Page 94 of Shadows of Ruin

She snorted.“Trust me, if I could find a way not to enter your mind so easily, I would. Lana won’t leave it alone now that she has access to checking on you.”

I’ll work on keeping you out.

“Unlikely.”She sucked in a sharp breath.“Fucking Fates?—”

No wonder Lan likes you. You swear as much as she does.I smiled thinking of Lana finding another friend. Which was my first sign my mind needed rest to recover my logic—Lana didn’t make friends often, and I was sure those who captured her would not make the short list.I take that back.

“Why aren’t you healing? Anyone is going to be able to get into your mind if you don’t heal. You must hurry.”Raya’s panic didn’t help things. At all.

Apologies that the mind shield I didn’t know how to use is failing. I’ve been busy trying to stay alive.

In the distance a stone skittered across the floor, interrupting the unending silence while footsteps scuffled closer.

“Now, Ian,”Raya practically screamed.“If someone is coming, shield now. We’re?—”

As quickly as she’d appeared, she left. Or maybe I forced her to leave and blocked her out. I didn’t need her around to see what was about to happen. Especially if she told Lana.

I didn’t doubt my strength, but readying myself for another round of torture so soon would test even my limits.

“Psst,” a voice called. “Ian?”

A second set of footsteps followed less quietly, and rapidly approached my cell.

“Who’s there?” I asked as I rolled onto my side and stood. I steadied myself, taking a moment to allow the dizziness to clear.

“Ian.”

I knew that voice but couldn’t place it. No matter, thefigure came into my dimly lit view, and I instantly stepped back.

Hale Bardot. Joined moments later by Kalliah.

My heart soared. Maybe they knew how I could escape this Fates-forsaken cell.

“Kalliah? What are you doing here?” I asked. “With Hale?”

“It’s time,” Kalliah whispered. “We’ve come to break you free. We don’t have a lot of time, but Hale has been helping us. He managed to finally steal a set of keys from a guard. We don’t know how long we have till he notices they’re missing, so we must be quick.”

Hale fucking Bardot was part of my escape plan. I’d never pegged him for someone brave enough to go against anyone, let alone someone as evil as Andras. Always such a rule follower.

“Come on, Ian,” Hale urged, “let’s get you out of here before the guards notice. We have five minutes before their next pass.”

“Well, what are you waiting for?” I gestured to the lock on the cell. “Let’s get me the fuck out of here!”

Hale fumbled but removed a key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock. A smallclicksounded, and the door creaked open. Relief engulfed me.

I grabbed Kalliah into an embrace. “Thank you.”

“Nonsense, this was all Hale.” She let go, touching my face. “We’ll make him pay,” she said. “Now let’s go before we get caught.”

“Leif is in the kitchen staging a distraction. We’ll grab him and then head to the stables, where Corbin is waiting for us.” Hale handed me a dagger from his pocket. “It’s not much, but it’s the best I could get without raising suspicion.”

I grasped the hilt of the small dagger and nodded. “Perhaps I was wrong about you all these years.”

Hale rolled his eyes. “I never took you for a sap, Captain.”

We rushed up the first stairwell and away from the dungeon door. Sure enough, the hall remained empty. Perfect timing. I never should have doubted my friends and their planning skills.

Kalliah ran through the palace in a way I’d never seen before. The confidence she’d gained during however long I’d been trapped appeared in every measured stride and the way she focused so assuredly on our goal. She’d gone from training because Lana forced her, to being truly in her element. I didn’t want to think about what she went through to force such a change, but damn I was proud of her.

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