The shock of those words on his lips made the magic fizzle, the sensation like a sneeze that got away.

In the next moment, he crossed the room, grabbed my wrists, pinned them to my sides and wrapped his arms around me.

A bubble of expensive cologne, mixed with sweat and the faint smell of burnt clothing overpowered me.

And for a moment, all I felt was him, his sturdy arms.

But then reasoning kicked in.

Christian wasn't holding me to be kind.

He was holding me to keep me from using my powers on him.

"Let go of me you bastard!"

"Not until you've calmed down."

"I'm warning you, Christian, I'll hurt you. You think I won't do it but I will."

"I did not kill your father. I did not kill Luke." He pulled back slightly to look me in the eye. The circle of his arms was a snare and he was so close that I could feel the pounding of his heart against mine.

His arms were mapped with veins that I could feel through the thin fabric of my t-shirt and even though something about his proximity always made my breath hitch, I hated him for it, hated everything about him.

"I am a coward with no redeeming qualities perhaps, but look me in the eye and believe me when I say that my fight was not with your father. I may be a killer but I am not wasteful and your human father would have posed no threat to me. I know you have no reason to believe me. But here," he went to the tray I'd eyed before and grabbed the knife, using it to slice into his palm.

Blood bloomed over his pale skin. Shocked, I met his eyes which were a bright, almost ice blue and there was a desperation in them.

"I'll sign a blood contract agreeing to tell you the truth. Remember what you signed at the Verlac's? Blood contracts cannot be broken."

I swallowed hard, my heart galloping in my chest.

He rummaged through his desk and produced a paper and pen. Scribbling something on it in blood, he rushed back to me, holding it out for me to inspect.

He, Christian Dannek, promised to answer any question truthfully.

I looked at him, bottom lip trembling slightly. "Did you...did you kill my father?" I croaked.

"No," he said firmly.

I waited but nothing happened. Christian did not bleed and there was no fog, no sense of the earth shattering this time. In that moment I knew he wasn't trying to use his powers on me and I knew, with certainty, that for once, Christian Dannek was telling the truth.

A weight lifted from my chest. One less stab wound yet one truth did not absolve him of all his other lies, did not so easily erase everything else he'd done to me.

"I trusted you." I choked out.

"I know you did. And I know I deserve any punishment you can think of but not here, not now. Please, if you use your magic, my plan to get you of out here will fail."

I shook my head but he continued.

"I'm going to get you out of here. I promise I won't let Henric hurt you, Aimee."

A bubble of hysteria rose in my throat, coming out as a manic laugh. I giggled, trying to stifle the sounds, my mouth slightly muffled by his shoulder.

The laughter poured out of me, two laughs turning into three four, until slowly, they all transformed into sobs.

Something broke in me then, like a damn bursting open.

My body shook and I found myself gasping for air as the waterworks stained Christian's t-shirt.

His arms tightened around me but they brought no comfort. It was the crushing embrace of a boa, right before you drew your last breath.

And I wanted to stop.

God knew I wanted to.

Aimee Mathews did not cry, not in front of Christian, not in front of anyone.

I did not break down.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered against my hair. "I'm despicable, I'm a complete and utter asshole and I am so so sorry, Aimee."

The pity is what did me in.

What made me realize I would not be a victim here.

I sucked in a breath, squared my shoulders and pushed him away.

"Then prove it. Get me out of here and after that I never want to see you again."

Christian nodded, his mouth pressing into a thin line.

He pulled away and looked at me.

"How will you do it?" I demanded.

"We'll lay low and wait until the sun comes up and everyone has gone to sleep. We'll escape through the servants entrance before Henric finds out you're here."

"Henric has probably read your mind by now. At least some of it. That won't work."

"No," He said, shaking his head. "Grandfather's wards prevent it."

"But won't you be punished?" I asked, looking away. "For not bringing me here? Won't your siblings be killed?"

My heart thudded in my chest because a stupid, foolish part of me didn't want him or his siblings to be killed.

But they were not my responsibility. It was not my fault their father was deranged enough to threaten their lives. Besides, I had my own family to think about...

"Perhaps." He said before drawing in a deep breath. "But that's not your problem. I'll find them and tell them the truth. Whoever is willing will leave with me tonight. I'm sorry it took me so long to come to this conclusion."

"What if they don't believe you?"

"Contrary to what I've shown you, Aimee, I am trustworthy in the eyes of my family."

I looked back up to his face but he wouldn't meet my eyes. It was as if he couldn't bear to look at me.

"I have to go find grandfather Nandru and make arrangements for tonight but for now..."

He stepped away and faltered, his hand darting out to catch himself against a poster of the bed.

That's when I saw it: the red, angry gash on his shoulder blade.

The singed shoulder of his t-shirt was visible, a circle of red and raw skin beneath the torn fabric and with it came the realization that I'd done that to him.

My stomach rolled at the thought.

Though I'd wanted to hurt him moments before, wanted to kill him even, I was not prepared for the visceral reaction seeing him hurt would elicit in me.

My first instinct was to heal him, fingers twitching at my side, but before I could muster the magic, something held me back.

Maybe, I thought, it was a small, sadistic part of me that wanted him to hurt as much as I did.

No, there was no maybe. That was exactly what it was.

I wanted him to hurt.

"Stay here. I mean it, Aimee, do not leave this room. We'll be on our way at first light."

While still deciding if I would do as he said or make a run for it, Christian swung the door open to reveal a man standing on the other side.

He had black shoulder length hair with ice blue eyes, eyes I'd come to associate with Christian.

Dannek eyes.

He was stiff-backed and regal, with hands calmly clasped in front of his dark robes and there was only person he could be: the King.

"My boy, you've returned." He crooned. His eyes cast past Christian and into the room, scanning me from head to toe. "And bearing gifts."

The way Henric looked at me reminded me of a discovery channel special I'd seen once about lions.

How they liked to lay in waiting, observing their prey with fascination right before they pounced. Calm, even lazy, until they turned deadly.

Something about Henric was this way now, thick muscular arms vibrating with energy as if he couldn't quite stop himself from lunging at me.

Hungry eyes studied me, his smile like that of a predator.

Christian stiffened, one arm sliding subtly down the side of the door frame to obscure me from view.

But it was too late.

"Father." He said, voice tight.

Henric gave another small chortle, reaching up to clap Christian on the shoulder.

At this, Christian hissed and Henric's brow furrowed.

"What's this? Have you been injured?" He asked, voice going dark.

"The journey here was a difficult one." Christian said evenly.

"Well, let's get you cleaned up and let's move to my study, my boy. It appears we have many things to discuss."

My mind spun with a million questions, a million different scenarios, none of which included me getting out of here alive.

I could hear the angry pounding of my heart in my ears and I tried to steady it but the calm would not come.

Maybe because I was quite literally a deer caught in headlights.

A tasty gazelle.

A fucking prisoner, delivered to the slaughter by someone I'd considered my friend.

Christian's back was to me so I couldn't gauge his reaction but something told me that now that Henric knew I was here, his promise of getting me out of here wouldn't hold.

If it had even been true in the first place.

Squaring my shoulders, I found my voice, at least in part comforted by the fact that he could not read my mind.

"I'm Aimee." I said, extending a hand out that I forced into stillness.

But of course he already knew who I was and this was all for show.

Henric appeared surprised before his lip curled into a sly smile and he reciprocated the gesture, wrapping his meaty hand around mine.

He squeezed hard and I had to bite down a gasp.

Determined, and maybe even foolishly, I squeezed back.

One of his eyebrows rose and his lip curled with something similar to disdain.

"Christian tells me you will help me find my family." I said coyly. Perhaps if he thought I was stupid and didn't know his true intentions, I'd get to live longer.

Long enough to find a way out of here.

I pulled my hand from his grasp and fixed him with an expectant look.

"Your family?" Henric echoed.

His eyes darted to Christian who must have shared some type of look with him.

He cleared his throat. "Father, we must speak in the study."

"Yes, we have much to discuss. You, my dear." He said, swinging his cold blue gaze to me. "Should wait here. Until further notice."

Henric waved Christian forward who paused halfway down the hall and mouthed wait here.

But like hell I would.