Page 68 of Catastrophe

While Michael was still skeptical about the history, asking how it was possible, what the proof was, I could see the cogs of his mind turning in his eyes. Things were making sense to him. He believed me, and from his clenched hands and jaw, he was furious about it.

A knock on the door interrupted us, and we froze. “Michael, are you awake? Can I come in?” It was Jack.

Michael’s gaze met mine, and I shook my head, begging with my eyes for him not to give me away.

“Just a sec,” he called to the outside visitor and wiggled his hands in the cuffs, motioning with his eyebrows for me to unlock him.

My heart sank. The cuffs were the only way I had any power over him. While he’d not once asked for me to release him once our conversation calmed, and I didn’t think he’d hurt me, I was reluctant to give up any advantage I had before we reached a conclusion. But the doorknob wiggled, and I knew I had no choice.

“Please don’t give me away,” I whispered as I uncuffed him.

He shook his head and jumped away from me to throw his clothes on. “Hide under the bed.”

I shifted into my familiar form, tucked myself under his bed in the far corner, and prayed this hunter was the person I believed him to be.

The door opened, and loud footsteps pounded past Micheal’s bare feet and into the room. “Come in, then.” Micheal said sarcastically and sighed.

“You look worse for wear. Your patient kept you up all night?”

“In a manner of speaking,” he muttered, and I tensed, waiting for him to give me away. But he continued, “Her wounds are all sorted, and her fur is clean again. Why are you up so early?”

The other man clapped his hands excitedly. “It’s a big day. You need some breakfast in you ASAP.”

“I do? Why is it a big day?” I was also interested to know.

“We are having a big meeting at midday. Attendance is compulsory, and I think this is when they tell us what the plan is, who this Darren bloke is, and what we are doing with the witches.”

“You think that?” Michael hummed with disbelief.

“Well, I’ve heard whispers. You know how it goes.” Jack leaned against the desk and tapped his foot on the floor.

“And why are you so excited?” Micheal sat on the edge of the bed and quickly glanced at me as he bent over to put socks on.

“I think someone’s going to be getting a promotion.”

“Who?”

“You, dipshit.” I heard the thud of a punch.

“Me?” Michael sounded as incredulous as I felt. If they were promoting him, why would they have ostracized him? Why would he feel so distant from his leaders? “What have you heard?”

Jack sighed. “You’ve been mentioned a few times. They said something about making sure you get on stage, probably thinking you won’t, which is understandable because you are a moody so-and-so, but I think for the occasion …”

“But you heard it was a promotion?” Michael asked skeptically.

“They said it’s what you have been born for.” Jack sounded thrilled for his friend, but he was being naïve.

My heart sank as I realized what it meant.

They are going to sacrifice my hunter before I’ve even gotten him to help me rescue Zaide. Fuck. I’m going to have to tell him. I can’t let him die, but if I prevent him from getting murdered, then my escape will only be that much more difficult. God, what do I do?

“Right. Very exciting. I suppose we’ll go get breakfast, and then I’ll take the cat to the shelter.”

“Hello, anyone home?”

The door creaked open, and I froze at the sound of a voice that haunted my nightmares. The voice of the witch who’d killed mine in a brutal betrayal that almost killed me, too.

Even her footsteps seemed to send me back to a time when I’d hide in Winnie’s room and listen to the stomping of boots up the stairs.

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