As the soldiers lead Cornelius and me out of the room, I cannot shake off the ominous feeling that hangs over me. My head is spinning, and I can hardly breathe. What the heck am I doing? I should have run away by now! But somehow, I want to trust Cornelius. I want to believe that he can somehow handle this so I can stay and continue with my research.
"I know you're scared," Cornelius says softly, taking my hand. "But I promise you, we'll get through this together. You don't need to escape."
I want to believe him, but doubt gnaws at me. How can he be so sure? Right, he is the King. He is also the male lead of this novel. There is nothing he cannot do.
Cornelius squeezes my hand, trying to reassure me. "Lyr?"
"Okay," I say, looking up at him. "I will trust you."
