Page 81 of Sinful

I affected a remorseful expression and swallowed thickly. “I lied to you back then. I only pretended to be afraid,” I said. “Iwas ashamed of myself for doing it, but I knew you were very curious about the cave, and I didn’t want to give you any hints about its location. So I thought I could throw you off the scent by lying about that path. That way, you might sneak up there, find nothing, and then hopefully give up the search.”

Sebastian’s brows rose. “You sneaky little thing,” he said, eyes flickering with amusement. “I understand, though.”

“The real path is elsewhere. The way to it is along that same main path, though.”

“On the way to your berry spot, you mean?”

I nodded. “Yes. Do you recall seeing a large tree about halfway down that path? On the right edge. It has an enormous red X painted on it.”

He rubbed his jaw. “No, I didn’t notice it. I must’ve been distracted. But I’m sure I can find it easily enough if it’s on that path.”

“Yes, it’s very easy to spot. I’d say it’s about ten minutes away from the village,” I said. “Anyway, that X signifies the danger that lies beyond the tree. That’s how the children know to never play in that area when they’re out in the woods.”

In truth, the X marked out the Covenant’s hunting grounds. Many hidden traps lay beyond that tree, so an inexperienced villager wandering into the area would soon find themselves mortally wounded. An outsider like Sebastian wouldn’t last more than ten minutes there. Fifteen if he wasverylucky.

Funnily enough, the inspiration for my plan had come from yesterday’s whipping. A few minutes ago, when my back was stinging from the hot bathwater, I recalled the way I’d forced my mind to go elsewhere in order to avoid the pain of the lash, just like the boy who fell in the animal trap all those years ago. From there, the idea of luring Sebastian into one of those very same traps had taken root.

Without the whipping, I might not have thought about that boy and those dangerous pit traps, and then I wouldn’t have thought of this plan. That was why the Entity had allowed me to endure such torture—so that I could escape this place while also ensuring that my captor would pay for his crimes.

All goes to plan if you keep the faith.

“That makes sense,” Sebastian said. “But where’s the cave in relation to the tree?”

“It’s not easy to find. The elders made it difficult on purpose, for obvious reasons,” I said. “Can you remember what I tell you?”

“Yes.”

“All right. Once you step beyond the tree, you’ll come across a very narrow path lined with bushes. It’s not easy to spot, because there’s so many other bushes and trees there, but once you find it and follow it, you’ll eventually arrive in a large clearing. You must cross this clearing. On the other side, you’ll find another tree marked with an X. Beyond that, there’s another path, and that one leads directly to the cave. It’s about a twenty-minute walk.”

“Let me see if I got all that. I have to find the marked tree, then the half-hidden path beyond it, then the clearing, then another marked tree, and another path.”

“That’s right.”

“Good.” Sebastian nodded slowly, eyes glimmering with satisfaction. “I’ll go this afternoon while the directions are still fresh in my mind.”

Beneath the water, I pinched my inner left thigh so hard that tears instantly sprang to my eyes.

Sebastian noticed my distress, and he leaned forward. “What’s wrong?”

I grimaced and squeezed a tear out, letting it roll down my cheek. “I… I can’t believe I actually just told you all ofthat,” I said, forcing a quaver into my voice. “I’ve betrayed the Covenant.”

“You did the right thing, baby girl.” Sebastian pulled me close, one hand stroking my hair. “Don’t cry. Please.”

I forced out a sob, and he wrapped his arms around me, holding me as I trembled with faux remorse. “Hey, come on,” he said in a soothing murmur. “No more tears. You haven’t betrayed anyone.”

“I have!” I said, voice muffled by his shoulder. “I’m a traitor! I was never supposed to reveal the location to an outsider.”

“I know, but it’s all right. I swear to you, I won’t go all the way into the cave,” he said, drawing back to look me right in the eye. “You did the right thing by telling me. Truly. You did it because you have empathy. You saw and understood how important it is for me to go there and walk in my mother’s footsteps. That makes you a good person, Rose. Not a traitor.”

I squeezed another tear out, and I saw real sympathy flashing in Sebastian’s eyes as he looked down at me. I almost wanted to laugh with glee.

“Thank you,” I whispered instead. I sniffed loudly, as if I were sucking up all the tears, and looked toward the bathroom window. The glass was frosted, making the outside world a blur, but it was still clear that the sky was gray. “I don’t think you’ll be able to go there this afternoon. The weather is terrible.”

Sebastian shook his head. “It’s bad now, but I checked the forecast. It’s supposed to clear up around lunchtime. So if I leave then, I’ll be up at Alderwood just after one.”

“What’s the time now?” I asked. Down in the underground quarters, with only artificial light and no clocks, I’d lost all concept of time.

“About nine A.M.”

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