Exposed [Book 4 in the Expiring Series]

64 Watch Me Be Inspired by Attack on Titan and Barbie Spy in the Same Chapter

The full version of Shoukei to Shikabane no Michi from Attack on Titan has been inspiring the music for the ballroom scene in this chapter for months. 

Iris~~

         Jonas narrows his eyes at Leorus. "If I dare ask why you need me to protect you, would you even tell me?"

Leorus smiles, and as he does, Gadfrie's Order rises from their thrones. It's a smile that says we've lost. That there's nothing we can do. That even if we hurt him, he still wins.

"If I let you return home, what guarantee do I have that Gwen will marry my son?"

A lump forms in my throat. I've been on and off the Gwen and Alastair ship, but the last thing I want is for Gwen's hand to be forced into that marriage.

Jonas curls his hand into a fist at his side. "A threat will not make Gwen do anything."

"Even if it spares the life of her dear brother?"

Jonas doesn't so much as flinch while fear—dread threaten to overwhelm me. I want to grab his hand and run. I want to kick. I want to scream. I want to cry.

"So I'm to be your hostage."

"You and your wife."

His words aren't a surprise. I expected them. And it's not like they would ever be able to make me leave Jonas behind.

My husband though snatches my hand, hauling me closer to him. "Why do you need both of us?"

"She"—Leorus casts his eyes on me, and I hold his stare—"is also insurance. She guarantees you'll be the paragon of a hostage, and when your brother returns to the Society without you, he'll be made Preeminence and your sister Beta. The Society won't be asking to break any more rules for a long time."

"So this no longer has anything to do with us being Expired," I say.

Leorus lifts one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "If we were going to kill you, you'd be dead." He raises his hand, and Veil step out of the shadows behind him. One with a red beard tries to grab me, and I reel back before throwing a punch at his face. He stumbles, but I don't have time to react before hands clamp down on my arms, pulling them behind me. I drive my head back. There's a crunch before whoever grabbed me releases a screech. My vision blurs, but he lets go in time for the bearded Veil to charge me. I duck, sweeping my leg out and tripping him. I stumble, the ground uneven, my vision not clear.

Jonas strikes a Veil in his stomach before driving his knee into another one. Five Veil against the two of us. I've had worse odds.

The two Veil come for me like wolves attempting to tire out their prey. The bearded one's eyes gleam, and the other's nose is at an angle and blood coats the space between his nose and lips.

They split, coming at me from two sides. I aim a fist at the bearded one's face, but I miss, and he grabs my hand, his fingers tightening around my knuckles.

He's going to crack them if I don't do something.

I try forcing my hand free, but the other Veil grabs my shoulder and twists me toward him. I have a second to take in his face before his fist slams into my cheek.

My head snaps back and black spots pulse across my vision. The two of them wrestle my arms behind me. I taste blood in my mouth, but I don't know where I'm bleeding from.