House of Judges (House of Royals Book 4) Read Free Page B

something,” I say. And it comes out as barely more than a whisper. My eyes have difficulty rising to meet his. And when they do, he’s hardly paying attention, taking a bite out of his dinner. He has no idea what is coming.
    “Cyrus lied to me,” I say, suddenly not hungry in the least. And this does bring Raheem’s eyes to mine. “He told me that the night I died, that Ian had left me. For good.”
    And a thought comes to me then. Raheem was in the room that night, as well. He saw everything that happened.
    “Did you know?” I ask in a quiet voice.
    A mix of emotions rolls over his face and his eyes drop away from mine.
    “Please,” I beg. “Tell me the truth.”
    He takes a sip of his water, stalling in answering. One beat. Two.
    “You died, and Mr. Ward went ballistic,” he finally says. “Two court members rushed into the room and started dragging him away. The entire time, Ian was yelling ‘she did this because of you.’  They took him away. The next day, when Cyrus was telling your House members that Ian had left, this time for good, I did not question it.”
    Something bites at the back of my eyes and I shake my head. For the first time ever, I feel betrayed by Raheem. And it makes my stomach roll.
    “Well, he didn’t leave. And you certainly failed to tell me that it was him that bit me and ended my life. He’s here,” I say as I stand. I walk back toward the door. “He’s down in the prison with me.”
    I open the door to reveal the guard who brought me here. “I’m ready to go back to my cell,” I tell him.
    “Alivia, I—”
    “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” I say through a thick throat as the guard begins chaining me back up. “I understand why you did what you did.”
    “Alivia, don’t,” he says as he takes a step toward me, but I walk out the door, dragging the guard behind me.
    I get down five steps before I turn back to where Raheem stands in the doorway. “I forgive you,” I say as my heart breaks just a little more. “Truly. I don’t hold this against you.”
    I study his eyes and see in them that he doesn’t believe me. Which is okay because I’m trying to decide if I really believe myself. I want to. But I’ve been manipulated and betrayed so many times.
    So I turn around and continue walking down the stairs, chained like the prisoner that I am.

 
     
     
     
     
    THE SUN TRIES TO BLAZE behind the dark gray clouds. Fat raindrops missile into the cell and splash to the floor, creating an enormous puddle on the stone. The pain is less severe than most days, but still I wish to claw my eyes from my skull just to end the burning and searing.
    But slowly, the sun sets. Slowly, I am able to unwrap the sweater from around my eyes. Slowly, I take deep pulls once again, breathing in the moist and cold air. The sun fades away, but the rain does not cease.
    I let out a sigh of relief as darkness engulfs me. Resting my back against a steel wall, I open my eyes and study the one opposite me.
    For just a moment, I listen to the prisoners that surround me. Down four cells, the German man rustles for just a moment and then not thirty seconds later, begins snoring loudly. The Spanish man paces in his cell. The unknown silent one huffs as if they are doing pushups.
    And Ian. I hear him breathe. Just on the other side of this wall. Slow. Thoughtful.
    My heart aches.
    I don’t think my heart has stopped aching in years.
    “Why does everyone lie, Ian?” I ask through the dark.
    He doesn’t answer me right away, but I hear his breathing change and know he’s heard me.
    “I feel like everyone has lied to me my entire life,” I say as the weight on my chest grows heavier. “My mother lied by omission. By never telling me who my father was. Rath would never tell me anything about Henry. Cyrus said he was the one who killed me. Raheem let me believe you really did leave.”
    I let my head fall back against the wall with a dull thunk . “Maybe they don’t so much