. Toward the silver thing glinting there. The dagger that Lucien had given me.

Absolute horror tore through my middle.

“Laura, don’t—!”

She snatched it up and came running.

“STOP!” My voice broke, but she didn’t listen.