Kyler's Justice (Assassins of Gravas Book 3) - N.J. Walters Page 0,37

scowled, lowered his head, and growled.

Faking more bravery than she actually felt, she shrugged. “Fine by me. But if I don’t get what I want, Balthazar doesn’t get what he wants. I imagine that won’t make him happy.”

It was a huge gamble, but she had to talk to the girls, let them know she hadn’t abandoned them.

The male dragged out a communication device and sent a quick message. A reply came back almost immediately. He grunted and stepped out of her way. “Five minutes. No more.”

She brushed by him and hurried to the girl’s room. The door opened before she got there. Sera’s face was pale, her eyes wide, but she appeared unharmed. Relief blasted through her. Only then did she admit how worried she’d been.

As soon as she was inside with the door closed, she dropped to her knees and opened her arms. “I’m here.”

Maggs threw herself into Etta’s arms, almost toppling her backward, her tiny body wrapping around her. Sera took a step back and twined her fingers together. “Sera?”

The older girl shook her head. “You can’t help us. You have to get away.”

“I’m not leaving you. I’ll find a way to get us all out of here.” She had no idea how. The memory of the knife Kyler had left behind filled her with uncertainty. Would he simply kill her and leave the girls to fend for themselves? She didn’t think so, but she had to be honest with herself. They’d had hot, steamy sex, were drawn to each other, but when it came down to it, they were on opposite sides of this situation.

Situation—what a tame word for the mess that was her life.

“Helldrick won’t let us go.” Sera’s words cut Etta’s heart. Maggs dug her heels into Etta’s back and practically strangled her with her arms.

She struggled to her feet and stumbled to the bed, patting the mattress beside her. “Come here. Time is short.” Sera joined them and leaned against her, her small body trembling. “I’m going to do everything in my power to protect you both.” She started to say more but clamped her mouth shut. When she finally spoke, she asked, “Has anyone been in your room?”

“No.” Sera turned her head to one side, seeming perplexed by the question.

“Listening devices,” she mouthed rather than speaking aloud. The girl’s eyes widened. She started to shake her head and then shrugged.

“Maggs, sweetheart,” she whispered in the girl’s ear. “Where’s your data pad?”

“Sera said not to draw what I dream.”

Etta’s heart sank. If Helldrick or Balthazar learned of that talent, their lives would be even more precarious. “And she’s right. And we shouldn’t even talk about it right now.” She ran her hands up and down Maggs’s hair and back to reassure her. “But I want to borrow it for a second, okay?”

Maggs finally released her and scooted off her lap and across the room, pulling the data pad from her hiding spot. Etta took it and quickly opened a writing program and began to type rather than dictate.

Trying to find a way out of here. Be calm. Stay safe. But pack one small bag and be ready to move. Do it quietly. Don’t speak of it just in case.

It wasn’t much but the clock was ticking. She showed it to Sera, waiting until she nodded before erasing the message.

“He’s coming,” Maggs whispered.

Etta shoved the data pad under the blanket just before the door was shoved open. “Time’s up,” the guard barked at her.

She stood on shaky legs, kissed both girls on the forehead, and pretended not to hear Maggs crying after her or see Sera holding her back. Heart bleeding, Etta followed the Barskan to the door.

“Anything happens to them and I’ll kill you,” she promised. She had no idea how, but she’d find a way to make it happen.

Unimpressed with her threat, he shoved her out the door and slammed it behind her. She leaned against it until she was steady, blinked back the tears that threatened, and made her way down the stairs.

Fortunately, she didn’t see either Helldrick or Balthazar, or she’d have tried to jam her knife into their black hearts. But that likely wouldn’t have killed them. They were too mean to die. She wasn’t even sure the demons of Mortis would take their rotten souls.

“You can do this.” Only she wasn’t even sure what it was she meant to do. She put her hand in her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the vial. It grounded her, reminded her