Page 66 of The Sorcerer's Thief
A plan I might stand a chance at accomplishing.
Rune is easy enough to provoke. It won’t be hard to trick him into killing me. Anything would be better than becoming Tauren’s plaything once more.
I can do what I have to do. I can muster up the courage to let go.
Knowing Cricket is safe, even if I am doomed, is a comfort.
One I don’t deserve.
The bindings pinch my skin, rubbing it raw. I’m wriggling, still trying to somehow slip free of them, when a commotion outside my cell stops my movements.
Men yelling. Boots thumping. Metal clanging.
The fight is crashing in closer.
The wooden door slams open, splintering on its hinges with the force of the blow.
Cricket appears at the threshold, bedraggled, hair wild, eyes wilder, a knife in one hand and the coin in the other, panting like a racehound fresh off the track.
He waggles the blade at me.
“I thought”—huff—“I told you”—huff—“not”—huff—“to leave!”
Chapter 23
Cricket
When I find Julian, he’s bloody and bug-eyed, staring at me as if I’ve been painted blue and dipped in sparkles, as if he doesn’t believe I’m really here.
“We have exactly zero time to waste.” I drop to my knees in front of him and work on picking the lock on his chains. “I think the entire Guild of the Dark Waters is currently after me.”
Julian pulls himself together enough to utter, “What are you doing here?” He doesn’t sound like himself, all small and scared like that.
“Saving you. What does it look like? Here.” I shove the coin into his hand so I can use both of mine. “Hold this. And try not to be an ass about it this time.”
“Noted.” Now he’s staring at the coin as if it’s been painted blue and dipped in sparkles.
“Focus, Jules. I’m going to need your help.”
Guards stumble in behind me, filling the little room with their smelly bodies, foul language, and useless weapons. My shield holds.
Julian tenses, curling in on himself, but I’ve shielded him too. They can’t touch us.
I call to my little flame friend, and it comes roaring up to greet me. “Would you mind chasing them off? I need to focus.”
It zooms away, multiplying in size, glowing bright red, and terrorizing the goons the other mage sent after me.
“What did you…how did you…” Julian is far too out of it for my liking. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“We’ll have to agree to disagree on that score. Are you all right, Jules? Did they hurt you already?”
He doesn’t answer, but the look on his face and the blood on his neck say enough.
That’s it. I’m going to kill them for this. First, free my boyfriend. Then, slaughter the men who hurt him. Yes, good plan. If only I could get this stupid?—
Click.
— lock to unlatch.
