I search my father's face for a hint he's lying.

"What?" Gale asks, his voice sharp. "What is it?"

Our father turns his head to the side only enough to indicate he's talking to my brother. "For two months she'll pay a visit to Quill's capital prison."

My eyes widen. Gale's eyes widen. I assume anyone who heard eyes widen.

"What?" my voice comes out meek.

Gale's mouth opens and closes. "Is there a second option?"

Our father looks at him sternly. "No." His eyes move to me. "What do you say, Raksana?"

"Why would they even take me? They would assume that you should be keeping me in your own prisons."

"Don't think you're one step ahead of me."

I swallow. "What are the conditions?"

"You are there for two months. And don't think while you're there you can tell anyone who you are. You won't be killed by them. . . immediately. They will hold you for ransom, and once they realize we don't care, they will dispose of you."

Two months in our enemy's prison and Nate earns the chance to live. "I'll do it."

"However. . . my soldiers will create your crimes that you are being held for and you won't know what those are."

Whatever strife these soldiers have with me, they can deal it out on me now. Or there's a way to bypass this and the humiliation to come. My eyes drift to the noose. I stiffen. That will make me weaker in their eyes. Accepting and bearing this new offer of my father would show I'm strong—at least to some.

Nate's stopped struggling by now. His shoulders are slouched forward, and he lifts his head just enough to be able to see me.

I look my father in the eyes and force my voice to project loud and firm, "I am at their mercy."

His eyes seem to light up. "Send word to my nearest diplomat." He shoves me down the steps and into the arms of awaiting soldiers. "For now lock her up and get Griffith to Blanair."

Since Blanair is Lumiere's capital, that's where our main castle is built. That's where I call home.  The prison is attached to the palace. Maybe Nate will see some of my family.

My eyes meet his. His lips move, but I don't understand the words he's trying to send to me. The soldiers' hands tighten on me. Both are men. I give Nate a sort of sad kind of smile before being hauled away from the gallows. I don't struggle. Not many are lucky to be dragged away from them breathing.

Two female soldiers open the metal doors for us. Inside we turn right. Their hands are tight on my arms, and they walk with a fast pace, making it hard for me not to be dragged. Anyone we pass in the hallways stops and stares. Just two months.

We reach the metal door to the dungeon, a different guard than before opens the door without question. He follows us into the elevator.

At the bottom he guides us with the glow of his light bar.

We stop at the first cell. The bars creak as one of the soldiers opens up the empty box. "Here you go," he says. "Home sweet home."

The one still holding me forces me inside. Two months. He grips my chin in one of his cracked hands, the peeling skin scratching my skin. I strain against his strength as he tries to rotate my head to look at him. His grip grows stronger as my head slowly moves. Half of his face is lit up, the other half remains in shadows. "Listen, Princess." It's funny. . . when Nate calls me that, it makes me feel fluttery inside—even though he's mocking me. This man's mock leaves me feeling revolted. He leans toward my face. I try pulling back, but his grip is too tight. I press my lips together, glaring at him.

His lips brush against mine as he speaks, "We're going to make sure your life's a living Hell these next couple months." He presses his lips against mine. I squirm trying to get away, my stomach churning. This can't be happening. The two men watching laugh. Fortunately, they did not bother tying my wrists. I ball up my fist and swing it into his cheek. He drops his hold on my jaw, stumbling back and uttering a string of curses targeted at me.

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. "Keep your filthy mouth off me."

"Oooh. . . she's feisty." The soldier holding the torch whispers.

My jaw trembles. My strength is quickly seeping out of me due to my wounds. I force my shoulders back, facing the man who forcefully kissed me. "Get out."

Chuckling, he shakes his head. "You don't hold the power here."

"I am still your superior. Behavior such as this will not be tolerated by me or any of his Majesty's children. In two months you'll be lucky if you can come by a job cleaning the slums. And you"-- I snap my head to the right to glare at the other disgusting men-- "for standing by and allowing such a disgraceful thing to happen, I'll be sure that the only job you can get is picking up trash." I take a step toward the single man. "You know the penalty for forcefully touching a royal is death."

He swallows and takes a step closer. "I suppose I'll have to be sure that I make those Quillunite soldiers hate you so much you won't survive two months." The back of his hand connects with my cheek and I fall, catching myself at the last moment to remain on my feet.

I hold my cheek with one hand, hissing at the searing pain from the slap on my markings. "Get out!"

"Raksana?" Gale. He's there in the light of the lamp, and he looks livid. "What's going on?"

I place a palm on the cool metal wall. "Get these low-lives out of here."

"Out," Gale orders.

Shooting me all murderous glares they leave.

"I'll speak with all of you when I'm done here," Gale informs them as they walk away.

I sink to the floor, one hand on the ground, and one wrapped over my head. Tears start dripping out of me. I hate this. I'm not supposed to be like this. I'm not supposed to be what they say--weak.

Gale's hand brushes through my hair. I can't see any longer without the lamp, but I know he's crouching in front of me.

"I'm scared, Gale. I can't do this. I won't survive."

"What did they do?"

"I'm too weak to make it there."

He starts massaging my scalp. "Stop thinking that."

I squeeze my eyes shut. "But it's true. I couldn't let Nate's interrogation go all the way. I cried saying goodbye to him last night." Ever since I met him, it seems like I've been crying a lot. It's not natural for me. I hardly ever cried. "I couldn't allow him to be hung."

"That shows you have feelings and a heart."

I rub my lips together. "But that's not what I'm supposed to have."

"That's what Father and Mother want you to lack. But who do you care about making proud? Them or us, your siblings?"

I feel numb as I open my eyes. "You guys. I do know you would rather me have let him die."

"What did they do, Raksana?"

I shake my head. He can't see me shaking it, but he can feel it.

"What happened? Tell me."

He'll be so ashamed of me. He'll be disappointed that I didn't stop it. "One of them held onto me and kissed me."

His hand trembles before squeezing my head, but I don't think he's aware of what he's doing. He's hurting me, but I latch onto the sensation.

"I'll kill them."

"I know it could have been much worse. I understand that. But I can't do this, Gale. If this was only for the first few minutes of being locked up, how can I survive two months?"

"You're strong."

"Am I?"

"You're letting what people say about you trickle into your mind."

"It was bound to happen eventually."

He sighs. "You should have let that rebel die."

"I don't regret the decision I made out there, but I should have then went ahead and died."

His other hand finds my shoulder. I wince as he touches a lash mark.

"Don't ever say that again."

'I'm going to die in that prison anyway."

"If anything happens to you, I swear I will personally kill every Quillunite soldier there is." He gently pulls me against him, this time taking care of my back. I rest my cheek against his shoulder, tucking my face in his neck.

"Make sure he doesn't kill him, please."

"As much as I want your rebel to die, I will promise you I won't allow it to happen."

My rebel. Sounds sentimental. "Can you watch me as I sleep? Just this time and then you can go, and I'll pull myself together and face whatever comes for me. But right now, I want to depend on someone else."

"Of course." He helps me up and guides me to the thin palate in the back corner. He eases me back down, and once I'm on my side, he tucks my cloak around me.

"Thank you." I close my eyes and let my shoulders relax.