Page 35 of Darkness and Deceit
“On the contrary,” I seethe. “I think this entire system is broken. You hoard knowledge and expect obedience. You treat me like a threat and then wonder why I act like one.”
“I’ve given everything to this place,” I continue without waiting for him to retort. “And all I’ve gotten back is silence and suspicion.”
“You are supposed toopen yourselfto knowledge,” Augustus says, like he’s quoting scripture. “Letitfindyou.”
“That’s what got me into this mess!” I shout. “I opened myself, and it nearly tore me apart!”
I turn and walk—fast. Anywhere away from him.
“Wrong direction, Lilith,” he calls out, maddeningly calm once more. “The camp is that way.”
I don’t answer. I don’t turn.
I just keep walking.
Because maybe I don’t know everything.
But neither do they.
And maybe… they’re the ones who’ve forgotten what matters.
Eleven
SIMON
“What the fuck—”
The moment the Keeper disappears into the trees with Lilith, the invisible grip holding us vanishes. Breath rushes back into my lungs. Limbs unfreeze. Everything snaps into motion at once.
Kai bolts forward, fast and silent, already vanishing into shadow.
I move just as quickly, stepping into his path, arm out, palm catching his chest. “Stop.”
His eyes, filled with fury, meet mine. Oh, boy. He’s seconds away from slipping past me, and we both know it.
But I don’t budge.
“You need tothink,”I whisper forcefully. “Please.”
Meanwhile Vaughn paces behind us like a caged animal, jaw clenched, hands twitching at his sides. They’re both seconds from combusting, and I don’t blame them. Every part of me wants to run after her too.
But if we do that—if we piss off the Keepers—we’ll lose our chance to help her when itactuallymatters.
“She’s not alone,” I say, forcing myself to believe it. “She’s with a Keeper. And if we get ourselves arrested by disobeying and chasing after her, then she reallywillbe.”
The shadows curling around Kai pause. He doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t vanish either.
“We can be angry later,” I add, locking eyes with him. “Right now, she needs usready. Not shackled. Not restrained.Ready.”
Vaughn rounds on me. “She doesn’t need usready, she needs usthere. What if something happens and we’re not?—”
“Iknow,” I snap. “I know. But if we storm in, we lose everything. Our access. Our mobility. Our chance to back her when she needs it most.”
And that’s when Kieran steps into view, his hands loose at his sides, his gaze unreadable. He’s calm, controlled, completely unaware of the powder keg he’s walked into.
The moment Vaughn sees him, his posture shifts, his shoulders square, like a bowstring that’s been pulled back. All he would need is an arrow notched to be ready to fire.
I don’t know the full history between them, but I don’t need to. Vaughn’s reaction to Kieran’s presence is enough.
