Page 31 of The Puppeteer and the Poisoned Pawn

Dessin looks back at her for a few seconds. “Okay, but douse them with your satchel when you get them all together. It’ll keep any stray beasts away.”

She nods quickly.

Dessin sighs, scoping out his battlefield again. “Warrose,” he says without looking back at him. “Stay close to her.”

A bucket of chills is poured down my back. The command in his voice is strong yet pleading.

Me.

I feel Warrose tense, then nod at my side.

Aurick leaves us to pass word to his men. And we sit in silence until Dessin looks around at our group. Only, he blinks a few times, like he’s awakened from a nap. Sleepy, puzzled, and trying to understand his surroundings.

“Can I have a moment with Skylenna?” he asks the group. A soft, warm voice. Kane’s voice.

They nod, falling back to give us some space.

Kane turns to me, dropping down to his knees. Leveling his gaze to meet mine.

“I lied before,” he prompts, low and strained.

“I know.” Ice-cold words like venom from my lips.

“After we kissed under the waterfall. I lied. I told you it didn’t mean anything to me.”

My armor softens, and I lose my breath.

“That was alie, Skylenna.” He swallows, eyes glistening with tears. “That kiss was my whole world, honey.” His chest is moving rapidly as if he’s in the midst of battle already. And I can see that he needs to get this out. He’s dying to tell me what’s in his heart. “Years ago, I promised you I’d take you under that waterfall when you were old enough and give you our first kiss. I’ve—I’ve waited so long to keep that promise.”

My eyes water.Iwas the person he promised. The night Dessin and I swam in the lagoon, he told me he promised someone he’d wait to go under there. But it was Kane that made the promise.

To me.

How long have we known each other?

“Can you forgive me? For lying to you?” he asks, reaching for my hands.

“I can… for that lie.” I pull my hands away. “But not for the others. Until I learn the truth, I just can’t stomach your betrayal.”

He looks down at the space between our hands, nodding with a sad smile.

“I understand.”

It’s the slow dissociation, deserted, unfocused eyes that tell me he’s gone. Dessin is fronting again. And I’ve never been so gutted, so torn on what I feel.

But I have to be strong. I won’t let him get away with this. Men have always walked all over me, hit me, bruised me, and lied to me.

Dessin looks to Aurick for a nod that they’re ready. Then flicks his gaze back to me, ignoring the fact that there are tears blurring my vision.

“You wait until every man is fighting. Then, you and Niles work fast to free him. Once he’s out, run like hell back to the forest. Wait for me here, understand?”

I sigh. My insides burn and grumble from the anticipation.

“Skylenna, answer me,” he orders.

“Yes. I understand.”

He nods once, and the unit separates. Half of them move to the far left and the other half to the far right, leaving Niles, Ruth, and me alone.

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