As I peer around the streets with a sickening feeling building in the pit of my stomach, I can’t help thinking about how dark and dangerous this place is. But this area shows the truth. The Royal City hides its true side beneath glitz and glamour. And underneath all the sparkling lies a darkness that might be worse than I could’ve imagined.
About fifteen minutes later, the brutal reality really sets in. Finn and I are at the police station waiting to talk to an officer about Maddy getting taken. The lack of urgency has me assuming Maddy was right about this place. As I sit and wait with the sounds of yelling and phones ringing filling the air like nails on a chalkboard, I receive a call from the Royal City police.
I answer, crossing my fingers that maybe my mother’s phone died or she dropped it in the pool. Deep down, though, I don’t think that’s the case.
“Hello?” I answer loudly over the noise.
“Is this River Averson?” a man asks.
“Yes,” I reply with Finn watching me worriedly.
“I’ve called to give you an update about your mother,” he tells me. “We’ve searched the house and property, but we didn’t find any sign of her. But there are signs that a struggle happened in the house. The security cameras have been shut off, so we’re unable to use those. Because of this, we’ve filed her as a missing person and we’ll start a search for her.”
I nearly drop the phone.
I can’t breathe.
My mother is missing and so is Maddy.
My mother warned me that a war would start and blood would be shed.
I think it might already have.
And what does that mean for Maddy and me? If I can’t date her, I can’t protect her from the society.
Unless…Another member of the society dates her.
Finn had mentioned him doing it back when he first brought up this fake dating plan. I loathed the idea of him being with her, even if it was a facade, but if it means keeping Maddy safe…
I might have to let him take my place by her side, even if the idea of it feels as though my heart is being ripped out of my chest. But I’ll do it for Maddy.
I’d do anything for her.
