LeviMy heart freezes, but it’s only partly because of what Arya said. The biggest thing that’s making me hesitate right now is how the whole thing escalated into this and how I ended up here.“Are you going to imprison me?” I ask her in a low voice. “Without investigating? Without a single tangible proof that it was me who put the poison in there?”I know it’s probably a bad idea to provoke her like this and question her logic when her lover is out there dying and she’s desperate to know what happened . . . but the injustice of it all is just starting to dawn on me and I can’t help but start to question everything.“Are you going to hold a trial me?” I demand again, this time my voice getting louder and gaining more conviction. “Or would that be too slow for you? Do you want me executed and killed before your eyes for this? Is that what you want?”“What I want is for you to pay,” Arya states flatly.I exhale sharply “Pay for what? I have never done anything to Arthur. Kill me for all

Levi“Let me go!” I scream at the guards who all seize my arms and twist them behind my back. “I didn’t do anything wrong! Let me go!”The guards don’t listen to me. They lift me to my feet and start to take me away. I try to look at Arya but she is already sitting on her throne, not looking at me at all.“Arya!” I try to scream for her, but one guard kicks me down on my knees. Still, I want her to believe me. I need her to believe me. I feel like I could die if she thinks I’m a murderer. “Arya, I never did anything to Arthur! Please believe me. . . .”The guards hurry up, walking me down the hall with increased pace. I thought they’re going to take me to the cells where they threw me in before, but this time, they go one level lower. And another, then another.Until we reach a dark path that’s only illuminated by blinking red lights. There are no windows, and all the cells don’t have metal bars. They only have thick steel doors, blocking everything but a small window at the top.One

Arya“Nancy. . . .” Duke Basset trails off. “The young woman who helped us save Arthur before?”“Exactly,” I say. My hands are shaking from both fear and anticipation. “We have to tell her what is happening, and she has to come here herself to experience what we are experiencing. She will know something, I know she will.”Duke Basset nods, but for some reason the sound of Nancy’s name seems to put him off. “Is she . . . trustworthy? Do we have to watch out for her?” When I don’t say anything, he shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I know I’m being paranoid, but I don’t like the things that are happening. I’m old and yet I have never experienced anything like this before. Anything unfamiliar makes me nervous, I must admit. And when it comes to my boy. . . .”He trails off, and my heart clenches. I completely understand what he is saying, and I feel the same. I grew up being surrounded by different people and creatures and yet I know nothing about what is happening. I have never even heard of

LeviDarkness is everywhere. I can't feel anything. I can't move. I'm stuck in a floating sensation that seems to be going on and on without any chance of stopping.I can't even breathe properly.There seems to be something big blocking my throat, stopping me from breathing.I try to gasp for air and I can almost feel it entering my windpipe but not quite making it. It’s more than just driving me crazy. It feels like prison. It feels like death.With every passing second, I struggle with it more and more, to the point where I can feel myself giving way. I can feel my body getting weaker and weaker, and I don’t know how long I can keep fighting this. . . .But then I feel warm air blowing on my face, and soft lips pressing on mine, breathing some air into me.And surprisingly, my body responds.The blockage in my throat vanishes as thought it’s never been there. I gasp and sit up, clasping my neck, taking deep hard breaths as I blink rapidly and try to make sense of my situation.Okay.

LeviI shake my head rapidly, trying to get rid of the thought. That was really out of place, and I have to remember the reasons why I shot it down in the beginning.I clear my throat and let out an awkward laugh. “I’m sorry. I think I’m just in shock, still.”“That’s okay,” Lauren says, and this time she pats me on the shoulder. “How about I make you some tea? Would that help you relax?”I nod. “That would be wonderful.”She smiles, and my heart gives a little flutter. “I’ll go make something to eat too.”“Okay,” I say, and with that, she heads to the kitchen and starts to fuss with pots and pans.I watch her in silence as she starts to whip up a full meal right in front of me, not even taking that long. Soon after, she’s already beckoning me to the dining table, laying out a bowl of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches in front of me.The smell makes my stomach rumble, and with no hesitation, I start to dig in. As expected, everything tastes amazing. I wolf everything down in a