Page 51 of Dead By Dusk

“How can you be sure? Maybe whoever lied forgot alongside the rest of us? Maybe that woman lied. Maybe you’re worried for something that’s no longer a possibility. But wouldn’t we be dead already if…well, if the so-called traitor was among us?”

“I suppose that may be—” I start, but she grabs onto my hand and faces me before interrupting.

“If you’re uncertain, then I want to go with you. Don’t leave me behind with people you’re not even sure you trust. Don’t make me beg you. If I live or die, I want the path taken to be one of my choosing. Si—” she rambles, and I stop her from speaking with one word I didn’t think I would be saying. An agreement that strips my bloody, beating heart bare, even though I know it’s what’s best. Giving her this choice is not easy for me, but the right things in life often aren’t.

“Okay.”

She startles, her hands freezing where they clutch mine, and a smile spreads over her face and tears well in her eyes. Uncertainty temporarily silences her, but her touch doesn’t waver.

“Oh…okay. And you’re sure?” I hesitantly nod my head, looking down at our tightly joined hands before swallowing the lump in my throat.

“I cannot choose for you any longer. You’re right. Your life is your own. I won’t dictate how you live it, but if you go with me, it will be dangerous and—” I’m interrupted again when she lunges into me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“I know, but if we’re doing this, then we’re doing it together.”

“Together,” I whisper in her ear as I awkwardly pat her back. For a moment, I wonder how we’ve come from such similar backgrounds, but react so differently to the situations life throws our way. She is willing to trust and hold and accept the affection she was denied once she believed someone fit to receive what she could offer them. Then me, with my inability to trust, even when I’m given every reason to. My inability to do anything other than fight when the opportunity presents itself. “And then we live.”

We sit there for a moment—her holding me as I awkwardly accept her embrace—when a quick knock sounds at the door. Nathaniel’s ginger hair appears from around the corner, and he quickly takes in the scene before him.

“It’s time to go over the plan again, one last time. Last light will be upon us soon,” he says before knocking on the side of the door twice more and exiting the room. He leaves the door ajar, another indication of how quick this must be.

“Well, forever awaits us,” I say as I remove her arms from around me and push to stand. She follows suit, dusting off her pants and stepping around me, walking with more confidence than I think I may have ever seen. I quickly follow her and see the men leaning over the kitchen counter with the map in front of them. Ronan looks at me, a question in his expression, and I grimly nod before closing the distance between us.

“One last time, let’s make sure the plan is clear. Nothing can go wrong on the way,” Nathaniel reiterates, peering at everyone. Everyone seems keen on listening to him recite the plan we decided on last night, but I clear my throat, tossing a look at Carmen’s hopeful eyes. The men follow my gaze before turning their attention back to me.

“The plan has changed. Carmen comes with me,” I state with finality, and although I see understanding fall over Ronan, his arm brushing against mine in a sign of support, he is the only one.

“Absolutely not,” Nathaniel starts. “The plan was fine enough yesterday. She’ll be safer in the tunnels where no one is tracking us.”

“I can keep her safe just fine. It all ends the same anyway, and it’s not us who should be choosing what she does and does not do,” I explain but Adonis’ deep timbre cuts through my reasoning.

“You say you can keep her safe, but you lost her the other day. If I were one of them, she would’ve been dead before you found her.”

“That’s different,” I respond, attempting to find a way to defend myself, but I know he’s not wrong. No matter how much I wish he were, he’s not.

“And why is that?” he questions.

“Because I don’t trust any of you other than her.” Every eye turns to her as she crosses her arms over her chest and keeps her shoulders pulled back. Pride washes through me as she defends herself. Truthfully, I believed I would have to fight for her on my own, but I’m proud of her willingness to fight back. Tension builds around us in the quiet. Tension so thick, you could feel the air shift the longer no one speaks. Carmen breaks the silence.

“I believe it’s settled then.”

Ronan’s shoulders jump up and down as he tries to hold back his laughter, and I harshly jab him in the side to get him to stop, but he isn’t able to. It isn’t long before I’m right there with him, staring at Adonis and Nathaniel’s appalled expressions.

“Okay then, this changes things,” Ronan says, but winks at me as he says it. He points to the map. “We don’t have long before the three of us head out, might as well get everything settled while we still can.”

Shadows seem to fall over Adonis’ face and weariness follows his movements as he points to the map. “There are several entrances into the tunnels. It seems to be how they’re traveling so easily through the forest without any of us knowing,” he says as he begins pointing at the hidden tunnel doors. “We’ve already decided that he and I go in separate directions. Me right, him left. We only go long enough to see what lies beyond, and then we meet back here.” He points to a tunnel that intersects both of theirs directly where Ronan and I are to lead anyone ready for a hunt.

“We meet here no later than sunrise,” his deep voice commands, staring each and every one of us in the eyes,ensuring we understand. “We should know which way leads out for sure by then.”

“And if we’re not all there?” I question, though I already know the answer.

“We’ll know what happened. The rest of us leave if we must,” Nathaniel replies, but there’s an edge to his voice that wasn’t there before. Uncertainty seeps into the air as we all look at each other one more time.

“Are you ready?” Ronan asks, extending his hand out to me. I stare at it, calloused, rough, and sure. Then I turn to Carmen, and nod my head absently before taking her pinky within mine.

“I am.”

I face him one last time, and he just dips his chin to me before heading upstairs, leading the way outside to the forest that lies beyond.

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