­Held for You

~ ZARA ~

I'd never known there was a holding cell attached to the council chambers. Two of them, actually. Of course, it made sense. It was where David and his Advisors heard the testimony of people when there was a decision to be made. Of course they needed a way to contain enemies or possible spies—a place where they couldn't be seen or contacted by anyone else.

When David stalked away from us down in the dungeon, my heart had thrilled because I'd known what he was doing—getting me out of there.

But then Emory started panicking, because it was clear she understood that too.

I'd pleaded with her to stop fighting as they dragged me away. But she was desperate and trying to get David to listen.

The guard was beating her again when they pulled me out of there and it made me sick.

In that moment, I resolved that as a part of this strategy to make the people believe I'd swayed David, that I would be able to free her.