Trial by Fire

She fell back into her body—and was about to tell the shaman that she’d done it, she’d made it into another world—when she saw magelight illuminating the alcove. She took a breath but kept her eyes closed.

“She’s not dead,” Carrick said. “I can see her breathing.”

“Well, she wasn’t breathing a second ago,” snapped a woman defensively.

It was Esmeralda. Lily hadn’t had much of a chance to figure out how Carrick and Gideon had taken her, but now it all made sense. Esmeralda had only to do one little thing—shut the hatch—and even with her three nearly invincible mechanics, Lily was nothing but an unconscious armload.

“How long has it been since you fed her?” Esmeralda continued, badgering him. “Gideon made it clear that she was to be kept weak, but you’re killing her.”

Carrick was silent for a moment. “You can go now,” he said.

“No, actually I can’t.” Esmeralda sounded annoyed. “Gideon had me come out here while he’s gone for the next two days, because he doesn’t want you left alone with her.”

“And where is he?” Carrick asked.

“Half way to Providence, I expect.”

Lily heard a fast movement, followed by a cry of alarm from Esmeralda. The sound of her scream was abruptly cut off. Lily wanted to open her eyes, but fought the urge. She heard stumbling steps, grunts of exertion as Carrick and Esmeralda fought hand to hand, and then the sound of a body hitting the floor hard.

“Gideon will kill you for this,” Esmeralda said in a strained and whispery voice. Lily could hear fluid gurgling in her lungs.

“For what?” Carrick asked pleasantly. “You never arrived. I’m afraid the Woven must have gotten you on your way here.”

“People know I’m here. The soldiers in the camp up there,” Esmeralda said.

“Oh. You mean the same soldiers who know you were brought up in the Coven, then changed sides to become a rebel, and now because you’ve been ignored by a man, you’ve changed sides a third time?” Lily could nearly hear the smile in his voice. “Soldiers hate turncoats. I won’t even have to pay them off to keep this from Gideon.”

“It wasn’t like that. It wasn’t just about Rowan,” Esmeralda pleaded. “It’s her. She’s exactly like Lillian, but none of you can see it.”

Lily heard crying.

“Was he worth it?” Carrick asked, like he didn’t understand. “Was Rowan really worth all this?”

“I had to get rid of her,” Esmeralda said, sniffling back tears. “After everything she did to him, he still fell in love with her again. Tristan, too. Everyone loves Lily,” she said bitterly. “They’re too stupid to see she’s going to betray them all over again.”

A few moments passed. Lily heard gasps, choking coughs, and finally, Esmeralda’s death rattle.

Carrick approached the bars of Lily’s cell. From behind her eyelids, she saw his magelight brighten. She kept her eyes clamped shut, feigning unconsciousness, as he looked her over carefully. He seemed to stare at her forever, but after several harrowing seconds his magelight dimmed and he turned back to Esmeralda’s corpse.

Lily listened as he struggled with her body. The only way in or out of the oubliette was by rope, and although she knew he was strong, Carrick would have no easy task getting her dead weight up it. She wondered why he didn’t call for the help of the soldiers above if they were as keen on getting rid of Esmeralda as Carrick had said. He must have been lying.

Either that or he wanted some time with Lily without the soldiers knowing he was down there alone with her, which was probably the whole point of killing Esmeralda in the first place. Carrick wanted complete control over Lily and her willstones. She shook at the thought, fighting back tears, until she managed to calm herself again.