Page 115 of Beg the Night

“Great. Out this door and up the stairs. There are armed guards waiting, but as far as we know, they have no idea what’s happening down here. Take them by surprise. Then turn right and sprint into the woods. Follow the tree line. Margaret will be waiting for you. And if you’re comfortable using your power, don’t hesitate.” Sinner clenched his fists at his sides. He did that frequently when he was nervous, I realized.

“You’re coming with us, right?” Carter asked.

“We’ll be right behind you,” I answered. “Now, go.”

Without hesitation, the men began funneling out of the dungeon.

It was Sinner’s idea to wait until everyone else had escaped. They were fighters. They would be okay leading the pack.

We were here to finish the job.

We stood guard as the guys moved one by one, stepping over the bodies without hesitation.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” I whispered as the guys filed up the stairs. “This seems too easy, doesn’t it?”

Sinner’s jaw tightened as he watched the men ahead of us. Some pride lingered there, but something else, too.

I turned and checked the other hallways again—all empty.

“Benedict, you go next,” Sinner ordered.

With a nod, he jogged up behind the last prisoner.

I saw the grenade rolling down the hall a second too late. Before I could even scream, Sinner’s body slammed against mine, and the world went dark.

“Oh,good. You’re alive. You can finally join the party.”

I cracked my eyes open at the sound of the one voice that had the power to make my skin crawl. Director stared back at me, an absurd smirk tipping her lips, her face and neck mottled with bruises.

I was strapped to a familiar metal chair, my hands secured behind me. Breath held, I searched my surroundings, and I only exhaled when I found Sinner sitting opposite me in a similar position.

His eyes were full of fury. Full of rebellion. Full of fight.Good. He hadn’t given up yet.

This was just a bump in the road, right?

I would do whatever it took to get us out of here. There was no way I’d let Sinner get so close to freedom only to have it ripped away again.

“You miss this place so much you really had to come crawling back?” Director asked. “I’m shocked.”

When I didn’t answer, she slapped me across the face hard enough that I tasted blood.

When a guard behind me gripped my shoulders and pulled my slumped torso back, Sinner growled.

“What can I say?” I gritted out. “It must be the welcoming hospitality.”

I focused on my breathing, searching for Sinner’s magic. Why hadn’t he used his power to kill these people yet? Margaret was far from the reach of the Ministry. There was nothing holding him back now.

My eyes met Sinner’s, and his magic tugged like it always did. Like itwantedme to wield it.

Just as I readied myself to pull, just before I forced his shadows out, his gaze shifted. “Athena, don’t.”

Confusion swamped me. “What? What’s going on?”

Director crossed her arms, her expression smug. “Did you really think you could escape? Did you think it would be that easy to get past an entire army, to get out of this place with all of your friends in one piece?” Her derisive laugh echoed off the stone walls. “You two are a hell of a lot more stupid than I thought you’d be, which is saying quite a lot. But don’t worry. Time with the Ministry’s army will fix that.”

She lifted her chin and focused on something behind me. I couldn’t see what was happening, but Sinner’s eyes filled with pain, with grief.

My chest constricted painfully. “What’s going on?”

---