Holding up one hand to silence him, I listened. Ryan’s father ran down the stairs. His footsteps retreated. And then I turned around.
Beside his desk, Ryan stood, staring at me, eyes wide, mouth open. An instant later, he crossed the room in four strides, and he was kissing me, and I was entwined in his arms. He kissed me as if he’d been starved. His hands were in my hair, down my back, on my shoulders, and his lips were on my mouth, cheeks, neck.
“Are you okay?” I asked between kisses. “Did he hurtyou?”
“Sky, this is a miracle,” Ryan breathed. He was staring at me like I was a goddess who had suddenly appeared to bless him. “You ran. He said you—he said you were scared, and he tried to stop you, but you ran when he chased you. Right off the cliff. He said you died. Your funeral was yesterday, Sky. You were buried. Your brothers said your eulogy….” He kissed me again.
“Did they say nice things?” I asked.
Worm cleared his throat. “Um, Sky?”
“Oh! Sorry. Ryan, Worm. Worm, Ryan.”
Ryan spared him a nod, but his eyes were only on me. I wanted to bask in that look forever, but I knew I couldn’t. It wasn’t safe here. And I had to rescue Mom. “Do you have clothes we can borrow? We’re a bit conspicuous like this.” Without waiting for an answer, I went digging through his dresser. I found a T-shirt that I’d always thought was extra soft plus a pair of jeans for myself, and I tossed another shirt and pants to Worm. He caressed the material as if he’d never seen it before, which he probably hadn’t.
“Sky, what happened?” Ryan asked.
“The jewel that Mom tried to steal…it’s not a jewel. It’s the Door. A portal to Home.” There was no delicate way to put this, so I plunged in, even though I knew the words would hurt him. “Your father uses it to exile people he doesn’t like. The council doesn’t know.” I wondered at what point my father had known. Had he figured it out when Mom disappeared? Or had he guessed earlier? Mom had said he’d refused to come….Maybe he knew but didn’t believe. “But my mother found out somehow and was trying to expose him. He sent her through against her will, and then he did the same to me.”
Ryan looked as if I’d slapped him, and my heart ached. He’d never been close to his father, but to discover he was capable of this…As gently as I could, I said, “Your father lied. He’s been lying to all the wyverns. And I’m going to stop him. But I have to get home and talk to my brothers. I’m so sorry, Ryan.”
His expression softened, and he touched my cheek. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You’re alive! Gabriela said—”
“Is she okay? Did he hurt her?” Dumping the gold from the vault onto Ryan’s bed, I ripped off the sari-like wrap and pulled on the shirt and jeans. Now both Worm and Ryan were staring at me.
Ryan reached toward me again. “You’re burned!”
Glancing down, I saw streaks and blotches on my arms and stomach, where the fire beast had seared my skin. With all the adrenaline coursing through me, I’d barely noticed, but now the burns were starting to sting. “I’ll be fine.” I borrowed one of Ryan’s belts and cinched it around my waist, then rolled up the jeans. Quickly and awkwardly, Worm dressed too. He fumbled with the zipper and snap. “Gabriela?” I asked again.
Ryan was still staring at my burns, and I wondered how bad they were. I didn’t think any were serious, but there were a lot of them. It had all happened so quickly. “Gabriela’s okay,” he said. “My father scared her, I think, but she’s fine. Her family’s mortgage has been paid off by a mysterious benefactor, and she and her brother have enough savings to pay for whatever college they want. I don’t think she would have accepted the bribe except…well, you were dead. She blamed herself.”
“And my father and brothers? Are they okay? Has there been another Reckoning? Did they lose everything?” I wanted to ask if they were outcast, but I wouldn’t bring myself to say the word.
He shook his head again. “The next Reckoning is scheduled for tonight. I don’t know what’s planned for it, but I know your failed heist is going to come up. I think your father and brothers are preparing for the worst.”
It wasn’t too late! Yet. “Where’s it being held?”
“Here.”
Good. This could work. If I moved fast enough. I thought quickly—we’d need to orchestrate the heist immediately. I needed my brothers on board, and Gabriela. I hoped she wasn’t too freaked out by what had happened. This wasn’t going to work without her.
“Sky…what do you need me to do?”
I loved him for asking that. I kissed him again, then crossed to the window and opened it. Ryan’s window overlooked the cliff. The lake was far, far below us.
“You can use my climbing gear…,” Ryan began.
I flashed him a smile. “I’m not planning to climb. Come on, Worm.” He trotted over to me as I opened the window. “Get ready to jump.”
Worm paled. “But you know I can’t—”
“Onto me,” I clarified. “Me first, you second. Got it?”
Ryan blocked the window. “Sky?” All his worry, all his fear for me, all his hope for us was laced into his voice—Iheard it loud and clear.
“Trust me.” I grinned.
He stared at me, then said, “Always.”
