Page 143 of The Sins of Silas

I felt like a fool, blindly accepting this device into our army without pestering my father as to where he got them. How they even worked.

I just didn't care at the time.

“I saw you fight the soldier. You’re strong.”

I wasn’t sure what to say to that. “What’s your doll’s name?” I asked gently, gesturing to the small kitten she held. I'm surprised they let her keep it. Probably Waylon's doing.

“Boots.” She picked up one of its plush feet, waving it at me. “See? His paws are white. My mommy said it looked like he was wearing boots.”

A small smile crept up my face, but it fell quickly. “Where are your parents?”

“They went to Elysium,” she said sadly. “They went to protect me.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, feeling a weight on me as I stared at this little girl who had no parents.

I didn’t know how we would make it out of here. Dimitri could’ve sent word to my father, though he risked me spilling to Ulric their treachery. No, they wouldn't turn me over to Otacia. They would kill me—that would be their safest bet. But knowingDimitri's arrogant tendencies, I could easily see him enjoying my torment for a while before ending my life.

“Will you be my new daddy?” Saoirse asked.

My eyes grew wide. I certainly wasn’t envisioning that to be her subsequent comment. “O-oh.”

This little girl must not have any idea who I really am. Must not know that because of my father, the world was this way. And because I came from him…honestly, I’d be a shit father.

I cleared my throat. “I think you deserve a better daddy than me.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I am off in battles all the time.”

I felt a pang in my chest at the sight of the little girl’s face falling. “I don’t mind," she insisted. "I’m by myself a lot. I would be a good daughter.”

Perhaps I did have a heart because I felt an ache surfacing in my throat, felt my heart shatter at those innocent words. “When did you get here, Saoirse?” I asked, trying to change the subject carefully.

“I dunno.” She furrowed her brow in contemplation. “It was…cold when they took me.”

Saoirse nestled in close to me, resting her small head on my thigh. I tensed, unsure of what to do.

Big, blue eyes stared up at me. “Princes always come to save the day in my story books. You’ll save us, won’t you?”

That burning in my throat radiated down into my chest, and I did my best to give her a smile. “I will do everything I can,” I promised.

I remained still as Saoirse beamed at me, snuggled closer, and drifted to sleep on my lap.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

MERRICK

Istood, leaning against the wall in stupefaction, watching Silas remain seated, allowing the young Mage girl to rest on his leg. The gentleness in his features as he spoke to her was not an expression I thought possible from him.

He himself had drifted to sleep, not wishing to move and wake the young girl.

A new guard was arriving, ready to relieve the current from his watch duty. We were all waiting impatiently for Dani or Vi. It had been several hours in this dirty cage, and we had not seen a sign of either of them. My nerves increased with every second that ticked by.

Waylon said he'd be back before sunrise. That still had to be several hours away.

“You should get some rest,” I muttered to Era, who was sitting on the ground beside me. Torrin was catching up with the Otacianmen, men he had worked alongside for years, and El and Lena were listening in on their conversations.

Era didn't respond; she just continued to stare at the sleeping Prince.

I let out a sigh at her silence. Her cold demeanor toward me ever since our bizarre moment when we were high was unnerving me. I wasn't entirely sure why it bothered me, but I'd grown to enjoy what I considered the start of a friendship. I enjoyed our banter.

“It's sweet,” the new guard standing at our cell door said, eyeing the Prince and the little girl. We all stared daggers at the man before he continued, “Though I'm not surprised…he showed gentleness to Leroy's kids before we left.”

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