“I never did like him,” Kade said in the darkness.

“He’s not Ulrick. He’s a Warper.” I explained about the blood magic.

“I trusted you to stay safe. Did Ul—Devlen trick you into coming here?” Kade asked.

“I actually led him here.”

No response except shuffling sounds as Kade moved into a more comfortable position.

“Why?” he asked.

“So I could rescue you.”

He laughed, but it was a strained, incredulous sound.

“I know what you’re thinking,” I said. “It looks bad—”

“Bad? Watching you tortured for hours was the worst thing I’ve endured in my entire life. My sister’s death…was quick. She didn’t suffer.”

“What about Varun?” Tal had mentioned him being eaten.

“I agreed to work for them as soon as they threatened to hurt him. When Varun heard about his brother’s and sister’s death, he flew into a rage and attacked Sir. He even managed to escape, but they found the bloodstained snow and evidence a snow cat had gotten to him before he left the compound.” Kade’s voice cracked. “Once he was gone, I was free to refuse them. But now…You said not to give in. They wouldn’t kill you, but I couldn’t stand…”

“You did the right thing, Kade. I was counting on you to give in.”

“Then why didn’t you ask me to, like Varun did?”

“Because I wanted you to see that death is better than Devlen’s torture. So you won’t hesitate to do the right thing.”

“What do you want me to do?” Kade asked in alarm.

I drew in a deep breath. “When you go out into the storm, I want you to use the storm’s energy to rip apart the buildings, scatter everyone to the four winds, and—” I steeled myself for his reaction “—to kill me.”

“Absolutely not. I could use the storm’s force to help us escape.”

“No. They’ll have me close so if even an errant wind comes, they’ll hurt me.”

A pause. “You said they won’t kill you. Why not?”

Time for a confession. “Devlen needs me. I can find his mentor’s prison, which he desires. And the truth is…I’ll tell him. I can’t…I’m too weak to resist. A few sessions of his torture and I’ll do anything. Anything. I’m not proud about it. It’s just a fact.”

“Opal, you’re not—”

“Let me finish.” The howling of the wind turned shrill as the storm approached. They would come for him soon. I lay on the sacks, and, for once, I knew my course of action was the right choice.

“With me…dead…” Despite my decision, the word was difficult to say. “…there is only one person left who knows the locations of the prisons. I’m no longer a liability. No other Warper can use me to find them.”

“A noble sacrifice, but you’ll have to figure out another plan. I’m not going to kill you.”

“You want Devlen to torture me? Get what he wants and become a powerful Warper?” Anger fueled my words. “That’s all I am. Someone to use. Alea used me, Yelena used me, and now Devlen. And they do it because I let them. I want it to stop. I won’t be useful to anyone when I’m dead.” I screamed with the wind, releasing all my pent-up fury and frustrations.

“Feel better now?”

“A little.”

“Good. I don’t want anyone to use you, Opal. I don’t want to see you hurt. I would love to tear them apart with the storm’s force. But I’m too weak.” His voice trailed off.

“Once the net’s off you should have enough energy.”

“I didn’t mean…” He huffed. “Time for a weather analogy. I don’t have the strength to be more creative. Opal, you arrived in my life like an unwelcome hot-season squall. After my sister died, I just wanted to languish in the sun and be left alone. But no, you wouldn’t let me. You blocked the sun and pelted me with your raindrops of curiosity and empathy and intelligence. And you blew out of my life as fast as you arrived—”

“But you told—”

“Quiet until I’m finished.” He paused. “I should have been glad you were gone, but I found myself missing the turbulence. When I saw you at the Keep with Ulrick, I convinced myself you were better off with him, and I didn’t need the heartache of losing someone I loved again. I managed to hold on to that conviction until today.

“No. I won’t do anything to endanger you, because I’m being selfish this time. There will be an opportunity for you to escape, and I’ll hold out hope. Because without you in my life, I might as well let the storm take me, too.”

“I thought…You made it clear…” Logic dribbled from my mind. Deep cracks snaked through my glass heart. It broke apart.

I had known what to do. It had made sense. I wouldn’t have left any regrets behind. But now…“Kade, I can’t—”

“I know I hurt you and I understand if you no longer feel the same toward me. But I’m not changing my mind.”

Chained to a ceiling, recovering from torture, staring at a bleak future and yet I managed to find an instant of joy. Kade had been my choice from the moment on the beach when he handed me Kaya’s orb. I wished I had trusted myself, held on to hope and waited for him.