Chapter 149

“Sorry, Harper,” Ted says. “It’s not personal.”

He hasn’t pulled the trigger yet, which is a good sign. But that he’s holding the gun at all is very, very bad.

“Harper trusted you. Who turned you?” Bethany asks.

“King Caleb did,” Ted replies. “The way he treated me and the others. I had to complete warrior training a second time just to be given the chance to become a guard. He’d dismissed all of us that first time. The second time, he didn’t even show up.”

Ted’s mouth twists into a vicious snarl. “Either he cares too much, or not at all. He’s ruthless and cruel, with a heart as black as night. He is not fit to be King.”

“That’s not true,” I say. Even with a gun in my face, I cannot allow anyone to badmouth Caleb in this way. He’s done more to protect this kingdom and keep it together than anyone realizes. Yes, the job isn’t always pretty, but that doesn’t make him unfit.

And if the paranoia could be cured…

He would make a great King, not just a good one.

Ted scoffs. “I’d hoped at first that you could be saved, Harper. As his favorite victim, you should have been the first in line to stand against him and join the rebellion. Instead, you chose time and time again to stand behind the madman. The leader himself told me that you were brainwashed.”

“The leader?” I ask. “Who’s that?”

Ted just laughs once – harshly – then his lips twist again. “You make an impression, though, Harper. Even the leader insists that we bring you in alive. Though I don’t want to kill you, I disagree with the leader on this count. It would do much more damage to the King if you were dead.”

“Is the rebellion so weak that it needs to kill unarmed women?” Bethany goads.

Ted starts to turn the gun towards her, which was likely her plan. I hate it but I can’t move an inch or say a word for fear of setting Ted off even worse.

“The rebellion isn’t weak. We’re building an army. Before long, Caleb won’t know what hit him. All the abused guards and terrorized servants will rejoice in their sudden freedom from the ruthless tyrant.”

“Then let us live,” Bethany says. “There’s no sense in killing us.”

“There is if I want to make him hurt.”

Bethany glances at me in a way that makes my stomach drop. I know what she’s going to do before she does it, but I have no time to talk her out of it.

“Now!” Bethany screams as she throws herself at Ted. “Run, Harper!”

I want to stay, to help, but then Bethany’s potential sacrifice could be for nothing.

Hating myself, I turn and dash toward the exit. Just as I leave the alleyway, I hear a gunshot go off behind me. I jump, startled, and a sob escapes my throat.

It takes everything in me to keep pushing forward, running full-speed back to the palace.

Bethany’s back there. She could be hurt. She could be dead.

For me.

For my escape.

I have to keep going.

“Stop!” Ted calls from behind me. I can hear the thunderous footfalls of his heavy boots against the road. He’s faster than me, already closing the distance.

Another gunshot fires, and I duck. The bullet whizzes by my ear and collides with the side of a nearby building. Innocents in the area, hearing the gunshot, panic and rush, fleeing in every direction.

I try to steer clear of them, not wanting anyone else to be shot.

I’m fast, but not as fast as a werewolf. Ted closes the distance quickly.

“Harper!” he shouts from just behind me.

Looking over my shoulder, I see him leveling the gun at me.

Then, in a flash, he’s just… gone.

Another man stands in the place Ted had been. This one is taller and broader and seething in rage. I recognize him at once, and even knowing the danger of his fury, relief floods through me at his presence.

Caleb.

I’m safe now.

He will protect me.

Stopping, I turn to look as Caleb struts toward the prone form of Ted several feet away. Caleb must have thrown him away from me.

Terror-stricken, Ted is still holding the gun. He lifts it and fires, striking Caleb twice in the chest. Caleb doesn’t even wince. He rushes straight for Ted, claws first.

Closing my eyes tightly, I turn my head. Even without sight, I can hear the squelch of blood splattering over stone, the crack of bone, and the thump of a corpse.

I don’t open my eyes again until Caleb’s strong hand grabs me and turns me away from the scene. Yet even with this kindness, when I blink my eyes open, I’m not spared from the gruesome sight.

Ted’s blood has splattered all over Caleb, even over his face, dotting his cheeks and brow with red. It matches the flashing red in his eyes.

Even with the danger passed, his anger has not lessened.

“I’m okay,” I tell him, hoping to cool some of his rage. “I’m safe. You saved me.”

His anger persists. He emits a low growl.

Does he not recognize me?

“It’s me,” I say. “Harper.” Then I remember Bethany. “We have to go back. Bethany is –”

I start to turn, to head back towards the alley, but he roughly takes me by the arm once more, keeping me still.

“Caleb, please…”

His growl grows louder.

“Your trap has worked,” he says, his voice low. “You’ve lured me from the palace. But your assassin missed his mark.”

My… assassin…?

Oh, no. No, no. Caleb doesn’t think I was working with Ted? I was literally running from him! He was shooting at me!

“Caleb –”

“His hand tightens around the meat of my arm, making me wince with pain. Too tight! I’m going to bruise.

“Caleb, please. Listen to me!”

“You’ve betrayed me,” he says. “You are just like the rest.”

“No,” I say. “I’m not! Didn’t you see? He was shooting at me! He wanted to kill me!”

Caleb roars in fury. “Your tricks will not work.”

At once, he yanks me toward him, then throws me over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes. Wasting no time, he turns to the palace, and sprints.

Behind me, I see the red splatter of Ted’s body. Beyond, I can no longer see the opening of the alley, but I know back there, somewhere, Bethany might be bleeding out.

Tears well in my eyes. I can’t leave her behind.

Clutching my hands into fists, I start beating on Caleb’s back, but he doesn’t slow or otherwise notice. Compared to his strength, I’m merely a fly swatting at a giant.

“Bethany’s back there!” I scream. “She’s shot!”

Finally, he slows. “Where?” he asks.

“In the alley! Please, Caleb. I can’t leave her!”

Surely he can see now. If Bethany is hurt, if she was shot, then I didn’t betray him. Ted was trying to kill us.

“You should not have involved her in your plots against me,” Caleb growls.

“I didn’t! There was no plot! Not by me.”

Caleb tosses me back onto my feet. Grabbing my arms, he keeps me from fleeing and falling both.

Bringing his angry face close to mine, he demands, “If you were not plotting my betrayal, then what were you doing?”