Page 3 of Liar

Aiko stares up at me, her expression mirroring Thorne’s.

“Sorry,” I murmur. When she doesn’t immediately bolt, I follow up with, “H-How are you?”

“Fine.” Aiko shifts on her feet. “Good.”

Her curtness rubs the wrong way against my skin. I don’t want her to leave. I wish I could erase our last argument and return to how things were.

The sorrow at losing her tangles with desperation, so all I come out with is, “So is Savannah back living with you, or…?”

Aiko’s gaze shutters. “You just can’t help yourself, can you? Even though Savannah’s here and your garbage theory of her drug running or faking her own kidnapping was disproven, you’re still asking questions.”

I lick my lips. “All I want to know is if she’s settling in okay. If you’re okay.”

“Savvy’s with her mom at a bed and breakfast in town.” Aiko crosses her arms. “But you know that. Everyone in town is aware of it with all the press and news vans camped outside. Don’t pretend to play dumb, Ember.”

I try to speak through Aiko’s verbal stabbing. “I know you don’t believe me, but I’m glad you have your sister back.”

Aiko snorts. “Are you also glad she and Thorne are an item again?”

I can’t disguise the flash of pain her statement brings, and for a moment, Aiko can’t hide the guilt at saying it. She adds, softer, “He’s been instrumental in her recovery, apparently. Never leaving her side once the hospital allowed visitors.”

“Good,” I whisper, adding with more conviction, “Good for them.”

Aiko searches my expression. “It’s over, Ember. The mystery, the what-ifs, trying to move on without her … that’s all gone. Savvy’s home, and I need you to respect that.”

“I will.”

Aiko doesn’t believe me. “No more digging through the Societies or accusing Thorne’s dad of”—A student pushes past us, his bag banging against his back as the rush to get to first period begins—“of drugs. We all want to start fresh, Savannah most of all.”

“I understand. I’m not your enemy, Aiko.”

Because what else am I supposed to say? Savannah’s return doesn’t mean Malcolm’s stopped being an informant for the FBI. Her presence doesn’t mean Damion Briar will discontinue his illegal business. The Societies won’t disband because it turns out Savannah’s still alive.

None of that matters to Aiko. All she sees is her stepsister, shaken but unharmed and willing to start again at Winthorpe. The fierce loyalty I admired in my friend was channeled into Savannah’s safe return. I’d be stupid to think it’ll only be Thorne who protects Winthorpe’s lost princess.

Aiko pulls her lips in. “I’m really defensive of her. You’ve heard what happened, right? Where she was?”

I nod.

“I just—I can’t believe she was held for ransom all this time, and Senator Merricourt knew it. Like, he’s been paying them off every month in order to keep her alive. How crazy is that?”

“It’s lucky they had a certain amount in mind and let her go when they got it all.”

Aiko levels her stare against mine. She’s unsure if I’m being sincere or a smart-ass. I can’t quite keep the conflict from my tone. I’m suspicious of the circumstances surrounding Savannah’s reappearance but have no one to voice it to.

I’ve lost everyone, including Aiko.

Aiko must decide that she’s getting too conversational with me—our old friendship returning—because her expression closes off.

“Okay. Well…” Aiko turns to the door. “I want to walk Savvy to her first class, so I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah. Sure.” I lift my hand in a wave, but Aiko’s already dipped outside.

I watch her push through the gawkers, reach Thorne and Savannah, and loop her arm through Savannah’s free one, forcing Aurora to step back. The three of them take the stairs together, Savannah’s chin tipped high, her lips trembling.

She’s beautiful, I think, stepping back into the shadows.

And she’s retaken her place at Winthorpe.

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