Paedyn Quotes

I may be a monster, but if you cut me, I'll bleed. And if you break my heart, Pae, you'll break me. So, if even a sliver of your soul longs for mine, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to deserve it.

Do you always fall into the arms of handsome strangers or is this a new thing for you?" "No, only the cocky ones.

Tell me you hate me, and I'll still count every heartbeat, every freckle, every shiver of your body, if only you say it with a smile.

My pretty Pae, what have you done to me?

She is the torture I may not survive. Eagerly, she is my undoing. Her gaze lifts, meeting eyes that are not my own. Eyes of the man who gets to have her-if she allows it. She was supposed to be my forever. Now I'll watch her become someone else's. Because the beast doesn't get the beauty.

Maybe you really are a poet," I whisper. He smiles softly. "Only a fool for you." "Pretend?" My voice is small, soft like the breeze blowing through my short hair. "Never." "None of it?" I ask quietly. "Darling"-he smiles- "I have never had to pretend to want you.

No, I'm sick of running. And I won't spend the rest of my life doing it unless it's you I'm running back to." "Then I'll spend the rest of my life tracking you down," he says quietly. "Glimpsing you in shadows. Fighting you in the streets. Dancing with you in my dreams. Because living without you is only bearable when I know you are out there still living too.

A forget-me-not, since you always seem to be forgetting who I am.

Mark my words, Prince. I will be your undoing." "Oh Darling, I look forward to it.

You asked me what my favorite color was once. I'd never even pondered the answer to that question before you. And yet, I realized in that moment that it was blue." He bends to brush a kiss to my temple, a murmur against my skin. "It is your eyes.

At least you kept your promise. You stayed alive long enough to stab me in the back.’ He laughs bitterly, remembering the attack after the first ball when I tended to his wound. ‘And now I promise to return the favor.’ His voice strains with emotion. ‘Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.

Walking on a sharp blade and hoping I don't get cut. Playing with fire and hoping I don't get burned. Swimming in a dangerous current and hoping I don't drown.

And just like that, I’ve picked which pretty prince to root for. Because it’s Kai who is destined for Paedyn, no matter how tragic their story. No matter the opposite roles they play in this life. But maybe things will be different in the next.

Everything beautiful, everything bold, everything breathtaking- that is what I feel in her gaze. That, and terrified. Terrified of what she is doing to me. She is a vision, a nightmare, a dream. A grim reaper clad in black, come to steal my soul and my heart. I've never seen something so beautiful, so bold, so blatantly wrong for me. She is a devil. She is a deity. She is a man's downfall in human form. She is my downfall. Then her eyes drift to Kitt. The connection snaps. And I'm left feeling empty besides the jealousy growing inside me. Why did I ever think I could have ever, ever think she would have me? Because beasts don't get the beauty.

You don't regret it?" She shakes her head, her smile sad, "No." "Good," I murmur. "Because I've always had a thing for short hair." "Oh, really?" She laughs as I sway us in a circle. "It's true. Among other things, of course." I shrug a shoulder. "Short hair. Ocean-blue eyes. Twenty-eight freckles. And"- I pause, examining her with a tilt of my head-"how tall are you?" She blinks in confusion. "Umm, about five and a half feet?" "Five and a half feet," I continue evenly. "The terrifying ability to kick a man's ass. Stunning smile. Ridiculously stubborn. Hair like molten silver. Quick to threaten me with a dagger." I smile down at her. "Should I go on?

I wanted to kill you," I whisper, forcing his eyes to open. "I wanted to be your undoing. But even then, I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had." He inches toward me, head shaking and eyes roaming as though overwhelmed by what he is seeing. "Oh, but you are my undoing. My deliverance. my downfall disguised as a deity." Another slow step. "You are my ruin.

At least you kept your promise. You stayed alive long enough to stab me in the back." He laughs bitterly, remembering the attack after the first ball when I tended to his wound. "And now I promise to return the favor." His voice strains with emotion. "Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.

She's bewildering as much as she is beguiling. That pretty mouth of hers says one thing, but those ocean eyes say another. She pulls a knife from my back only to say she'll bury another one there. She's confusing, captivating, and we're completely wrong for each other in all the right ways. She's a flame, and I'm going to get burned. An ocean and I'm going to drown.

It's strange," he says quietly, his eyes scanning the crowded garden. "I haven't known her for long, and yet, I find myself wanting to know her for longer.

I wanted her to be formidable. Recklessly bold. Powerful despite ability." I stare at him, taking in each word. "I am none of those things," I whisper. He drops my hand to brush gentle fingers beneath my chin, raising my face up towards his. "You are much more than those things." "You overestimate me." "No. I just see you.

You're not just a mission to me. You're not just another enemy for me to find. You're something even more terrifying." Her voice is little more than a whisper. "And what is that?" "A need." We stare at each other, both surprised by the words that pushed their way past my lips. Sunlight is streaming through her hair, making her glow like something far too heavenly for me. "I thought you had found your courage," she says softly. I smile slightly. "Maybe I'm fine with being a fool. So long as it's for you.

Every touch, every dance, every kiss disguised as a distraction was anything but. Because before I loved her, I longed for her. She was a want I wasn't worthy of. And I'm afraid I'll never get the chance to deserve her. Because now that I have her, I'm giving her away.

Death can claim me when it finds a less pathetic way to end my existence.

Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.

He’s several steps from me now, though his eyes are still locked on mine. “Oh, and darling?” “Paedyn.” “You were right.” He takes another step backward. I huff out a sigh. “I’m not sure I should even listen to what you’re about to say since you didn’t address me by my name, which is—” “Paedyn,” the sound of my name from his lips cuts me off, “the ladies do love me.” And with a wink, he turns and strides out of the alley.

And what was your title again? The Silver Saviour?" "Fitting. I know how much you like silvers.

I'd be a fool to not fear something so fierce." I swallow. "And are you not? A fool, that is." He stands then, holding my gaze until he's the one looking down on me. "Not anymore.

Do you always fall into the arms of handsome strangers, or is this a new thing for you?

The setting sun drips with golden rays across her face, blue eyes burning bright against the vibrant red of each poppy. It's hard to believe that something so beautiful would willing stare at the likes of me. I feel undeserving of her gaze, of the way her eyes roam over my face. I shake my head, still staring down at her. "Don't look at me like that." "Like what?" she asks softly. "Like I'm worthy of being seen.

Pretend," I whisper against his lips. I am recklessness incarnate. Until the very end. My mouth meets his. He tastes like longing. Like regret and relief. Like nothing matters but this moment. It's fervent, like a sinner's prayer. And maybe that is what this kiss is. Repentance.

You’re Paedyn Gray. Silver Savior, silver-tongued, and quick to shove her silver dagger into people.

I will not fail. The king's smile is bloody. I will not falter. Hysterical, mocking laughter follows. I will not feel remorse. "Weak. Just like your father-" The sword I drive through his chest shuts him the hell up.

The most powerful man paired with the most powerless woman. “It would be an honor to be your partner, Kitt,” I say softly, smiling slightly. Play the part. Kitt chuckles, sounding relieved. “I was hoping you would say that, Paedyn.

And let's pray they don't." I stuff the reins in his hands, suddenly too curious to steer. "I didn't peg you as the type to pray, Prince." I feel his shoulders shrug against my back. "I didn't used to believe in a God." "And now?" There is a long pause followed by a softening of his voice. "I found proof of a paradise." I glance over my shoulder to find his eyes already on me. "And what was that?" His gaze glides over my face and down the length of my braid. "You'll know when you see it.

They only want you in The Purging Trials to watch you die, mundane." "Oh, most definitely. But at least they will be watching me at all.

Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.

Paedyn. I am content to listen to you talk for hours, but if you must speak about fruit, then at least pick one we both enjoy.

Oh, sweet isn’t the word I would use to describe her, Gail. She held a knife to my throat only a few days ago.’ ‘He deserved it,’ Paedyn says simply, shrugging slightly. ‘Oh, I’m sure he did,’ Gail replies, grinning at her. ‘I probably would have done the same.’ She glances

But his tone is familiar, feeling like dancing in a dark room and thumb wars under willow trees. The way the words rolled off of his tongue felt like a light flick to the tip of my nose, like calloused fingers braiding silver hair. It felt like Kai. Like the man behind the masks who looked at me like I was extraordinary. I blink at the crumbling rocks crowding the path, willing my mind to wander toward anything but the words that have me wishing things were different. But I am Ordinary. I am the embodiment of the weakness he has been taught to hate. Ordinary.

I let out a low laugh. "Oh, 'sweet' isn't the word I would use to describe her, Gail. She held a knife to my throat only a few days ago." "He deserved it," Paedyn says simply, shrugging slightly. "Oh, I'm sure he did," Gail replies, grinning at her. "I probably would have done the same." She glances at me, nodding toward Paedyn. "I like this one.

Paedyn.” ‘I still. I shiver. He says my name like it’s sacred, like it’s an oath he’s swearing.

Paedyn tips her head back and laughs. My body goes still as I listen to the sound of it fill the kitchen.

Strands of Paedyn’s silver hair fall around her face in loose curls, the rest of it tied back into a messy knot at the nape of her neck.

The stars are flirtatious things, always winking down in the darkness. -paedyn

I may be a monster, but if you cut me, I'll bleed. And if you break my heart, Pae, you'll break me. So, if even a sliver of your soul longs for mine, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to deserve it.

My gaze flicks to the black coat he is still holding above my head to shield me from the rain. "..You do know I'm already soaked, right?" "Yes, well." He sighs and ducks his head so we are eye to eye. "As adorable as you looked blinking up at me in the rain, I want you to see me clearly when I tell you this." There goes that stupid flutter in my chest. "I meant what I said. I can't take my eyes off you. I can't take my mind off you." I look away from his burning gaze, shaking my head as I mutter, "Kai, I-" "Paedyn." I still. I shiver. He says my name like it's sacred, like it's an oath he's swearing. He tilts his head to the side, eyes roaming over my face. "Tell me." he murmurs, "what do you want me to call you?" My eyes slowly meet his, confused by his question. "What do you want to call me?" "I want to call you mine." We stare at each other. Both of us breathing hard, both of us taking int he other. The rain is still splattering Kai, clinging to his thick lashes and dripping from his jaw. "I know you feel it too," he says quietly. "Feel what?" "Feel alive. Feel on fire. Feel." There is an intensity in his eyes, his voice, that makes my heart race even faster. He looks away, cursing under his breath before his gaze crashes back into mine. "Pae, when I look at you...I'm devastated. I'm drowning. I'm dying to catch my breath.

Still contemplating on drowning you, actually." My voice is breathy, my own fingers wandering over the curve of his jaw. "Oh darling, I already am." His lips inch closer to mine, teasing me. "And I'm begging you to let me breath you in." I smile slyly. "I thought you never begged?" "I'm getting used to it when it comes to you.

Everything beautiful, everything bold, everything breathtaking - that is what I feel in her gaze. That, and terrified. Terrified of what she is doing to me. She is a vision, a nightmare, a dream. A grim reaper clad in black, come to steal my soul and my heart. I've never seen something so beautiful, so bold, so blatantly wrong for me. She is a devil. She is a deity. She's a man's downfall in human form. She is my downfall. Then her eyes drift to Kitt. The connection snaps. And I'm left feeling empty besides the jealousy growing inside me. Why did I ever think I could have her, ever think she would have me? Because beasts don't get the beauty.

So he's pretty and he has a brain. The ladies must love you.

Oh, and Kai?" she calls, her voice casual. And then I'm ducking. She spun, throwing the knife so suddenly that I barely had time to dodge it before it sank into the wooden target a few feet behind me. "I don't want your mercy. Next time we fight," I can see her blue eyes smoldering from where I stand, "impress me." A low whistle sounds from the crowd-Kitt, of course. Ignoring him, I shake my head, grinning at her as she turns away from me. Vicious little thing, indeed.

Before I can blink, the knife placed beside Paedyn's plate is now raised in front of her chest, its point aimed at her heart. The sight sends a shock of anger through me, but my voice is far cooler than my sudden rage as I say, "Easy, ladies." Borrowing the Tele ability, I push the knife back down onto the table with a clatter while ignoring the glare Blair shoots me. "I'm not normally the one breaking up fights, but let's not try to kill each other before the Trials even start.

You asked me what my favorite color was once. I'd never even pondered the answer to that question before you. And yet, I realized in that moment that it was blue." He bends to brush a kiss to my temple, a murmur against my skin. "It is your eyes.

You're not just a mission to me. You're not just another enemy for me to find. You're something even more terrifying." Her voice is little more than a whisper. "And what is that?" "A need." We stare at each other, both surprised by the words that pushed their way past my lips. Sunlight is streaming through her hair, making her glow like something far too heavenly for me. "I thought you had found your courage," she says softly. I smile slightly. "Maybe I'm fine with being a fool. So long as it's for you.

I wanted her to be formidable. Recklessly bold. Powerful despite ability." I stare at him, taking in each word. "I am none of those things," I whisper. He drops my hand to brush gentle fingers beneath my chin, raising my face up towards his. "You are much more than those things." "You overestimate me." "No. I just see you.

I stare at them, and they stare at me. And then I smile, sad and slow. "I'm not afraid of myself anymore", I whisper. That girl - that haunted, weak girl begging for help, for love - is me. Without her, I wouldn't be who I am today. I'm still haunted, maybe even still hoping for love, but I am no longer weak because of it.

And there she is. She steps out of her room with her head down, quietly shutting the door before looking up and practically jumping at the sight of me. "Plagues, Kai, don't scare me like that!" I blink. It's the first time she's called me by my name, and I realize then that I could get used to the sound of it rolling off her tongue.

His voice is lower than before when he says, "You're a vision." "She is, isn't she?" My heart skips a beat. The voice coming from over my shoulder is so cold I nearly shiver. Kai brushes my arm as he steps around me, facing the stunned boy still clutching me to him. "I'll be stealing her now," Kai says simply,... He feels too familiar. We fit together perfectly, pieces of a puzzle snapping into place. I shouldn't let myself relax into his touch. Shouldn't let the tension ease from my body when he holds me. But I can do nothing to stop it. Utterly and completely powerless. His palm is flat and firm against my exposed back, calluses brushing my flushed skin. "You looked like you needed saving," Kai says, and I catch a glimpse of his smirk before he spins me. "For once," I sigh, "I'm going to have to agree with you." "I'm sure I could think of other things we agree on." "Oh really? And what would those things be?" "That he was right," Kai says softly. "You are a vision. I'm sure we can both agree on that.

Me and my cold feet could always just sleep over there. Alone.” “Like hell I’m letting you sleep alone,” I mutter. And then I’m shaking my head, wrapping an arm around her legs, and pulling them against me. She looks at me, shocked. And then she smiles, bright and big like the night sky hanging above us. I fear she could rival the stars.

I'm swept from my thoughts when Kai spins me and my eyes dart to his without my permission. Mistake. His midnight hair falls over his forehead in messy, silky waves. Smoky gray eyes meet mine, captivating, chilling. His set jaw loosens, pulling his lips into a cocky grin as he watches me take him in. Dimples. Both of them mocking me. "Like what you see, Gray?" he croons, knowing that will get a rise out of me. I huff, looking away from him to fight the flush that's finding its way to my cheeks. Rough fingers glide from my back to catch my chin, gently guiding my face back to his as he mutters, "By all means, carry on. I'll never deny myself the chance of watching you watch me." "And why is that?" I ask with a nonchalance I don't feel. His smile is wicked. "Because it is far more fun to admire you when the action is mutual.

I jump off the counter and give Gail a peck on the cheek. "Don't miss me too much." Then, I turn toward Paedyn, who's leaning casually against the counter, a small smile tugging at her lips. I take a slow step toward her. Her head tips up to look me in the eyes as I close the distance between us, so close I can smell the lingering scent of lavender on her skin. I reach around her back, fingers brushing her tank. Her breath hitches and I feel my lips tug upward. When she opens her mouth to tell me off, I pull my hand back slowly, holding an apple in front of her face. "Always feeding you, remember?" She stares at the fruit before snatching it from my hand, huffing in annoyance. And then, she smiles, the dazzling action lighting up her face as she rubs the apple on my shirt, right above my heart. She takes a bite, her eyes locked with mine. "And you said you weren't a gentleman.

It's stiff, the fabric hugging my hips, making it impossible to move freely. "Go on." It's Kai's taunting voice I hear behind me. "Ask for my help, Gray." I roll my eyes at the wall in front of me. "Stubborn, remember?" I hear Kitt's chuckle before I feel hands brushing my legs. Startled, I look down, eyes landing on a bent head of messy black waves. Kai is gripping the bottom seam of my dress, his eyes flicking up to mine. "May I?" His voice is soft, tone amused. I swallow, roll my eyes once again, and nod against my better judgment. And then he's ripping my dress. He tears the fabric easily, creating a slit up the side of my thigh, freeing me from the tight confines of the fabric. His rough fingers briefly brush my skin as he says, "I am more than willing to rip your dresses for you, Gray. To help, of course." Kitt snorts while Kai smirks. "You only need to ask." "Why ask when you're so eager to offer?" Kai's laughter follows me as I finally pull myself up, arms burning with the strain.

I show her my palms, surrendering before the fight has even begun. "You don't really want this and neither do I. Especially because I wouldn't want to mess up that pretty face of yours, darling." She all but rolls her eyes at me. "That's funny because I won't hesitate to mess up your pretty face." I smirk. "I knew you thought I was pretty." At that, she throws another punch at my face that I easily evade. We continue circling each other, slowly. Damp hair clings to my forehead and I comb my fingers through it, pushing it off my sticky skin. "You do know that I have eight powers at my disposal right now and any one of them could drop you." I grin as I say it, watching her eyes narrow. "I don't want to fight your power-I want to fight you. Just you." Her piercing gaze never leaves mine as she says it, even as the other Elites turn their attention toward us, finding this fight far more interesting than their training. "So, you just want me? No powers?" "Yes, I just want you," she breathes, annoyed with me. My mouth twists into a crooked grin. "I knew you wanted me, Gray.

We make a right down a smaller corridor and head to the very last door on the left. He grips the handle and swings it open, revealing a bedroom beyond, lit only by the moonlight streaming through the window. If I thought my room was magnificent, it pales in comparison to this. It's easily twice the size of my own, making it seem more like a house than a single bedroom. Though it's filled with a four-poster bed, dresser, and a desk-just as mine is-this room seems lived in. The shelf is overflowing, books stacked at odd angles to make them fit. Several of their worn covers tell me they consist of strategy, combat, and...poetry. Interesting. Everything filling this room is nicer than my own, yet used and worn. This is his room-his real room.

I place a gentle hand on the small of Paedyn's back, prodding her forward. It's a question, a tentative test, an innocent inquiry. Is this okay? I briefly wonder if she's considering breaking my wrist, maybe contemplating placing a dagger to my throat- And then, she relaxes, easing into my touch. An answer to my question without uttering a word. Yes.

Do you wish it was you?" He blinks, dark lashes fluttering. "Do you wish you were the future king of Ilya? The heir?" It's not at all the question I thought I would be asking, but here we are. "No," he states simply, holding my gaze. I raise my brows in a silent question. When he doesn't continue, I say, "That's it? 'No'?" "You got your answer, and I got my dance. That was the deal, darling.

Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.

Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.” Excerpt From Powerless Lauren Roberts This material may be protected by copyright.

The title on his lips sounds foreign, but I find I like the ring of it. I stand from my seat and stride over to the one with faded brown leather, filled with the memory of a dead king. And then I sit down, slowly. ‘Bring me Paedyn Gray, Enforcer.

Don’t look at me like that.” “Like what?” She asked softly. “Like I’m worthy of being seen.

The man’s disdain for Paedyn was more than obvious as he recapped what she had sensed from him. And yet, he failed to mention how he’d hit her. Perhaps I’ll relieve him of one of his hands, so he never has the opportunity to lay it on a woman again.

Mark my words, prince, I will be your undoing.” I lean in, ignoring the knife against my throat as murmur, “Oh, darling, I look forward to it.” -Paedyn gray

I'd be a fool to not fear something so fierce." I swallow. "And are you not? A fool, that is." He stands then, holding my gaze until he's the one looking down on me. "Not anymore.

Pretend," I whisper against his lips. I am recklessness incarnate. Until the very end. My mouth meets his. He tastes like longing. Like regret and relief. Like nothing matters but this moment. It's fervent, like a sinner's prayer. And maybe that is what this kiss is. Repentance.

But his tone is familiar, feeling like dancing in a dark room and thumb wars under willow trees. The way the words rolled off of his tongue felt like a light flick to the tip of my nose, like calloused fingers braiding silver hair. It felt like Kai. Like the man behind the masks who looked at me like I was extraordinary. I blink at the crumbling rocks crowding the path, willing my mind to wander toward anything but the words that have me wishing things were different. But I am Ordinary. I am the embodiment of the weakness he has been taught to hate. Ordinary.

And let's pray they don't." I stuff the reins in his hands, suddenly too curious to steer. "I didn't peg you as the type to pray, Prince." I feel his shoulders shrug against my back. "I didn't used to believe in a God." "And now?" There is a long pause followed by a softening of his voice. "I found proof of a paradise." I glance over my shoulder to find his eyes already on me. "And what was that?" His gaze glides over my face and down the length of my braid. "You'll know when you see it.

She is the torture I may not survive. Eagerly, she is my undoing. Her gaze lifts, meeting eyes that are not my own. Eyes of the man who gets to have her-if she allows it. She was supposed to be my forever. Now I'll watch her become someone else's. Because the beast doesn't get the beauty.

Tell me you hate me, and I'll still count every heartbeat, every freckle, every shiver of your body, if only you say it with a smile.

Maybe you really are a poet," I whisper. He smiles softly. "Only a fool for you." "Pretend?" My voice is small, soft like the breeze blowing through my short hair. "Never." "None of it?" I ask quietly. "Darling"-he smiles- "I have never had to pretend to want you.

You don't regret it?" She shakes her head, her smile sad, "No." "Good," I murmur. "Because I've always had a thing for short hair." "Oh, really?" She laughs as I sway us in a circle. "It's true. Among other things, of course." I shrug a shoulder. "Short hair. Ocean-blue eyes. Twenty-eight freckles. And"- I pause, examining her with a tilt of my head-"how tall are you?" She blinks in confusion. "Umm, about five and a half feet?" "Five and a half feet," I continue evenly. "The terrifying ability to kick a man's ass. Stunning smile. Ridiculously stubborn. Hair like molten silver. Quick to threaten me with a dagger." I smile down at her. "Should I go on?

The setting sun drips with golden rays across her face, blue eyes burning bright against the vibrant red of each poppy. It's hard to believe that something so beautiful would willing stare at the likes of me. I feel undeserving of her gaze, of the way her eyes roam over my face. I shake my head, still staring down at her. "Don't look at me like that." "Like what?" she asks softly. "Like I'm worthy of being seen

I wanted to kill you," I whisper, forcing his eyes to open. "I wanted to be your undoing. But even then, I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I had." He inches toward me, head shaking and eyes roaming as though overwhelmed by what he is seeing. "Oh, but you are my undoing. My deliverance. my downfall disguised as a deity." Another slow step. "You are my ruin.

No, I'm sick of running. And I won't spend the rest of my life doing it unless it's you I'm running back to." "Then I'll spend the rest of my life tracking you down," he says quietly. "Glimpsing you in shadows. Fighting you in the streets. Dancing with you in my dreams. Because living without you is only bearable when I know you are out there still living too.

Every touch, every dance, every kiss disguised as a distraction was anything but. Because before I loved her, I longed for her. She was a want I wasn't worthy of. And I'm afraid I'll never get the chance to deserve her. Because now that I have her, I'm giving her away.

Paedyn! Hey, Pae, look at me.

At least you kept your promise. You stayed alive long enough to stab me in the back." He laughs bitterly, remembering the attack after the first ball when I tended to his wound. "And now I promise to return the favor." His voice strains with emotion. "Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.

Thick, hot liquid runs down my bran, my body, my very being. Honey, That's what I'll tell myself. It's just honey.

I promise I’ll answer all of your questions, Paedyn. But first, let us make our introductions. This is my daughter Mira,” he gestures to the blond girl beside him who barely offers me a smile, “and this is Leena.” He nods toward the girl with the raven hair falling elegantly down her

The Fatals,” I breathe. “Yes.” He seems to stiffen at the title. “And it seems you have already encountered one.” The Silencer I fought in the alley comes to mind as I say slowly, “Was he…?” “Yes, he was a Resistance member.” Calum holds up a hand, silencing the apology I was about to utter for taking one of their members down. “There is no need to apologize, Paedyn. It was Micah’s own foolishness that got him caught.” “He always was a hothead,” Lenny mutters. “And a dumbass. A reckless dumbass. To think he could take down a prince, the future Enforcer, without consequences…” My eyes dance between the five of them. “Do I get to know exactly why this Micah is a reckless dumbass?” “Because he saw the prince already weakened and his anger got the best of him,” Mira says, her expression void of sympathy. “Long story short, Prince Kai killed someone very close to Micah, consuming the Silencer with rage and a need for revenge. When he saw the prince in that alley, worn out and preoccupied, he took the opportunity to try and take him down.” She pins me with a stare. “But you took him down instead.” “At the time, we didn’t know who you were,” Lenny adds. “We put the pieces together when we saw your name on the banner on Loot and saw you at the interviews.” “I thought you were dead, Paedyn,” Calum says gravely. “And then you suddenly showed up in the Trials, and we had found Adam’s daughter. Well, you found us.” “Who would have thought that Adam Gray’s daughter, the kid of a Resistance leader, would be the one to rob me blind and find that note,” Finn says with a sigh. “The note that led you right to us and right back to your own home.” He looks up at the ceiling and smiles to himself. “When I saw you at the ball, saw you recognize who I was, I knew it wouldn’t be long before you came and found us.

Yes, I suppose you could call me that, though none of us really have titles,” Calum says coolly, running a hand through his tawny hair. Plagues. He’s a— “Yes, I am a Mind Reader, Paedyn.” My breathing quickens. He’s been reading my thoughts the entire time. He’s probably reading them right now— “Yes, I have been reading your thoughts the entire time, and yes, I did just read them again.” I don’t try to hide the look of betrayal on my face, which only softens his expression. “I’m sorry for invading your thoughts, but I had to make sure you were truly on our side. Truly willing to help us.

long enough to stab me in the back.” He laughs bitterly, remembering the attack after the first ball when I tended to his wound. “And now I promise to return the favor.” His voice strains with emotion. “Run, Paedyn. Because when I catch you, I will not miss. I will not falter. I will not make the mistake of feeling for you.” I’m frozen, still standing in the freezing rain. “Go!” he yells, his voice breaking. “Go before I find someone who isn’t a coward, someone who isn’t a fool, and let them bury this dagger in your back right here, right now.

Daughter of a Healer, remember?” “It’s getting hard to keep track of your many skills.” Another grunt of pain before he adds, annoyed, “Plagues, Paedyn, what the hell is this stuff?” A snort escapes me. “Who knew the future Enforcer was such a baby?

Paedyn,” the sound of my name from his lips cuts me off, “the ladies do love me.

Because I’ve seen it,” Lenny says simply. I open my mouth, but he quickly cuts me off. “And that’s all good and dandy, except that the tunnel doors only open from the inside, and I have no idea where the other end of that passage is.” “Oh,” I say softly. Lenny’s laugh is dry. “Yeah. Oh.” I look between all of them expectantly. “So, what, you need me to find the tunnel that leads there?” Their response is practically in unison. “Yes.” I choke on a laugh. “If Lenny hasn’t been able to find it yet, I’m not sure I—” “Yeah, well, it would be a hell of a lot easier if I had the future king wrapped around my finger,” Lenny murmurs under his breath. I shoot him a look as Calum slowly says, “Your relationships with the princes are… valuable. Specifically, your connection with Prince Kitt.” He leans forward, urging me to understand. “Paedyn, I believe you hold far more sway over that boy than you give yourself credit for.” I’m not sure he’s right about that, but I nod slowly, taking in his words. “You want me to use Kitt to find the tunnel.” “Bingo,” Finn says.

Tragedy,” he echoes, his voice even. “You mean the Purging.” “Yes, the Purging,” I breathe. “The banishment of thousands of people and the continuous killing of them that follows.” I’m practically spewing treason, but I can’t seem to stop now that I’ve started. “Those are your people, Kitt. Innocent people who are still being killed today because of something they have no control over.” He stares at me while I stare at his collar, avoiding his gaze. “The Purging needed to be done, Paedyn. You know that.” His voice is gentle while mine is anything but. “Why? Because the Ordinaries are diseased? Supposedly weakening the Elites’ powers? Even though they lived alongside the Elites for decades?” He blinks. “You think they’re not diseased?

I forgot about this journal. Apparently, it’s been six years since I last wrote in here. There’s not much to say other than how big Paedyn is getting. It’s clear now why she was left on my doorstep. She’s Ordinary. Her parents didn’t want to deal with hiding a child. And, damn, are they missing out on her. She’s got this fire about her. This quickness. I’ve been training her differently, more extremely. I never want her to feel anything but strong. And when I noticed how observant she was as a young child, I figured it was best to stick to her strengths. So I’m sharpening that little mind of hers into a weapon to protect herself with. As a “Psychic,” she can do more than pass as an Elite, more than survive. She can live. I told her about Alice. Except the truth of how she died. Pae thinks it’s illness that took her away from us shortly after she was born. I’ve lost sleep trying to decide if I should ever tell Paedyn the truth. But I am the only father she’s had, and even in death, Alice is her mother.

And I'll get my revenge. For her." -Paedyn

His eyes search mine. "Then remind me to show you the gardens sometime." He offers me a nod. "I look forward to seeing you at dinner, Paedyn." I blink at him. "Strange," I say slowly. "I don't remember telling you my name." "Oh, you didn't need to." That crooked grin is teasing his lips once again. "I make it my business to know all the pretty girls who save my little brother.

The strongest weapon a woman has at her disposal is that she often underestimated

Weak from worry, powerless from panic. No just powerless