Chapter 11 · Say that again

She tried to turn. His arm kept her pinned.

"Say that again."

"You heard me."

"I was trying to find Finn."

"The Council knew that. They used it."

Her breath caught.

Elias lowered his mouth near her ear, not touching. His voice came rough and quiet.

"Every order they gave you pushed you toward me. Every trail was planted. Every witness had been paid or threatened. They wanted my heart, Nora. They needed someone with your mark to carry it through the grid."

She went cold despite the heat under her hand.

"You knew that before you let me catch you."

"I knew I had one chance left."

"So I was your chance?"

"You were the only Warden who still looked at the evidence."

"That isn't an answer."

"It is the one I have."

Nora rammed her heel down on his boot. Elias hissed, but he didn't let go.

"You keep saying you had no choice," she said. "Funny. You seem to make plenty of choices when my life is on the line."

"Because you keep putting it there."

"You don't get to blame me for your plans."

"I don't blame you.