Page 63 of Dark Reign

Disgust, maybe.

She peered down at her phone when looking atmeno longer appealed to her.

“I’m messaging my contacts now. I’ll be in touch as soon as the press conference is scheduled,” she said, laying the subject matter to rest before exiting with the others.

Today, I made the first decisions that would forever shape the legacy of my leadership.

And, unfortunately, none of them felt right.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Corina

I didn’t expect to be given details on how the conversation with Julian’s father and advisors had gone. After all, I was surprised to have even been told where we were going this morning. He certainly didn’t feel heowedme such information. However, as I watched two guards escort him from the building under the cover of an umbrella, the scowl he wore was kind of a giveaway.

The decision, for me, had been do or die. Felix helped me see that. I agreed to be marked because, if I hadn’t, I would’ve been put down instead of Julian keeping me around. As much as I hated thinking about it, being set free wasn’t an option. It was a miracle I was alive. Without a clear indicator of where I came from, or my motive for being at the gala last night, he had every excuse to order that I be put to death, but for some reason, I was still breathing.

The argument we had before leaving was infuriating. It was similar to how one might feel arguing with a brick wall. He was so stubborn and self-righteous.

He climbed into the limo he opted to take today, instead of the sporty car that had driven us home the night before. As he eased in beside me, I glanced over, still wondering why he thought it necessary to dress in a three-piece suit just to visit his dad. Was it vanity or was their kind really this stuffy?

I scanned our surroundings, finding everyday Ianites walking the streets of the Capitol, enjoying brunch outside cafes, shopping, and none seemed to grasp the concept of simplicity or casual clothing.

We sat without words as Elle drove us across town. Her consciousness, apparently, was transferrable toallhis vehicles. Julian had taken a phone call from someone named Jenna a short time after we pulled off from the consulate, confirming an appointment of some sort.When the call ended, he was noticeably more irritated than before.

I turned from him and gazed out the window, thinking about how drastically my life had changed in less than twenty-four hours. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end, with me locked away in some bell tower like a tragic princess. There was still so much work to be done, so much workIwanted to do.

The temperature inside the car seemed to climb with each passing minute. Beads of sweat dampened my hairline and breathing only got harder. It was as though I couldn’t get enough air in or out of my lungs, bringing on a bout of dizziness. In a matter of seconds, I was in a full panic and bordering on delirious.

And that’s when I realized what this was, realized what was happening.

Oh, God, not here.

Not now.

Julian had no clue why I made such a fuss about my belongings being returned to me. While, yes, I wanted to get my hands on the spare com inside my purse, the item I was most desperate for was my replacement bracelet.

It was only a matter of time before I’d be stricken with a seizure and I couldn’t let that happen. Not in front of Julian. I’d given up my freedom letting myself be marked, I wouldn’t ruin whatever chance I had at survival just because my body saw fit to choose now to betray me.

It was a known fact that Ianites had a zero-tolerance policy when it came to imperfection, flaws of any sort. It wasn’t uncommon for them to discard their own offspring if they were deemed ‘defective’. So, if I intended to be kept alive long enough to devise an escape, Julian couldn’tknow that I, bytheirstandards, was defective.

“Everything okay, Corina?” Elle asked, prompting Julian to turn his attention toward me as well.

“I’m fine,” I lied, my thoughts racing a mile a minute as I tried to think of something, anything that would create a diversion.

Sweating profusely now, I struggled to free my arms from the expensive cardigan. It must have gone against everything in him, but Julian lifted a hand to help, easing it down the arm closest to him. Even without turning, I felt his gaze on me, felt his suspicion as my eyes darted around the small space. It felt like it was closing in on me, just like the darkness was beginning to at the edges of my vision.

It wouldn’t be long now.

Traffic thickened as we approached an upcoming stoplight. With so many on their morning commute, not one, butthreecars pushed their way between our vehicle and the brigade of guards that stuck to Julian like glue. A separation like this was rare. Too rare an opportunity to pass up. It was then, as I breathed like a wild woman, that it hit me. I had no other options.

… I had to run.

Julian was nose-deep in his tablet, scrolling through articles with our faces plastered all over them. We’d made more waves than I realized, but that was neither here nor there. I took advantage of this opportunity to discreetly try the door handle.

Locked.

On the fly, I quickly came up with plan B.

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