I turn on my side, facing the wall, fighting through the pain tearing through my side. He stands over me longer than I’d like and if I had to fight him, there’s no fucking chance I’d win. Not today. Finally, though, he picks up the tray and heads to the door.
“One thing,” I say, while I know he’s still in the room. “Did the others know?”
I hear his exhale. “No. Armin may have suspected, but no.”
I feel a slight sense of relief that I haven’t been fooled by everyone.
Again, I turn away, shutting my eyes and him out. I hear the door click closed and once I’m sure he’s gone, truly gone, I allow the tears to fall.
I don’t see Agis again.
Food arrives at the room while I sleep, and my bandages are changed the same way. I assume it’s the caretakers of the garden—Miya’s staff. Slowly, I heal, and after a few days I’m able to get around well enough that I walk outside for the first time. I tilt my face upward, basking in the warmth of the sun.
Now that my mind is cleared, I can’t stop wondering what happened back at the Academy. Where are my Immortals? Elizabeth? Luke and Darius?
That’s my regret in sending Agis away. He was a lifeline. A link. I don’t even know how to get out of this place.
I wander over to a small pond. Water trickles down a rock fountain and fat, shiny, golden fish swim under the surface. One breaks the surface, wide mouth gaping, and quickly vanishes, darting away. When the water stills, I look at my reflection and see a second just behind me.
Instinctively, I reach for my sword, but of course it’s not there—I’m weaponless and alone.
“Hildi.”
The voice rattles me, bringing up more emotion than just fear. Anger. Betrayal. Loss.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I say as I turn. Marshal stands before me. The anger flickers when I see that his clothes are torn, and his face is smeared with dirt. Or is that blood? Before he can answer he stumbles, falling to his knees. “What happened?”
His green eyes blaze up at me—accentuated by the foliage in the garden. “Victorine got the key.”
“What? How?"
Fear blooms—also suspicion. I don’t trust Marshal, but there’s something else. Only one person knows where the key is hidden and there’s no way he betrayed me, which means...
I reach for him, attempting to jerk him to his feet. “Take me back. We’ll stop her.”
He shakes his head. “It’s too late.”
“What do you mean it’s too late?”
He coughs, and blood splatters across his palm. A trickle runs down his lip. “She’s opened the gate and gotten through to the temple.”
Cold wind rustles through trees.
“What are you saying?”
I know the answer, but I want to hear him say it. Need to.
“The apocalypse has begun.”