Chapter 45: Darius

I want more than anything to tell her the truth, but if she knew, her walk to the gallows wouldn’t be the same. Her actions when they slip the bag over her head wouldn’t be genuine. The way we act when faced with the real end, when we look death in the eye, can’t be faked. This has to look real. She has to believe it's real, and it’s killing me.

Worse, I need to make the world believe I care nothing for her. I already slipped up. The council agent clearly suspects I want her as more than payment for my lost men. His comments about James prove that. He tested me, and I failed. I can’t let my emotions get the best of me. I can’t let history repeat itself.

I glance over at her. She’s still pretending to sleep to avoid talking to me like she’s done the entire trip so far. Even at the rest stop last night, she wouldn’t say a word to me. I can see the anger in her features from here, but she’s still angelic, stunning. If I were a better man, I’d kill the council agent, and run away with he