Free Frost Fire (Tortured Elements) by Olivia Rivers Page B

not her. Allai’s a Nox. She’d be killed.”
    Drake froze. Allai could feel it; his muscles tensing, his breath catching in his throat. Then he said, “Ten minutes. Give me ten minutes alone with her. And then I’ll let her go.”
    “Are you kidding me?” Luke said.
    “No. I just want ten minutes.”
    “Why?” Luke demanded. “So you can kill her without me trying to stop you?”
    “It’s your choice,” Drake snapped. “You can leave her with me for a little bit. Or I can kill her right in front of you, right now.”
    Allai wanted to scream at Luke to not listen to him, that it was just a bluff. But Drake kept her mouth clamped shut. Then she heard Luke slowly say, “Ten minutes. That’s all. I’ll be right outside the door. If I hear something, or if you try anything, then—”
    “Just leave,” Drake snarled.
    She heard Luke take a deep breath, and then the dungeon’s door opened. Drake’s hand kept her from screaming at him to come back. The door closed, and they were alone.
    This wasn’t what she had wanted. Her heart beat wildly, and she gritted her teeth to hold back tears. She’d just wanted to come say goodbye to him, to get one last look at him before he changed. But now Drake wasn’t changing, and she might be dead in a few moments.
    Drake released her. He was more careful than before, making sure her feet were stable on the ground before he let go. Allai stumbled backwards, toward the basement door.
    “Stop,” Drake commanded.
    She did. What other choice was there?
    He crossed his arms and nodded to the ground. “Sit down.”
    It was a little relieving to hear the order. Her legs were shaking, and if she didn’t sit soon, she was going to collapse. She lowered to the ground and tucked her knees close to her chest, all the time keeping an eye on Drake.
    He walked up to her until only a yard separated them. Another step, and it was only a foot. Then he dropped to the ground so quickly it was almost like he’d collapsed. But he hadn’t. His legs folded gracefully under him, and his back remained straight and upright. He reminded her of Luke’s cat, the way it’d spontaneously nap and just drop into a sleeping position. Only Drake was way less fuzzy and way more deadly.
    Drake just stared at her for a moment, tilting his head to the side and watching her. Then he gave a slow, disproving shake of his head. “You know, you’re a truly horrible host. Locking up your guests who just came, killing off the hungry ones—”
    “
You
killed Silas!” Allai blurted out. “And, even if I
had
killed him, it would have been the right thing to do.” She realized a second too late Drake’s words were sarcasm. She winced, waiting for whatever revenge he’d take on her for the outburst.
    But Drake didn’t even react. He just watched her, his head still tilted to one side and his eyes slowly examining her.
    Allai took a deep breath. “You need to let me go. Immediately.”
    Drake waved a dismissing hand at her. “It’s just ten minutes, little Nox. More like nine, now. Have some patience.”
    “What are you going to do with me?” She tucked her knees a little closer to her chest as she waited for an answer.
    Drake shrugged. He tried to make the motion nonchalant, but Allai saw him biting at his lip. “I only have ten minutes. Not much time. So I’m just going to show you some things and ask some questions.”
    “I’m not telling you anything about the Sentinel,” Allai blurted. “Go ahead, just kill me. Because I’m not telling you a
word
.”
    “You have so much loyalty for the Sentinel,” Drake said quietly. “Even though they’d kill you for something as simple as being used as a hostage. Do you really think that’s fair?”
    Life wasn’t fair. Drake of all people should know that. Fairness didn’t matter, what mattered was that her entire life was invested in the Sentinel. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment as she snapped, “I already told you, I’m not saying