It was Theodore's voice. She recognized it instantly, the shrill, youthful pitch .
Eiravyne spun around, her heart lurching into her throat.
Standing a few paces down the corridor was Theodore.
He looked an absolute, heartbreaking mess. His clothes were smudged with dirt, his hair tangled and wild, and big, hot tears spilled unchecked down his pale, flushed cheeks.
The sight of him, small, and trembling with sheer fury, froze Eiravyne completely in her tracks.
Before she could even utter his name, the boy surged forward, his voice cracking with a raw, agonizing betrayal as he pointed an accusing finger straight at her.
"You asked to kill him!" Theodore yelled, his voice echoing sharply off the cold stone walls. "You asked him to kidnap me! You... you let him do this!"
"Theodore..." she managed to whisper, her voice trembling violently as she took an instinctive, hesitant step toward him. "Theodore, no... I didn't…I didn't know anything about this. I swear to you.."
