"There isn't," Liora said tiredly. "Daemon was the connection, and he's dead. Marcus and Kael are dead. Everyone who could have led us to the truth is gone. We're at a dead end."
"Then we find another way—"
"There is no other way!" She stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the wooden floor. "Don't you understand? We've lost. The conspiracy wins. My father wins. Everyone who tried to destroy us both wins because we can't prove anything, can't find anyone, can't do ANYTHING except sit here and wait for the next attack!"
Her voice had risen to a shout by the end. The first real emotion she'd shown since leaving the cage.
Thessian watched her carefully, reading the dangerous edge in her voice. "Liora—"
"I need air," she said, already moving toward the door. "I need to—I just need air."
She left before he could stop her.
---
AFTERNOON
Thessian found her twenty minutes later, standing at the edge of a cliff about half a mile from the cabin.
