I find Zane at the gym where he always is, going a little wild on a rowing machine. He catches my gaze and mouths that he’ll be done in ten minutes, so I make my way to the little coffee cart and sit down.
It’s nice to be alone for a moment, though all I want is to feel normal, and I know that’s not going to happen. But the sounds of the gym remind me of my life before Rathyn and everything that came with him, and it brings me a small amount of comfort.
It doesn’t last long, though. The chair next to me is pulled out, and I look up, startled to find Quilliyn there, though I don’t know why. He’s always working. I’m starting to wonder if he’s one of the castoffs from the Outerlands who lives in squalor, too.
“You’re upset.”
I bow my head and take a breath. I shouldn’t just blurt it all out, but I can’t seem to help myself.
“I don’t know if I’m going to get in trouble for telling you this,” I say, “but some shit went down, and I really need to talk to someone about it.”
Quilliyn glances around, then stands up. “Come with me. We can go for a drive.”
My eyes widen. “You drive?”
He lets out a small laugh and shrugs. “With some modifications, yes.”
I bite my lip as I look over at Zane, who’s red in the face and frowning as he watches Quilliyn touch my arm. “Will you take me to Zane’s after?”
“Not to The Foundry?”
“Fuck no. I’m only going there when I absolutely have to.”
He sighs, then nods. “I can take you wherever you wish to go.”
Jogging over to Zane, I lean in and yank one of his earbuds out. “I’m gonna head over to yours when Quill and I are done chatting.”
He lifts a brow. “Chatting?” He says it like it’s an innuendo.
“Fuck off, dude. We’re just talking.”
“Whatever you say.” But his tone is a little lighter, so I know he believes me. Still, I shove his earbud back in a bit harder than necessary, then follow Quilliyn out the front door and around the side of the building.
He drives a nice, normal-looking car. At least, it seems normal until he opens the door and I realize it has no back seat, and the driver’s seat has been modified to sit further back than I have ever seen.
He slides in and presses his clawed foot to a brake pedal that’s huge enough to accommodate him.
“How long have you been driving?”
He rolls his eyes. “Longer than you.”
That’s probably fair. My aunt and uncle didn’t let me learn, so I’m not as good at it as most people my age. Not that it matters. With Rathyn, everything is catered, including my rides.
I wonder how pissed he’d be if he knew where I was right now. And who I was with. He’s bigger than Quilliyn and probably stronger, though the monster does spend every day working out. But I should probably warn him anyway.
“So, you know how I’m contracted to Rathyn, right? The commander, or whatever?”
Quilliyn offers me a slight smile. “I do.”
“Well, Cielo hugged me once, and Rathyn literally tried to rip his arm off. So, just a warning, he might get a little…pissy with you.”
Quilliyn laughs. “No, he won’t.”
“Trust me, dude. He can be a lot.”
Quilliyn laughs again as he turns down a neighborhood street and into the parking lot of the city park. He pulls into a spot at the far end, rolls the windows down, and then turns the car off.
The breeze is gorgeous, and I lean my head back, breathing in deeply. It’s not as sweet as the air on Erethar, but it’s still nice.
