It feels like hours. Like years. Like no time at all.
I manage to push myself up slightly. I'm still on the floor, but I can see his face now in the dim light from the dashboard.
His jaw is clenched so tight I can see the muscle jumping. His eyes are fixed straight ahead, not looking at me. His knuckles on the steering wheel are white.
"Did you know?" The question comes out barely above a whisper. "Did you know this would happen?"
Silence.
"William." My voice breaks on his name. "Did you know they were going to blow up the house?"
More silence.
And that's answer enough.
He knew.
He knew and he got me out and he left everyone else behind.
"My brother," I whisper. "Reilan was in there. Your brothers. Aidan. All those people."
"I know." His voice is flat. Empty.
"You saved me."
"Yes."
"Why?" The word is barely audible. "Why just me?"
He doesn't answer. Just keeps staring ahead.
I curl back into myself on the floor. One of the diamond pins has fallen from my hair. The sapphire pendant at my throat feels like it's choking me.
I'm alive.
And everyone else is dead.
The guilt is worse than the grief.
"Where are we going?" I ask eventually.
"Safe house."
"There is no safe house." A laugh bubbles up, hysterical. "There's no such thing as safe. Not anymore."
"I'm getting you somewhere they can't reach you."
"They just blew up your house, William. With everyone we know inside. What makes you think anywhere is safe?"
He doesn't have an answer for that.
Neither do I.
The SUV turns onto a smaller road. Then another. The city lights are far behind us now. We're heading into darkness. Into nothing.
Into whatever comes after your entire world burns down.
I close my eyes. See the explosion again. The light. The fire. The way the house lifted into the airas if it weighed nothing.
