Hidden by Sophie Jordan Read Free Book Online

voice I hear the fear, and realize he can’t see my face. I’m lying as silent as stone. He probably thinks I’m dead. I moan against the tape covering my mouth and squirm my body to let him know I’m alive.
    Then he’s in front of me, Cassian and Tamra right behind him. Only my sister is manifested. Not Cassian.
    I surrender to my relief—and get a hot surge of Cassian’s relief, too. Coupled with my own, the emotion overwhelms me and I sink deeper onto the gurney.
    “Jacinda!” Will’s there, surrounding me with his warmth. It hasn’t been that long, but it’s like seeing him with fresh eyes, devouring the sight of him with a hunger I’ve never felt before. Not until I was lowered into this abyss.
    As Cassian and Tamra work at the rest of my straps, he tears the tape from my mouth. I hiss involuntarily at the pain, but it doesn’t really bother me. I’m free. I’ll never look at anything the same again, never take anything or anyone for granted.
    Will winces and brushes his thumb over my raw mouth, pressing a quick feverish kiss to my lips. He clasps my face in both of his hands, his eyes searching and hungry at the same time. His bright gaze lands on my bloodied strands of hair and he peers closer at the wound there. “What did they do to you? Are you all right?”
    “It’s not that deep. I’m fine,” I say, knowing, of course, he can’t understand me. I’m speaking draki.
    “She’s fine,” Cassian answers, his dark visage glowering in the crimson light as he sweeps me with his purply dark gaze. “Quick. See if she can stand.”
    Will’s eyes flash, revealing only a flicker of irritation at Cassian’s tone. Ever the prince.
    Will’s hands move fast, unbolting the last strap, and in seconds I’m free, sliding off the gurney into Will’s arms.
    Then I’m in Tamra’s arms, wrenched into her embrace with more strength than I realized she possessed. She steps back to look me over. “This has had to be the worst day of my life.”
    I almost smile, thinking it probably doesn’t compare to mine.
    Cassian studies me but doesn’t move to hug me. His face is a stiff mask. It reminds me of everything that’s happened before this moment. Even though we came here together to rescue Miram, even though we’re bonded and as close as two draki can be, emotionally linked, we’re not … together .
    Not the way he would have us be.
    As I stare at him, it all washes over me again. That I’ve chosen Will. Instead of him. Instead of the pride.
    Cassian looks from me to Will and back again, and his irritation crawls over my skin like a living thing. His dark gaze flashes purple, vertical pupils quivering. He blinks and the annoyance fades from his eyes, but I still feel it lingering in him. In me.
    “Where’s Miram?” he asks, all business now.
    I nod once, refocusing. “Follow me.”
    We rush through the swinging doors, but I stop as I confront Tamra’s handiwork. Her mist lingers, drifting over the bodies of fallen enkros. Maybe only half a dozen litter the floor. The ones that didn’t make it out.
    At my glance, she shrugs, the tips of her shimmering wings bouncing up over her shoulders. I push on, stepping around the bodies, leading them down corridors to the tune of the incessant alarm and automated voice advising all personnel to proceed with caution.
    My ears prick, detecting running feet in the distance. Apparently Tamra’s sleep-inducing mist didn’t infiltrate every corner of the facility.
    The echo of steps fades off the hollow space of the corridors, and I guess that it’s the last of the enkros fleeing.
    We don’t see anyone else about, and I’m hoping, fervently, that all the draki are still inside their cells and haven’t been moved in the mass exodus. The enkros didn’t pause to bother with me, after all.
    Relief rolls through me when we reach the prison block. They’re still there. Some standing, some pacing the small cells, all clearly freaked out from the alarm. They watch