Page 163 of Taken By Touch and Torment

The secrets of my true nature and allegiance were all I had left.

I put the note and pen back in their hiding spots in silence. The thought of something happening to Rune, to Uriah or Mason or anyone he’d brought with him, had a lump lodged in my throat.

It would be all my fault.

Keep taking the next right step, Rune commanded inside my mind.

The voices of everyone who was rooting for me were my lifelines as I put on the only garment of clothing I could find that covered my daggers.

Rosalind watched me in a respectful silence as I slipped on a black skirt and a jeweled bra that actually covered my breasts.

“Can you see my daggers?” I asked her. I did a little twirl.

“No, but they won’t be hard to feel. And vampires tend to want to undress you.”

I shrugged. “All we can do is try,” I said, my voice trembling.

Rosalind straightened and smirked. “Get it together, Scarlett fucking Hale,” she said, making fun of what Evangeline had said right before I blacked out. “You once asked me if I wanted my life to mean something. I hated you for it. Because once you hear something, you can’t unhear it. I’d spent so many years living as a slave—a slave to fear—that I’d forgotten what it was like to live for anything else.”

I took a long, deep breath.

“You came into this place like a violent storm,” she continued. “I was so irritated by it at first, because I knew you were about to make my life exasperatingly harder. And you did,” she said with a snort. “But I’m fucking grateful for it. For you. I don’t want to go back to who I was before. And I don’t want you to either, because I’ve seen you go from an imprecise storm to a lethal, tactful demon of perfect control. One that I would follow into battle any day of the week.”

“I’m proud of you too, Rosalind.” I straightened, already feeling steadier. I’d needed that metaphorical slap to the face.

“I’m going to fulfill my end of our plans and get these slaves out of here,” she said, lifting her chin. “The aunts herded them away from the fray, and the castle is in the perfect state of chaos to strike. I’ve been hiding weapons in their quarters, studying each aunt’s powers, habits, and weaknesses. I can move them out in batches starting now, so the turned can do whatever the fuck they want to this place without worrying about harming innocents. I have friends in the city who will help hide them.”

I was terrified for her. I suddenly understood how Snow and everyone who loved me must’ve felt, watching me vow to bring down an entire regime, facing beings infinitely more powerful than myself.

Rosalind wouldn’t be alone, and all we could do was believe in each other now.

“If I have to mourn you again, I’m going to be pissed.”

Rosalind winked. “Cockroach, darling. Remember?” She took my hands in hers. “Close your eyes.”

Behind my eyelids was that beautiful darkness, where I belonged.

“Dark Mother,” Rosalind whispered. “We pray that you watch over your daughters, that you help us destroy those who have used your name in vain—these weak, mediocre men who disgrace you. Let us bring glory to your mysterious, chaotic, alluring power. Let us remind this world that it was designed to worship women.”

“Amen.”

That was a prayer I could wholeheartedly believe in. And as we spoke, I felt a kind of religiosity infect my blood. I remembered when Snow and I had been attacked and I’d nearly died. I’d seen Lillian’s beautiful, ruthless face, whispering the words not yet. I held fast to that vision—her smile, her flowing black hair, her crown of bones and onyx.

She’d known me long before I knew her.

It was her power that had always lived inside me—the power to humble men and bring them to their undeserving knees.

“I’ll see you when it’s all over,” I whispered, dropping Rosalind’s hands after giving them a squeeze.

We didn’t say another word as we each departed, going in opposite directions.

I was going back to the den of mad vampires, praying futilely that Rune hadn’t walked into the trap I’d left.

Even though I knew in my heart that he had.

64

SCARLETT

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