I Dare You to Break Curfew

by Eva Muñoz

  I moved away from his touch and focused my gaze on Zaire. “Whatever you two need to talk about, I’m staying for all of it. I’m already in waist-deep. The least you can do is let me help.”

  Zaire shook his head in defeat while Troyan loosened the tension on his back by rolling his shoulders. In case they still thought of convincing me to leave, I crossed my arms and widened my stance. Nothing was moving me from the room.

  “You were right,” Zaire began, settling his gaze on Troyan. “Vladimir plans to mobilize tomorrow, during the festival.”

  “Do we have contingencies in place?” Troyan asked.

  Zaire shuffled through the wrinkled papers on the table, searching for something. Finding what he was looking for, he said, “I have everything in place.”

  “What about the time?” Troyan took the paper from Zaire and scanned its contents. “Do we know when he will strike?”

  “That’s what we are trying to find out. We get the sense that he’s waiting for something.”

  “He wants me,” I said.

  “What?” Zaire and Troyan said in unison.

  “When I was found tied up in that room,” I said to Zaire instead of Troyan, “you guys already knew who was behind it.”

  From my periphery I saw anger color Troyan’s face. “What are you saying?”

  I crushed the need to soothe Troyan. He had made his choice and I wasn’t it. I needed to focus before the thoughts slipped from my mind.

  “Beatrix finding me in that garden seems a little too convenient. Someone did knock me out when I got her pinned down. Since she’s Vladimir’s ward, wouldn’t he use her to get what he wanted?” I kept my gaze on Zaire. “You did say Vladimir was looking for just cause. Isn’t that me?”

  “I don’t like where this is going, Camron,” Zaire said, his face growing pale.

  “Use me as bait. It’s the only way.”

  “Absolutely not!” Troyan bellowed. “I am not putting you in any more danger than you already are. With the formula killing you, who knows what could happen.”

  I begged Zaire with my gaze. “Surely Gaige already told you about me.”

  He nodded reluctantly.

  “Then back me up here,” I said.

  “Camron!” Troyan was beyond fuming.

  Zaire held up his hand to stop Troyan’s advance toward me. “Troyan, this might be the only way.”

  Troyan shuddered. He turned his back on us and breathed several times. When he turned around again, he had renewed resolve in his eyes. “As the Effendi Excelsi, I do not condone this plan.” He leveled his intense gaze on me. “You will be confined to your quarters until after the Festival.”

  “Troyan—”

  “Guards will be posted outside your door at all times,” he said.

  “Troyan,” Zaire said. “Don’t do this.”

  Troyan pointed at Zaire. “Stay out of this. You abdicated of your own will. Now, let those in power rule for the good of the Inshari.”

  Hurt formed on Zaire’s face a second before he hid it behind a blank mask.

  “I will send two Bogatyr to escort you back to your room. I suggest you go with them.” Troyan didn’t look at me when he left the room.

  I rushed to Zaire’s side. “You can’t let him do this,” I said.

  “You heard him.” He looked into my eyes, the same sadness I had seen before returned. “Troyan is Effendi Excelsi. I have no right to overrule him.”

  I grabbed Zaire’s arms and shook him. “Snap out of it.”

  Zaire twisted out of my grip and faced his desk, leaning forward on his hands. “I’m no Excelsior, Camron.”

  “That’s not what I saw when you asked Troyan to kneel before you in the courtyard or when you stormed into the throne room wearing your father’s robes and crown forcing Vladimir to lower Troyan’s sentence.” I moved closer to him but didn’t touch him. “You are every bit the Excelsior I know you are, Zaire. Now, do what’s best for your people.”

  A tense silence settled between us.

  I opened my mouth to speak again but closed it immediately when Zaire breathed in and out. I knew in that moment he had made his decision.

  He glanced at me over his shoulder, a steely glint replacing his sadness. “When the Bogatyr arrive, go with them.”

  “And then what?”

  He stood up straighter than I’d ever seen him stand and faced me. The aura radiating from him in the throne room during the Atonement reignited. “I’ll make sure everything goes as planned.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Trapped

  I STRUGGLED against the chains that suspended me above the floor from a hook. The plan Zaire and I had concocted after Troyan left had worked too well. The last thing I remembered was lying down on my bed.

  The guards who were supposed to be posted outside my room had been pulled out. We needed to make Vladimir believe I was being left unattended. I didn’t think he would pounce on the chance to capture me so quickly.

  Then again, Zaire had said Vladimir had something planned for the Winter Solstice Festival and all he needed was me, so here I was, hanging from the ceiling by my wrists. The ache from my suspended arms marched like an army of fire ants biting their way down my skin. I bit down hard, holding in a scream of pain and frustration.

  To pass the time, I tried figuring out how I ended up smack-dab in the middle of another empty room, all tied up, without Troyan knowing. I wondered how Zaire managed to pull it all off. On the bright side, this time the room had a lit sconce on one wall. It cast sputtering yellow light all around. The musty smell told me I’d been the first occupant in quite a while. I briefly wished for the “tied up on a chair” scenario like last time, but I had to admit that having me dangling was far more ingenious. I didn’t have enough superstrength left to free myself.

  Just as my arms had gone blessedly numb, the only door opened. Its hinges squeaked. The Inshari in the gray suit that came into view caused my blood to freeze for a moment. Then I reminded myself that this was all part of the plan. The snake-like smirk on the lips of the Imperator didn’t help matters, though.

  “Welcome, Camron. I’m so glad you could join me today,” Vladimir said. He came closer, clapping his hands once and holding the pose.

  I wrinkled my nose, his gag-worthy stench unforgiving. “How did I get here?”

  “We have ways.” He spread his arms wide. “To think, no one was there to guard you as you slept so peacefully. It’s a show of their incompetence that you’re here with me now. And I assure you, there is no escaping this time.”

  “This time?” I faked.

  “Yes. If Troyan hadn’t come along… anyway, you’re here now. That’s all that matters.”

  I had to keep him talking. I needed to get to the bottom of his plans. “What do you want from me?”

  Vladimir’s frosty smile warmed a fraction. Eagerness sparkled in his eyes. “Ah, you’re a guest. I merely wanted for us to talk. I knew from the moment I saw you that you were different. Now we’re here to find out just how different you are. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Gentleman’s choice.”

  I wanted to kick him where it would most hurt, but he stood far beyond my reach—as if he knew what I had in mind. “I’d hate to see what you do to your prisoners.”

  The corner of his right eye twitched. “What do you think of your accommodations?”

  “Kinky.”

  The slap came hard and fast. The sting erased the ache in my arms. Instead of spitting, I swallowed—iron and salt, the taste of blood and fear. I needed to gain some modicum of control over the situation or it would be all over faster than I could blink.

  “I will not tolerate disrespect from any of my guests.” Vladimir moved away, hands fisted at his sides.

  I chuckled, masking my trepidation with false bravado. “For someone who looks like he’s all put together, you’re very high-strung.”

  The taunt got him to take a deep breath and piece together a look of self-assurance. He smoothed the l
apels of his jacket and tilted his chin up. Even though I dangled off the floor, he still stood an inch or two taller, which allowed him to sneer down at me.

  “Who are you?” he asked.

  “An exchange student from the north.”

  He dismissed my answer with a careless wave. “Spare me the lies.”

  “If you already know, then why do you need me to tell you?”

  “The hard way it is, then.” With a grin he sauntered to the door. “Let him in.”

  Eli entered. All the boredom left his expression when our eyes locked. He wore the same hawk-meets-prey attitude he displayed the first time we met.

  Vladimir rested a hand on Eli’s shoulder. Eli, breathing heavily, didn’t take his hungry gaze from me. He cracked his knuckles by flexing his fingers in eager anticipation. For what, I had no idea.

  “Can you tell me about this boy?” Vladimir asked while he hovered like a scavenger eyeing a carcass.

  Eli shook his head.

  “Bound by the Silence, I see. We’ll keep it to a yes-or-no line of questioning, then.”

  The Silence prevented Eli from speaking. Well, that was convenient. Why hadn’t anyone thought to share that the Silenced could nod or shake their head?

  “Is he a student?” Vladimir glanced at me.

  Eli nodded.

  “Brilliant!” The vulture clapped his hands. “Is he from the north?”

  At Eli’s head shake, Vladimir’s grin grew wider. My heart hammered against my ribs. Sweat beaded my brow. No more secrets. They would probably eat me. No. After witnessing what Vladimir had done to Troyan, I would be surprised if they didn’t play with their food first. Despite the breath in my lungs and the pulse in my veins, I was officially a goner.

  “Ah, wonderful.” Vladimir paused, relishing the moment. “Is he human?”

  Eli raked his eyes over my body and dipped his chin. I might as well have been naked from the way he leered at me. I clamped my jaw and endured the scrutiny. Somehow, volunteering as bait didn’t seem as noble as it had a few hours ago.

  “There it is.” Vladimir’s expression contorted into mock surprise. “We’ll have to verify, of course. Come, Eli, take a bite.”

  “No!” I squirmed, which brought fresh pain coursing through my body.

  Vladimir ignored me. “Where would you like to bite him, Eli?”

  “Anywhere,” Eli said and swallowed.

  “What about the word no don’t you understand?” I said.

  “Camron, you wanted to do things the hard way.” Vladimir tsked. “This is the hard way. But I’m not as cruel as you think. I’ll give you the choice. Where do you want the bite?”

  “You can bite my a—”

  “Ah, ah, ah.” Vladimir wagged a finger. “Be careful what you say. I’m sure Eli can oblige.”

  No matter what, I was screwed.

  “Where, Camron?” Vladimir restrained Eli as he pressed eagerly toward me.

  I thought about all the possible places an Inshari could bite me. If I lived through this day, I needed to make sure no one would see the scar. But, then again, why worry about a scar when my life hung in the balance?

  I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry, so instead I said, “My side.”

  “Very good. Eli, if you please.”

  Eli needed no other encouragement. He stood in front of me before I could even inhale. He reached up and ran his hands down my arms. Not once did he stop staring at my face, stop licking his lips. I cringed. He leaned in. I turned away and grimaced as his wet lips touched my cheek. His hands roamed my body, squeezing, groping.

  I bared my teeth. “Get on with it.”

  “Oh, but why?” Eli’s hot breath made my skin crawl.

  “Because I’ll kick you so hard your future children will feel it.”

  “I like my prey fiery.”

  I took hold of the chain, pulled up, and lifted both my feet, kicking him in the stomach. Wide-eyed, Eli slammed into the wall. Bits of plaster fell on him from the ceiling.

  “He certainly has fight in him,” Vladimir said as he clutched his elbows. “What a pity. I was hoping for a more submissive human.”

  “Bite me!” I spat.

  “We’ll leave that to Eli.”

  The instant his shock wore off, Eli had his hands all over me again. He lifted the hem of my shirt and bit my side, just above my right hip. I screamed until my throat hurt. My skin tore like paper. Eli stumbled back, spitting out my blood.

  “He tastes like….” His voice broke.

  Vladimir rushed forward and swiped at the blood trickling down my side. He lifted his fingers to his nose and took a tentative whiff. Shock contorted his face.

  “What kind of an abomination are you?” He turned to Eli. “You may leave.”

  Eli straightened. “But—”

  “I said leave!”

  Eli scrambled out of the room like a dog with his tail between his legs.

  The pain from the bleeding wound sapped all of my strength. I couldn’t even find it in me to moan.

  Vladimir lifted the hem of my shirt with two fingers, watching the wound mend into a silver scar. “You heal like us, yet your blood is red. What has Gaige been up to in that infantile lab of his?”

  Vladimir slapped me. My head whipped to the side. The sting of his hand jerked me from my pain-induced stupor. I glared at him and snarled.

  “Just wanted to make sure you hadn’t fainted. And from the looks of it, you haven’t.” He stepped out of reach. “You’ve come at a perfect time.”

  “I know,” I mumbled.

  He lifted an inquiring eyebrow.

  “You have plans to overthrow Darius. I know all about it.”

  “Go on,” he said, intrigued.

  “You’ve been rallying supporters, and it’s only a matter of time before you try to take the throne. But it won’t work.”

  “And why is that?”

  The mild amusement in Vladimir’s expression unnerved me. “Because Troyan and Zaire will make sure you’re stopped.”

  I never heard real diabolical laughter before; however, Vladimir’s came close. The harsh melodious sound bounced off the walls, making all the hairs on my arms stand up.

  “You are, by far, the most entertaining male I’ve ever encountered,” he said after he regained his composure. “I like you. Too bad you’re off the mark.”

  “They’ll kill you when they find out what you’ve done to me, you sick, conniving bastard.”

  He showed all his teeth in a sinister smile. “Not if I kill them first.”

  Cheering roared from outside.

  Vladimir whirled in a tight circle with his arms raised and said, “It’s time.” He walked to the door and called out again.

  Two Bogatyr marched into the room.

  “Untie him,” he ordered flippantly. “Then follow me. Oh,” he said, throwing me a glance, “there’s no use struggling. They can snap your neck faster than you can inhale. If I were you, stay still and let them do their job.”

  In seconds the Bogatyr had released me from my bindings. I moaned as blood rushed back to my limbs—the worst case of pins and needles I had ever experienced. They dragged me without mercy down a long tunnel, its darkness punctuated by a small dot of light at the end. Vladimir’s silhouette moved a few steps ahead, shoulders squared, head held high. The crowd’s roar grew louder with every measured step. The image of a gladiator about to meet death at the Colosseum flashed before me.

  The tunnel opened to a large balcony overlooking the courtyard. I blinked several times to clear the white blindness. The Silent and the Bogatyr had transformed the quad into a staging ground similar to the ones for jousting matches during medieval games, except without the fence running down the middle of the open space. Bleachers spanned three sides: one for the Serfs, one for the Merks, and the last side for the Regalia. Countless Bogatyr stood in lines dividing the spectators and the activity area. I could see Darius and Yalena watching the festivities from a canopied box. Several
Vityas, in silver armor, stood guard around the royal couple. Gaige and Perrin sat close to the two rulers. No one noticed me. Yet.

  The masses cheered again.

  Zaire, in silver armor, and Troyan, in black armor, faced off like knights on opposite sides of a chessboard. Zaire grasped his ceremonial sword with its ruby pommel, while Troyan held a sapphire-pommeled blade.

  I had never seen anything like the Sword Dance. The synchronized movements of Zaire and Troyan mimicked a combination of gymnastics and martial arts. Every lunge, slash, jump, and stretch were perfectly timed to the music. The audience cheered. Troyan whirled in a tight circle, his weapon only a hair’s-breadth from Zaire’s neck. Zaire countered with a lunge, sending his blade across Troyan’s left cheek close enough to graze skin. One mistake, one wrong move would result in a cut or worse.

  I flinched. My human brain tried to grasp how Zaire and Troyan made it look so easy. The armor they wore looked heavy, yet they moved as if they weren’t wearing anything. After a couple more combinations, I noticed Troyan’s movements were stiffer than Zaire’s regardless of their grace. His back must still be in bad shape. Even from a distance, I knew he struggled based on the tightness of his lips and the set of his jaw. He was concentrating too hard.

  “Wonderful, isn’t it?” Vladimir said above the cheers. “This is the first time the Sword Dance has been performed by two Effendi. A spectacle worthy of beginning my rule.” He gave me the wickedest smile.

  I spat on his shoes.

  “I deserved that.”

  I hated him unlike anything I had ever hated in my life. He ranked above poachers and weapons dealers. I struggled against the hold of the Bogatyr. But Vladimir was right; it was useless. My two guards stood solidly at my side, keeping me in place.

  “Here we are.” Vladimir sighed. “The finale.”

  I glared at Vladimir. He nodded once. The cheers turned into gasps and cries. My attention snapped back to the quad. Troyan and Zaire were now kneeling on the ground, surrounded by Bogatyr with swords drawn.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” Darius bellowed from the canopy.

  Vladimir waved away Darius’s question and said, “My people, my friends.” He spread his arms wide. “I have come before all of you today to present a most troubling discovery. One that would change the way we see ourselves forever.”