Page 104

The guard’s eyes went wide with shock and disbelief, as if he couldn’t quite comprehend what had happened. He looked down at the steel protruding from his body, then back at her face.

“You…” he whispered.

Yes, me, she answered silently. I killed you.

She pulled the dagger out with a wet, sucking sound and watched without pity as he collapsed to his knees.

Gideon slowly made his way across the room toward the fallen man. When he reached the body, he nudged it with his foot.

“That’s for kicking me when I was down,” he said.

Then he leaned over the corpse with obvious effort and pried the knife from the dead man’s fingers.

“We’re going to need this more than you,” he added in a rough, raspy voice.

When he looked up at Leila, she saw concern shining in his silver eyes.

“What did I tell you?” he barked, though there was no real anger in his voice, only fear. “You were supposed to leave without me.”

“I was never going to do that,” she replied, still breathing hard from the fight.

“You risked your life!”

“Yes, for you!” she cried. “The same way you did for me.”

“Yes, but unlike yours,” he said sharply, “my life doesn’t matter.”

For a moment, Leila froze in complete shock, her mind struggling to process what he’d just said.

What? Why? How could he think that?

How could he believe his life was worth less than hers, especially after everything he knew she’d done?

You’re worth ten of me. A hundred of me.

She wanted to shake him, to scream sense into him, to make him understand how wrong he was. But before she could find the words, he had already turned away.

“We have no time to argue,” he said, pulling on her hand. “Come. It’s likely there will be more people on their way here soon.”

He wove his arm through hers as they made their way toward the door, and Leila was convinced he was holding onto her more for his benefit than hers. She could feel the way he swayed on his feet, could sense the tremendous effort it took for him to remain upright.

They stepped outside, and the mare was still waiting where Leila had left her, though she danced nervously at their approach.

“Easy, girl,” Leila murmured, running a soothing hand along the horse’s neck.

Gideon mounted the horse without her help, though he wobbled dangerously in the saddle. His face was pale in the moonlight, and she could see the fine tremor in his hands as he gripped the reins.

She joined him on the horse, settling in front of him.

“Hold on to me,” she told him, feeling his arms circle her waist and his weight against her back. He was very tired; she could sense it.

She only hoped his battered body could endure this journey as best as possible.

Stay with me, Gideon. Don’t you dare die on me now.

She urged the horse into a gallop as they fled into the darkness.

To confuse their pursuers, if there were any, she led the horse down into a stream.