I straighten, forgetting myself again so swiftly. “Truly? She rarely messages me first. Is there nothing from Xios?”
“There’s nothing from Xios.”
Odd. “What did Zahra say?”
“Take care of Dani. Or else.”
Ah. I suppose Alexios told her the big bad secret. Figures. Were roles reversed, I’d not be able to bear Danielle’s worry for her friend, either. It is a testament of Alexios’s loyalty to me that he withheld so much for so long.
Tracing a circle in the wooden armrest, I murmur, “My password is four zeros.”
Danielle’s heart rate elevates with every number she inserts.
“Shall we send Zahra a picture?” I ask. Read as:shall we take a picture together?When I’ve put Danielle back in the safety of her cage, I can stow away somewhere safe and see my soulmate. I can stare into her beautiful eyes—whatever shade they might be—and lose myself in her for a time without worry.
It’s a villainous scheme.
The likes of which I have certainly never plotted before.
“I…” she begins softly, “…have never sent her a picture before.”
Surprise hits me, raising my brows. “Really? Is that not a usual thing that friends do?”
Her tongue escapes to dampen her lips, but she does not reply.
The tension in the air is not lost on me, so I wave my hand. “No matter. Forget I said such a thing. Send backHow dare you, period, capital H. The audacity on that woman.”
Moments pass, then Danielle says, “Done.”
“Excellent.” I take my phone back and drop it in my pocket. “Onto the rest of our tour then.” Linking my arms within the sleeves of my robe, I rise and march onward, to the next annexof our humble, quiet abode. Delight soars when Danielle follows me instead of dashing through the trod to Zahra.
Sure enough, something in her spirit spells a level of defeat…but we can work on that. I know we can. Soon, she will rise from the ashes of her past, embrace the blaze in her soul, and come away with me, unburdened.
Soon, I will fix all that is wrong with me. And we shall find joy and peace in the love we will share.Together.
Chapter6
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ah, what a lovely cliff.
Zahra knows I’m here.
Castor really knows Zahra.
Staring at the sky beyond the glass ceiling and the bars of the golden bird cage, I lie on my suspended bed and try to gather my thoughts. After Castor told me his passcode, I checked his Discord app.
It was Zahra’s username. Her profile picture. Everything I remember from before I had to leave my phone with her contact information behind.
Zahra talks to Castor.
Zahraactuallytalks to Castor.
He sends her pouting emojis when LARP day is canceled.
She tells him to shut up and get over it. Like they’re close. Like they’refriends.
A star shoots across the sky. I follow the trail until it disappears into the darkness.
