But the unspoken words are there, hanging in the air.For a human.
I’ve been practising for a while. Running around the estate, keeping track of my time and distance. I know I’m getting faster, but I’m not fast enough, not yet. There’s absolutely nothing stopping me from leaving the estate during the day, once I get past my parents and the guards inside. None of them could follow me, even if they wanted to. I could walk along the curving drive, open the huge gates, and step out into freedom. The problems, however, start there. This is the part of my plan I need help with.
I have to reach the Safe Zone by nightfall, or else I’m dead, stranded in vampire territory with nothing but a few vials of anti-feed between me and who knows what lurking out there. But I’m too far away. The driver all but confirmed it, last night. The drive to Dark Haven took about ten minutes, but the Safe Zone was another twenty-five minutes away. At the speed we were driving it’s a good forty miles or so. No way I can cover that before sundown, especially now as the days get shorter, the long nights of winter drawing in. But time is ticking, and my birthday is in April. If I don’t do it soon, I never will. I’ll get caught up in the Raven machine, what little choice I have left taken from me as I’m marched towards the throne. There’s the final Gathering, where I’ll be anointed and choose my lieutenant, plus tours of the realm, ceremonies and rehearsals, the heir roll-out taking over my life. The night out at the Dome was just the start of it. And I couldn’t even do that without being mistaken for food.
‘Thanks, by the way.’ Kyle bumps me with his shoulder.
I glance at him. He’s looking down, his long legs bent, hands hanging slack between them.
‘For what?’ I know, of course, but a small petty part of me wants to hear him say it. I’m trying to be nice, even though he infuriates me beyond measure. I’d opened my bedroom door with a smile, knowing he’d be waiting outside. It had been hard to maintain, though, when he’d frowned at me, scoffing, when I asked him to help me time my running. He’d done it, eventually, though I’d basically had to order him to do it, all the while trying to be sweet, to be nice. So he can give me this.
‘For not telling your parents about what I did.’ He still won’t look at me.
I start to get annoyed, despite myself. ‘What did you do?’
He snorts. ‘Come on. That was a pretty close call last night.’
Last night.Anger escapes me, despite my efforts, the sting of his words in the woods biting at me again. ‘Yes, it was! What thehellwere you thinking, taking me into the Great Forest?! And aReaper gang?’
‘I didn’t think there would be anyone there.’ He looks at me then, moonlight catching the faint glitter of his eyes. ‘The waterfall is one of my favourite places. I… wanted to share it with you.’
‘Why?’
‘Does it matter?’ He shakes his head. ‘Forget it. Forget I said anything.’ He looks into the distance, his jaw tight.
I want to scream, but I hold myself back, pulling my anger back inside. ‘Thank you for taking me there,’ I say, trying to smile. Ihaveto make this work. He might be the most infuriating person I’ve ever met, but something became very clear to me last night. If I’m going to get to the Safe Zone in one piece, Kyle is the only one who can help me. He got me over the fence last night, brought me through the forest safely. And I need him to do it again.
I know. He is completely irritating. But he’s also the one chance I have, the only person on the estate who might actually be able to do this for me. I’ve thought about it ten different ways, but I can’t see any other option. Kyle takes me over the fence, keeps running until we reach the Safe Zone. It’ll take him forty minutes, an hour tops, even carrying me and my bag. And then he can either return to the house and swear up and down he doesn’t know where I am, or take my bag of gold and start a new life. A fighter like him won’t have any problem finding work.
So I try and think of something else to say, but he beats me to it.
‘I think maybe we got off on the wrong foot.’ The words are stilted, as though he’s having trouble saying them. He still won’t look at me.
I frown. ‘We did?’ Of course we did. It’s obvious we can’t stand each other.
He snorts again. ‘I don’t know why you’re pretending we didn’t. I get it, okay? I’m just another guard, and you’re the big fancy heir to Raven. I don’t know why you saved me last night, or why you’re being nice now. But it makes my job easier, so I’m trying to be more reasonable.’
‘Not trying very hard,’ I mutter, getting to my feet.
I start back towards the house, not caring whether or not he follows. He does, of course. I ignore him.
Makes his job easier.What an ass.
He clears his throat. He’s obviously trying to get my attention. ‘I have something for you.’
‘What?’
He grabs my arm, pulling me to a stop at the foot of the steps.
‘Let go!’ I shake my arm, but his fingers remain around it, though he isn’t hurting me.
Quite the opposite.
He digs in his pocket, then pulls out a small glass vial filled with pale liquid. ‘Here.’ He holds it out.
I take it with my free hand. ‘Why are you giving me anti-feed? Are you saying Ismell, now?’
‘You smell fine.’ His mouth curves. ‘I just want you to be safe. When we go out again.’
