Chapter 260

I saw the faces of all the girls I’d spoken to. They wanted to live, none of them wanted to die. How horrible it would be to go to an empty keepers’ and know it was all my fault. Every death would be on my head.

Fat tears rolled down my face and a sob escaped my throat. How foolish I had been to condemn all those innocent girls to death. I was a pariah and damned anything I touched. The wretched sobs wouldn’t stop now and I heard Damien’s exasperated sigh.

“Ciara,” Bane said sharply, “we will put calming cream on you if we need to. Stop this behavior right now.”

I looked up at him and the tears just continued to fall. Somehow I managed to stay silent, though.

The men sat and I knelt in their sitting area by the fire. It was a cozy space obviously intended to entertain guests. The first time I’d knelt here I’d been safe and protected by the General. I doubted that would be the case today.

Damien told the General that the slaves recognized the way I looke