I ran to the bed, putting my hands on the spot where Isla was supposed to be. It was cool to the touch—she'd been gone for a while, as early as this morning.

"Isla?"

"She's gone, Jacob."

I turned.

Cassandra stood in the door frame. She couldn't meet my eyes.

"What do you mean gone?!"

"It was Lady Kateen. Her men kidnapped her."

I pounded my fists on the bed, turning to kick the drawer next to it. The plate and glass from yesterday clattered to the floor. I grabbed the sides of my head.

How could this HAPPEN?!

I turned to Cassandra.

"Where were you?! Why didn't you stop HER?!"

I stalked to the woman, grabbing her by the collar of her high-necked dress and yanking her forward.

"YOU! You did this!"

I stared into her wide, fear-stricken eyes. She averted her gaze to look at the floor. I followed her eyes to the empty glass leaking water on the hardwood.

The water... No one drinks the water at the Pit.

"Isla was saying your name... She was warning me about you... She was warning me about you, and now… now she's GONE!"

I slammed Cassandra against the wall, willing my dagger into my left hand and pressing it against her neck.

"What did you put in the water?!"

Cassandra held her chin high, squirming under my blade. I imagined my dagger sawing into her windpipe. The warm blood from her throat spilling over my hand, and the look on her face as she gasped her last breath. She would die. The slow way. Sin's way. My face twisted in glee.

"I-It's a sedative! We give it to the rough customers."

My left hand pushed the dagger deeper, drawing a trickle of blood that ran along the dagger's edge.

More…

I shook my head.

"We trusted you…"

Cassandra set her mouth into a snarl.

"Trust?! You lied to me! You put all of us in danger! Lady Kateen came to me and gave me a choice. I give her Isla, or Clarice takes one of my girls. If you're going to kill me for doing my job—for keeping my girls safe, then do it!"

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You betray everyone.

"No..."

I stepped back, dropping my dagger and clutching the sides of my head.

You betrayed Cassandra... and now Isla's gone.

"No!"

I crumpled to the floor, pressing my back against the side of the bed.

It's all YOUR fault.

"NOOO!"

"Jacob!"

Castille filled the entrance of the door with Dugan, Tom and Arwen behind her.

"What's happening? Where's Isla?"

I pointed a trembling hand at Cassandra.

"She sold us out. S-She gave Isla to Kateen—to Clarice. Spirits below, that psychopath. How could you?"

Castille's eyes flickered from surprise to suspicion, flat and hard like a soldier prepared to kill on command.

"Cas, is this true?!"

She rubbed the shallow cut across her neck.

"I protected my girls. You would do the same in my shoes."

She glanced at Dugan and the others.

"All of you would."

Tom and Arwen watched, stunned.

Dugan grumbled but said nothing. A dark look crossed his face, second only to Castille. The Northern woman clenched her mouth tight. The muscles of her jaw bulged, and thick veins appeared on her neck. Cassandra stepped back in the face of the woman's fury.

And a moment later, it was gone.

Castille let out a long, exasperated sigh, exhaling all the rage, pain and tension building inside her.

This was a warrior: steel in her spine and iron in her mind.

She looked down at Cassandra with steel grey, dispassionate eyes.

"Where do we find Kateen?"

"Lady Kateen lives in the Residential Quarter. I can tell you where, but..."

Cassandra made a face like she tasted something bitter.

"It's too well protected."

"You say where we'll do the rest. Right, Dugan?"

He nodded.

"You don't understand... There's too many-."

"No, you don't understand. Your milk mother took a member of my party. Isla was mine to protect, and I will have her back!"

Castille wiped the spittle dripping down her chin with the back of her hand.

"Then we'll help you fight," Tom said. "Right, Uncle?"

Arwen grimaced, crossing his arms.

"Kateen's a Compact member."

"The Compact was amended."

"You mean suspended."

"Right! So, we can fight her!"

Arwen sighed, shaking his head.

"I wanna help—I do, but Kateen's guards are the best in Steeltown. They're professionals. They would cut us to ribbons, and we're still hurting from the last fight."

I rested the back of my head on our bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"It doesn't matter... By the time you gather your guards and attack her estate, Van Lagos would be on us. It would be the perfect chance to get rid of his enemies and rivals with one move. We can't win a war on two fronts."

"Then what, Jacob? Leave Isla behind? Take the gold and run so each get a bigger share?" Castille asked with a scowl.

Betrayer...

"No! No…"

I staggered to my feet.

"I'll make this right. I'll sneak in, get Isla and get out."

"That's suicide," Cassandra said in a whisper from the other side of the room.

Castille grimaced.

"She's right. You don't know the layout of the building… The placement of the guards… Where Isla is being kept. Even with your talents, you'll be found out and overwhelmed. You can't go in alone."

"I know!"

I rubbed my eyes with one hand, trying to ward off the throbbing pain in my head. I needed help, but Castille and Dugan were too noisy for a stealth mission. There was one way. An option I didn't want to consider.

Betrayer...

"Jacob?"

"Let me think! Let me..."

My eyes snapped open.

"Where's Thor?!"

The pack animal squeaked in surprise as I pushed Castille and Dugan out of my way.

"Jacob, what are you-"

I fell to my knees and grabbed the saddlebag strapped to Thor's side. I unhooked the clasps and shoved my arm into the bag. I shivered from the spike of hunger running up to my shoulder.

Visualize it. Visualize the thing you want.

My fingers clamped around the thick leather spine of a book. I pulled it out and raised it in the air.

"This is it. This is the answer."

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