Page 161 of The Iron Flower

“And your mother and your sister? And the rest of your pack?”

“They’d want me to live!”

“What would they do, Diana? What would your father do?”

She’s breathing hard, staring intently into Rafe’s eyes as if grabbing at a lifeline. “He’d wait,” she chokes out.

“And then what?”

“He’d wait and fool them.”

“What else?”

“He’d get out. Somehow, he’d get away.”

“And then?”

“He’d form a new pack. And once they were strong enough—” her face twists into a mask of hatred “—he’d come after them.”

Rafe’s hands grasp her shoulders. “That’s right, Diana. That’s what he’d do. And you’re his daughter. You’re strong, like him.” His voice breaks. “And I love you.”

“The Gardnerians arehere,” Ni Vin says urgently. “You mustleave.Now.” She turns, distracted by the sound of more boots thudding up the stairs.

Diana is sobbing, crying out like she’s mortally wounded. Rafe kisses the side of her face and clings to her, his expression wildly conflicted.

“Rafe,” I prod, panic mushrooming inside of me. “You need to go. Go find Jules and Lucretia and Fernyllia. Tell them what happened.” When he doesn’t move, I add, “They willarrestyou. And the Gardnerians know what you and Diana are to each other, especially after what you did back in the dining hall. They’ll execute you for a traitor if you stay, and you won’t be able to help her if you’redead.”

Rafe stills, then bends down to kiss Diana’s forehead. “You need to be strong,” he tells her, his voice distraught. “As much as you want to,don’tkill anyone...yet. Play the part of the docile prisoner and keep your mind on how much I love you. Iwillbe back for you. Don’t forget that. No matter what happens, remember that I’ll be back for you.”

Rafe gets up and looks to me as Diana curls into a grief-racked ball.

“Go, Rafe,” I staunchly insist. “Go get the Resistance.”

Rafe hesitates, then nods, a storm of emotion in his eyes. He takes one last tortured look at Diana, then leaves.

CHAPTER SIX

BALANCE OF POWER

Moments after Rafe makes his departure, I hear a sharp, commanding voice outside my room.

“Who isthat?” the voice demands as I rush to the doorway. Commander Vin is standing in the hallway with her sister, her penetrating gaze set on Aislinn. Four more Vu Trin sorceresses are gathered behind them.

“I’m Aislinn Greer,” Aislinn bites out, her hand tight around Jarod’s. “And I’m stayingright here.”

Commander Vin looks to her sister, fury spiking in her eyes. “Please tell me that this is not the daughter of the Mage Council’s ambassador to the Lupines.”

Ni Vin shrugs helplessly, and Commander Vin lets out what can only be a string of curses in the Noi language.

“Shall we drag her out, Commander?” a spiky-haired sorceress asks.

Commander Vin looks around like she wants to kill something. “No, there’s no time.”

Boots sound on the stairs and a gray-skinned Elfhollen soldier rushes into the hall, the small white star markings of higher rank on his slate uniform, his bow and quiver attached to his back. I realize, with a rush of surprise, that this is the young Elfhollen soldier Lukas was friendly with at the border, when he brought me to Verpacia at the beginning of term.

“Kamitra,” he says to Commander Vin, his expression shaken to the core. “What are you doing?”

“We’re placing the Lupines under our protection, Orin,” she replies, hard as ice.

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