Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
ARCHER
‘No,’ Iris breathed.
Rory stepped forwards, mask in hand, as if he’d just taken it off. ‘Hey there,’ he said.
The sound of his voice made something in my chest twist.
Iris looked devastated – not just hurt, but utterly broken.
‘You?’ I said, anger at boiling point. Iris had trusted him. I had trusted him… Trusted him to get her away from this fucking place, not be the one to bring her back. ‘Why?’ I asked.
He gave a short, dismissive scoff. ‘Because it’s my duty.’ He paused, then, almost as an afterthought, said, ‘Headmaster Draven is my grandfather.’
‘What?’ Iris whispered.
Rory huffed a quiet laugh. ‘I’m not sure why that’s so shocking.’ He was even speaking differently. As though even his voice had been a lie.
‘Because you never said anything…’ Iris whispered, eyes brimming with tears. ‘You’re our friend…’
‘And you’re naive,’ he cut in sharply. ‘I was never your friend. I was doing my job.’
‘Did you get close to Iris because they told you to?’ I asked, my voice low and dangerous. ‘Was that it? Just easier to lure her out? To kill her?’
‘Ah, you’ve got me,’ he smirked. ‘It was genuinely very entertaining, however, when Iris here told me her theory that it was poor Theo.’ He barked a laugh.
‘As if that rich brat could be deserving of a place in the Society. You thought just because he showed you some interest, he must be the one?’ He laughed.
‘I hate to tell you this, but it wasn’t him. He's just your standard arsehole.’
He moved towards Iris, closing the distance between them, and my fists clenched so tightly my nails bit into my palms. I wouldn’t be surprised if they drew blood.
‘It’s my year to enter the Society,’ he said, the words edged with something maniacal, almost feral. I hated myself for not seeing this side of him until now. ‘It’s my goddamn birthright.’
The way he looked at her made my stomach churn. I swallowed hard, forcing down the surge of bile rising in my throat.
He prowled towards where she leant against the wall, body curved in on itself as though she were in pain.
He pulled out a key.
‘Don’t you fucking dare,’ I growled. ‘If you touch one single hair on her head, I swear I will kill you.’
He just smiled. ‘You really should have been loyal to us. You had so much potential.’ He unlocked the manacles at Iris’s wrists and she rubbed her skin where it was red raw.
‘You know this is completely your own fault, right?’ he said to her.
‘The society probably wouldn’t have even thought about picking you if you didn’t confess to knowing all about them… right in front of me.’
Fuck, he was right.
‘And not just that,’ he continued, a mad glint in his eyes.
‘But Archer admitted to betraying us – and his job while he was at it – by getting involved with a student.’ He spat the words.
‘I couldn’t wait to go and tell Grandfather.
I was already guaranteed a place within the Society, but it certainly helped gain his respect.
’ He turned to me. ‘I already sent word to Sinclair. He and his deputies were ready in Stonewall to catch you if you tried to flee or follow Iris… I’m almost upset you didn’t, as I would have liked to see what they did to you. ’
‘You’re sick,’ Iris whispered. ‘I thought you were my friend.’ She was putting on a brave face, but I knew her. I could see from her expression how broken and horrified she was over Rory’s betrayal. Like something within her had cracked beyond repair.
He went to reach for her.
‘No!’ I shouted, pulling hard at the chains, not caring how much they hurt as they ripped into my skin. ‘Don’t you dare!’ I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but think about the possibility of losing her forever. ‘Iris!’
She looked at me then, eyes brimming with tears. She gave me a small, sad smile.. ‘I love you,’ she whispered.
And he dragged her away.
‘No…’ The word barely made it past my teeth. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. ‘No, no, no…’
The space felt smaller than it had a moment ago, the air thinner. I couldn’t breathe. My stomach twisted so hard I thought I might be sick. I felt cold. I felt empty.
She was gone.
I didn’t protect her.
It was my fault… By trying to save her I’d gotten her captured. I’d lead them straight to her, and now… Now… The person I loved most in this world had been ripped away from me.
It was silent except for the sound of my own ragged breathing.
Then a faint shuffling came from somewhere nearby.
‘Iris?’ I pleaded, but no answer came.
But then, another shuffle, and this time it sounded like footsteps.
‘Iris, is that you? Who’s there?’
Slowly, a figure emerged from the darkness, and I squinted to make out her face.
‘Woah…’ she said when she saw me.
‘Adora?’
‘Hi there,’ she said awkwardly, and then she wiggled something between her fingers.
‘Are those—’
‘Bobby pins?’ She gave them a little flourish. ‘Yeah, I’m here to break you out.’
‘How did you know I was here?’ I asked, startled at her presence in a place like this.
‘Someone snuck a letter under my door,’ she said as she knelt down in front of me. ‘I don’t know who it was… it was just signed “A friend”. They said they knew both you and Iris.’
My brows furrowed in confusion. ‘Did it say anything else?’
‘Just that if I needed help, I should send word to the Sleeping Fox? I don’t know what that is…’
I smiled despite myself, the smallest flicker of hope igniting in my chest. ‘Keir.’
Adora took my wrist and I winced at the pain. ‘Sorry,’ she grimaced. She placed it lightly on her lap, and put her bobby pin in position. ‘Okay, so minor confession… I have never actually done this before.’
‘Wonderful,’ I said. ‘You came here,’ I said slowly, ‘with bobby pins.’
‘Yes. Two of them,’ she said proudly. ‘I was going to bring snacks, but I figured we should prioritize.’
The sound of clinking metal filled the space.
‘Are you okay?’ she asked quietly while she worked.
‘No,’ was all I said, and she didn’t push it.
The lock gave a soft click.
Adora froze. I froze.
She looked up at me, eyes wide. ‘Oh my God. Was I a criminal in another life?’
Another click. Louder. Then the shackle unlocked.
‘Wow,’ I said in a breathy laugh. ‘That was actually…’ I paused, ‘Incredibly impressive.’
Adora grinned widely, and then started on the other wrist.
‘Have you heard from Rory or Iris?’ she asked. ‘I’ve been worried sick, Rory never came back from dropping her off in Stonewall. I was half expecting to find them down here with you.’
My face fell. ‘Oh, Adora…’
She noted my expression and paused, her hands stilling.
‘They were here…’ she whispered. ‘Well, where are they now?’
Shit.
‘Only Iris was down here.’
She looked at me inquisitively, and then nodded, more to herself than me. ‘Okay… and where is Iris now?’
I looked down and shook my head. ‘They took her.’
‘Took her where?’
‘To the clearing, I assume. In the woods, near the cliff, where the sacrifices take place.’ Just then the lock clicked and the metal came apart. I huffed out a small sigh of relief. ‘Fuck, that feels better.’ I rubbed my wrists gently. ‘Thank you, Adora, I can’t express how grateful I am.’
‘As you should be – I saw you doubt my bobby pins. Take it as a lesson learned.’ She stood. ‘Now, let's go and get Iris before those psychos hurt my best friend.’
I rose, shakily, to my feet. Pain radiated through my whole body, still recovering from whatever the hell Draven had drugged me with, but I could sense that it was slowly wearing off, thank god. Adora gave me her arm to steady me.
‘Let’s fucking go.’