I stare at her. Darkness pools around us, her words fallen into it like ripples in an endless pond of night. If I could burst into flames, I would, burning my pain and anger away. I can’t lose Kyle, not like this.
But there’s nothing more I can do.
‘I’m going to my room.’
She touches my arm, her hand cool. ‘Will you come and sit with me a while? I think we should talk.’
‘I don’t want to talk.’
Her hand drops from my arm. I turn away, heading for my room. She doesn’t follow.
ChapterThirty-Two
ONE LAST KISS
My pillow is soaked. I don’t think I can cry any more. But every time I think about losing Kyle there’s a fresh bout of tears. I remember how his face twisted when Father mentioned the pits, and can’t bear the thought of him being sent back there to die.
There’s guilt, too. I’m the one who asked him to run away with me. I hadn’t thought it through. He’s going to be sent away, and then it will be over. He probably hates me now, anyway.
It’s been about an hour since my outburst, since Kyle was taken from me. I can’t lie here any longer. I don’t know where he’s being held, and I can’t just wander the house looking for him, but I need to dosomething. He would fight for me. I need to do the same for him. I sit up and wipe my face, drag fingers through the tangle of my hair. My gaze falls on the fireplace, an idea taking shape. I need to move fast, though. I’ve wasted enough time already.
I pull my boots towards me and put them on. Then I go to the fireplace, pressing on the carved leaf. Stepping through the opening, I flick the torch on my phone as the panel closes. The stone wall is cool beneath my fingers as I descend, heading for the library.
At the small landing I shine my torch around, looking for the lever that opens the basement passage. I swore I would never go down there again, not after the screaming I heard. But my need to find Kyle is stronger than any fear. I flick the lever, a section of stone swinging back to reveal more stairs. I start down them, my hand on the wall for support, until I reach a wooden panel. I put my ear to it, holding my breath, but can’t hear a thing. I push the panel until there’s a click and it opens, revealing a hallway. My torch throws circles of light across the dark blue-grey painted walls, the slate tiled floor. There’s no one here, thank darkness. Directly opposite me is another door. Looking both ways, I step out of the passage and open it.
Shit. It’s the feed hall. The room is large, wooden benches scattered across the black and white tiled floor. It’s also deserted, thank darkness. Except for the food. There are cages suspended from the ceiling, in each one a human either sitting or lying down. The bases of the cages are padded, and there’s water and food for them. I suppose my parents think that makes it comfortable. My elbow aches at the memory of the guard feeding from me, the pull in my veins.
Most of the occupants of the cages are sleeping, except for a man who’s lying on his side, reading a book by the glow of a candle-lamp, and a woman, who’s sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. Her head turns as I creep past, her dark eyes watching me. I put my finger to my lips. I have no idea if she knows who I am. She doesn’t speak; whether it’s due to my gesture or because she simply has nothing to say, I don’t know. I want to do more, wildness in my chest at the thought of setting them free. But where would they go, in the darkness, alone? I suppose they’re safe here, but I see now how wrong it is, how fucked up everything is.
I cross the room to another set of double doors. I pause to listen. Nothing. Carefully, I turn one of the handles. The door opens noiselessly… to reveal a room filled with rows of bunks. Shit. I close the door as quickly as I can, then lean with my back to it, gasping, my heart pounding. Guard quarters. But where the hell do I look now?
‘Psst!’
I jump. Turning, I notice two more doors in the far wall. One is part-way open, revealing a small metal-lined room containing a casket. The other is closed. There’s a small grille set into the metal. Someone’s face is pressed up against it.
‘Kyle!’ I run across the room, almost skidding into the door.
‘Steady on.’ He’s laughing. After all he’s been through, all I’ve put him through, he’s laughing. My heart clenches with love.
‘Are you all right? I’m so sorry.’ I thread my fingers through the grate and feel the touch of his lips.
‘It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have taken you.’
‘I shouldn’t have asked you to!’ I’m half sobbing, half laughing with relief that I’ve found him.
‘Emelia, my love?’
‘Yes?’
‘You need to get me out of here. Your father wasn’t joking about the pits. I can’t go back there. Please. Let me go. I’ll take the passage and escape that way, through the woods. Please.’
There’s such yearning in his voice that I swear I can feel it, his distress my own. There’s pain, too, because I know what this means. Once I let him go, I’ll never see him again. I have to give him this chance, though. He’s already saved me.
‘Kyle, I—’ My voice breaks. ‘It – it’s why I’m here, to save you.’ My world is shaking upon its foundations, bitter salt in my eyes. I feel his lips on my fingers again, his cool breath. Then he releases me.
‘Be quick, my love,’ he whispers. ‘They’ll come for me soon.’
‘How… um…’ I stop, gulping. ‘How do I open this?’
