Page 521 of Coal Hearts

“You’re right.” Shuffling higher up his pillows, his voice turned almost cold. “The six jewels who are healing with me are Yumeko, Morgan, Harper, Gail, Jo, and Kirk. I won’t go into our injuries, but let’s just say a few are hurt worse than others. As for the five who didn’t come back...” He swallowed hard and glared out the window. “Suri, Dane, Kirk, Rebecca, and Nancy did try to swim. I don’t know how far they got before the guards went after them in a speedboat. Where they moored that thing, I have no idea, but we should find out for...future attempts. They dragged Rebecca and Nancy out of the water. They got Kirk next with a fishing net, but Suri and Dane snapped. They duck dived. The guards opened fire.”

I sucked in a breath, my aching ribs stabbing my lungs.

“Their bodies floated back up, and Kirk...” Peter shuddered. “Kirk lost it. He was beaten, and...he hasn’t said a word since.” His haunted eyes met mine. “I didn’t realise how deep his feelings for Suri went. He did a good job of hiding it, but now...now, I’m afraid he’s going to do something stupid.”

Looking down the row of beds, I spotted one with a larger blond guy, huddled in a ball and facing away. God...the pain of seeing the girl you’d fallen in love with shot to death. The horror of not being able to stop it—

Rubbing at my tears, I whispered, “So Suri and Dane are dead. Who...who else?”

“Sonya, Phillipa, and Bet. According to the gossip mill, Sonya had her throat cut, and Pip had been—” He shuddered and cut himself off. “Bet was always quiet. Her mind broke on her second week here. She had no injuries, so...I’m guessing she probably jumped.”

I swallowed hard.

If only she’d waited.

If only the jewels trusted we’d get them out.

If only we actually could...

Taking Peter’s chunky bandaged hand, I placed it on my lap and did my best to take away his thoughts of pain and worry. “Those are the last names you’ll ever recite, okay?” I shivered at the sheer determination in my voice. “No one else will die here.”

He sniffed. Exhaustion from his wounds, his fever, and the past five years of hell pressed him deeper into his pillows. “You still believe we can do it?”

I didn’t bother looking at the cameras above us.

I just kept my gaze on my friend as his eyelashes dropped and his breathing slowed. “It’s almost over, Paavak.” I kissed his bandaged knuckles. “I feel it.”

“That’s nice.” Giving me a dreamy smile, he sighed and fell into a sick-heavy sleep.

I sent him healing light and strength.

And then I went to find the girls to begin a war.

* * * * *

“This is absolutely crazy,” Rachel said the moment I stepped into the kitchens.

May, the kind cook who’d given us muesli bars before Emerald Bruises, cocked her chin at a shadowy corner by the huge larder full of herbs, spices, and a mountain of pasta boxes.

“Go talk there, girls.” She shooed us away with a tea towel. “There’s a dead spot in the camera’s sight. But...for the love of our maker, please keep your voices down.”

Obeying May, the three of us huddled close in the larder’s shadow, keeping our heads as near as possible, speaking with the quietest whisper. Even with all the boiling, steaming, chopping, dicing, and extraction fans, who knew how sensitive the cameras were.

Without guests staying, the kitchen still worked at a furious pace to feed the guards and Henri. I didn’t know if the staff got the same meals, but they still needed food, and after my headcount over the past week, I’d tallied at least twenty of them, possibly more counting the gardeners and maintenance crew who didn’t come into the castle.

“Are you guys okay?” I whispered.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Rachel quipped again, shaking her head.

“You were the one who started growing a countdown clock in your womb.” Mollie smirked, brushing aside her blonde fringe. “Nine months and counting you said. Get me out before this spawn is born...isn’t that what you whispered a few nights ago?”

“I know, but—”

“We have to try, Rach.” I gave her a soft smile. “But I understand if you’d rather—”

“No. I’m in. I am.” She braced her shoulders. “Doesn’t mean it’s not crazy, though.”

“Oh, it’s crazy.” I nodded. “And dangerous.”