Tainted

Chapter Fifty

Rogue carries me deep into the woods. Everyone but Surma is there, including some of the Ill-Fated. They stand murmuring with Dem and Sani. Shouts and voices can be heard, and rustling in the trees, but so far no guards have penetrated the forest far enough to find us.

Sailor hasn't let go of my hand since I came out of the skylight. He held it as Rogue ran with me through the tree line.

"Where's Surma?" I ask.

"She'll be coming soon. We didn't know how long the Death Duels would last. She'll have to wait until the last one to have a private audience with Alani. Unless the king stops them. We've sort of put a dampener on his plan," Rogue says with a smile. He pulls his medical kit from a saddle bag and begins daubing aloe onto my feet.

"This will have to do until I get you back to Haven. Thankfully the cuts are shallow, so you shouldn't need stitches, but I'd like to check to be safe."

I nod as he finishes with the aloe and wraps soft cotton bandages around my feet.

"Hey," I say to him.

He looks up.

"This is how we met."

Rogue smiles, and a warmth bubbles up in my chest.

One of the Ill-Fated breaks away from the small circle and comes to stand near me. He's a little older than Rogue, with a sparse beard lining his jaw.

"Thank you for rescuing us," he says.

Rogue ties the last knot in my bandages. He helps me to my feet.

I stand gingerly, but I feel strong.

"It's all thanks to Thief here for stealing the keys," Rogue says, laying an arm across my shoulder. He gives the other man a half-smile.

"I gave the keys back," I say. "I didn't steal them."

Rogue scoffs. "Give credit where credit is due, Thief. You took those keys right from Alani's pocket. I couldn't have done this without you."

He sweeps his hand across the gathered Ill-Fated, and though I know I should be proud, something doesn't sit right with me.

James licks my face, but I push him away.

"I wanted to wait for Surma, but I guess I can tell you all now. The king's Fate is fake," I say.

A hush falls over everyone.

"What do you mean?" Sani asks, her voice stripped of her usual snarl.

"It's a fake," I say, remembering the ink dripping from the cloth. "He paints it on."

"Are you sure?" Dem asks me.

"Of course I'm sure, I saw it."

Rogue spins me around to face him. I watch his green eyes rove over every part of my body and I flush with the things it makes me feel. I stare back, trying to memorize the shade, the shape.

My lips are close to his. I wonder if he can feel my breath against his chin.

"The king's Fate. It's fake," I say again.

Rogue lets go of my shoulder.

Don't.

He backs away, running his hands through his hair.

"Holy gods," he says over and over again. "It's fake. This could change everything."

Rogue stops his pacing and takes my free hand in his. "We can prove he's a fraud. We can prove he's only manipulating the Fates to further his own ends. You did it, Thief. You stole exactly what we needed."

Rogue picks me up. I yelp at the surprise of it. He spins me around, but I don't feel like I'm flying, I just feel sick.

"Stop," I say, and Rogue sets me back down. He looks at me, and I can see the broad smile slipping from his lips.

"What's wrong," he asks, still holding onto my hand. His other hand brushes my splint, and the memory of that first day comes flooding back.

You're the Thief, he'd said, and only then had he helped me.

Hot tears pearl against my lashes. I look up at him. "You've been using me," I say. "From the beginning. You saw who I was, and you knew what I could do for you."

Rogue lets go of my hand. "What?"

I back away. "You gave me that ticket. You expected me to steal the keys," I say.

Rogue takes a step forward. I shy away from his reach.

"You volunteered," he says.

I shake my head rapidly from side to side. "No, I volunteered to come one this mission. I volunteered to give you information about the prison, but never once did I say the words 'I will be stealing the keys.' That was your decision, Rogue. Because the Thief is who I am to you."

I meet his emerald-eyed gaze. He's watching me carefully.

"Deny it," I say to him. "Tell me it's not true."

Rogue hesitates, and that's all the answer I need.

I turn away and wipe the fierce tears from my eyes. The other Ill-Fated stand around awkwardly, but I don't care. I want them to hear this too. I want them to see that "it's not who we are that makes us dangerous, but the people we care about. They're the ones who can hurt you, and everyone around you, the most," or whatever kata it was that Rogue said.

"Mira I'm sorry," Rogue says to the back of my head. "When we found you, I was panicked and desperate. We were looking for Esmeralda and I think even then I knew she was gone and then we found you, and you seemed like the answer. I knew you'd been in the prison. I knew you could be our in if ever we needed to get inside."

"And you knew I could take things for you," I say bitterly.

Rogue pauses. "I was never going to force you to do something you didn't want to do."

"But you thought about it."

Rogue has no answer.

I turn back to him. "'Never once have I looked at you and thought of you as the Thief. From day one you have just been Mira.' That's what you said to me," I say, meeting his green eyes. "Isn't it?"

"Yes," Rogue says.

"And did you lie?" I ask.

Rogue says nothing.

"Did you lie?" I ask again, my voice breaking.

"Mira, I—"

But I don't want to hear it.

"You're no better than the king," I spit.

Rogue's stricken. His face pales, making his freckles stand out like dark spots against his skin.

"What—"

"You used my Fate to further your own ends. Tell me how's that's better than the king," I say.

Rogue takes a step toward me. I stumble back.

"Please, Mira, it wasn't that," he says.

I shake my head. "Don't call me Mira. You don't have that right."

I can't catch my breath. The bark of the trees are rough against my palm as I try to steady myself.

I will help you soar. Had Rogue really meant that, or had he just been saying the things I wanted to hear so he wouldn't lose me?

Was any of it real? Or was he just playing me the whole time?

Why? I ask, looking at him. My chin trembles. Why did you choose to hurt me?

All Rogue had ever wanted was a thief. A no-good, common thief. And I'd played right into his hands.

"I'm done," I say suddenly. I yank the Scout's cloak from my neck, hearing the fabric tear at the clasps. I throw the lump of teal material into the dirt at Rogue's feet.

"I'm not going back with you," I say. "I'm done."