The Crown of Stones: Magic-Price (64 page)

“King Draken? I know him. He asks me questions. He gets mad when I don’t answer.”

“Yes. He does.” Her head fell slightly. She made an odd sound.

“Are you crying?” I raised a hand to her cheek.

“Don’t,” she hissed, pulling away.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I did that.”

“We have a man in the prison. He’s been adjusting your dose of
Kayn’l
. You’re having moments of…sporadic clarity,” she said kindly. “I can’t explain right now.”

I heard footsteps. “The guards are coming. I should go find them.”

“Those aren’t guards. They’re with me. And they’re risking their lives to get you out of here. So you need to move.”

“You have the wrong man. Why would anyone take risks for me? I’m just a
—
”

“What, Ian? A slave? A soldier? A magic user?” Her breathy voice turned ominous. “You have no idea what’s inside you.”

I clenched my scarred, calloused hands shut. Blood dripped from fresh cuts across my knuckles. “This is all that’s inside me.”

“With this,” she said, squeezing my hands, “you could build an empire.”

Her eyes,
I thought. I couldn’t stop staring at them. Even as she let me go and her gaze wandered, I tried to get it back. “Who are you?” I asked again.

“Sienn,” she said, quiet and reluctant. “I was here too, for a time. I know what you’re going through. And I know you don’t believe me, but...”

“Are they true? These things you’re saying about me?”

“Yes. Outside these walls, people are counting on you, Ian. They need you. They care about you. This isn’t where you belong.”

Muffled shouts escaped the gloom behind me. The sounds of approach in front grew louder. From the same direction, only closer, sparks of colored light glinted off the walls. Growing steadily brighter, they followed the natural arch of the tunnel, flickering and pulsing, to form what resembled a door.

Sienn stepped toward it anxiously. Then she paused and turned back. “I asked you once to join me. You had a dozen different reasons for saying no. But things have changed. And the
Kayn’l
has wiped you clean. There’s nothing to sway your decision. No magic, no love, or suspicion. No guilt or responsibility. This time you choose by instinct alone.” Sienn held out her hand. “Come with me, Ian. Take back your life. Free the Shinree. Give us a home.”

Home,
I thought.

The word pulled at me. Suddenly it was all wrong; this place, me.

I felt aimless. Adrift.

Unnerved, I looked at her. “I don’t know where home is.”

“Neither do I,” she said sadly. “But I know it isn’t here.”

“You’re right. It isn’t.” I took Sienn’s hand, and I stopped drifting.