Page 135 of This Monster of Mine

She hadn’t realized that she was gasping. Clutching her chest, she propped herself against the wall. “Give me a moment,” she croaked. “It’s the proximity—”

“It’s coming back to you, isn’t it?” At the other end of the room, Cisuré’s eyes were stark.

“Just look around for anything that’ll help us find them.” Clutching her chest, Sarai peered about the ballroom, finding only chairs and the vague outlines of other sconces. Was it her imagination or had she heard a door closing?

She cast a wary glance at the stairs. With only one way up and one way out, they were sitting ducks here. “We can’t stay here for long.”

“Actually, we will.” Cisuré swallowed, turning to face her.

Sarai struggled to inhale. “Did you find something?”

“I’m sorry, Sarai. But you left me no choice.”

The hairs on the back of her neck barely had time to stand before footsteps sounded, coming up the stairs, slow and measured.

Her blood chilled. “What have you done?” she gasped. Staggering across the room, she fisted Cisuré’s robes, shaking her. “What the fuck have you done?”

“What I had to do. For your sake,” Cisuré spat. “So don’t worry.You’llbe safe.”

Anek’s and Cassandane’s warnings returned to her.I’ve never seen him show any hint of partiality. Not until you. He just announced his weakness to all of Ur Dinyé.

Not pausing to think, she wrenched Cisuré’s dagger from its sheath and cut her hand, dripping the blood over every rune in her armilla. Her magic flared hot and fast as she turned to face the man who’d reached the landing.

Tullus. Her heart plummeted.

“Look at that. You’re here again, Petitor Sarai,” he sneered.

“If either of you touch me, you’ll regret it.” Sarai gripped the dagger, maneuvering to keep both Tullus and Cisuré in sight, while trying to gauge the distance to the stairs.

“I’ve kept my word.” Cisuré addressed Tullus. “Don’t hurt her. Keep her restrained until Kadra comes.”

Sarai dashed toward the stairs when Tullus blocked her path.

“Let’s stop being difficult,yes?” he said lazily.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She knew little of Tullus’s magical strengths beyond fire and had almost nothing in the way of offensive magic.

She tried not to betray her burgeoning terror. “Quite upstanding of you, resorting to kidnap to bring down a political rival. I’m sure the gods aredelighted.”

“Sarai, you’re brainwashed,” Cisuré pleaded. “But you’ll see clearly once Kadra’s gone.”

“Says the woman who’s been seeing out of Aelius’s ass for the past four years!” Sarai roared, still unable to believe what the other girl had done. “How could you deliver me tothem?”

“Not you! Justhim!” Cisuré shot back, and Sarai laughed scornfully.

“Gods, I almost hope they kill me, just so you can see how wrong you were.” She darted behind Cisuré, going for the stairs again.

Tullus smiled and raised a hand. Ropes of fire burst to life, wrapping her wrists and ankles to pin her spread-eagled to the wall. Blinding pain seared her, wrenching a scream from her throat as the restraints burnt through skin. Air fled her lungs, smoke taking its place as she thrashed in agony.

“You were saying?” Tullus called over her shrieks.

“You said you wouldn’t hurt her!” Cisuré screamed. “Stop!”

Looking bored, Tullus backhanded her with enough force to throw her to the ground.

Gasping, Cisuré clutched her cheek. “Tetrarch Aelius will hear of this!”

Tullus laughed. “Yes, I’m sure. But until he arrives, try not to test my patience.”

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