Page 11 of Fractured Sky
“You have to move quickly,” Graham murmured.“They’re both asleep right now, but Simon is supposed to wake up soon.”
It sounded like Graham was helping Sol escape.Sol prayed it wasn’t a trap.He didn’t think it was.Why would Graham do something like this?It wouldn’t make sense, not even if he was as evil as his brother.Simon might have done something like this just for the pleasure of watching Sol when he realized it was a trap, but not Graham.
“What’s going on?”Sol asked when he reached Graham.
“What doyou think’s going on?I’m letting you go.”
“Thank you.”
“Wait until you’re out of here to thank me.I don’t know if I can actually get you out of the house.”
It sounded like Graham didn’t want to give Sol false hope, but Sol was hoping anyway.“I’ll follow you.”
Graham nodded and turned.Sol had to scramble to keep up with him, but it was his only chance to make it out of there.He couldn’t waste it.
He did his best, ignoring the pain in his body and focusing on Graham’s back.His heart raced,and heexpected Simon or Carlyle to pop up from around every corner they turned.When they didn’t, he convinced himself they would at the next corner.
They never did.Sol and Graham eventually reached the big kitchen.The air smelled of food, and from the way Graham moved, it was clear he was familiar with the place.
Graham continued moving until he reached the back door.He swung it open and stepped aside to let Sol walk through.Sol did so without hesitation, blinking when the sunlight hit his face.He had no idea how long he’d been trapped in his cell, but he was glad to feel the sunlight again.
“You have to go,” Graham said as he gently pushed Sol toward the trees that surrounded the house.
Sol was eager to leave, but he was also worried.He turned toward Graham, eyeing the fading bruise on the man’s cheek and the scab on his lower lip.“They hurt you.”
Graham touched his cheek, then dropped his hand.“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“You need to go.”
“Only if you come with me.”
Graham stared as if he didn’t understand what Sol was saying.Maybe he didn’t.It was clear that very few people had ever cared about him and protected him.Even Graham’s brother didn’t step in when Carlyle raged and hit him.Hell, Sol wouldn’t be surprised if Simon himself had caused some of the bruises on Graham’s skin.
“I can’t come with you,” Graham said, shaking his head.
“What’s going to happen when they wake up and find out I’m gone?They’ll know I didn’t get out of my cell on my own, and they’ll take it out on you.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“I’m not leaving without you.”It was a gamble, but it was a gamble Sol was willing to play.
He wouldn’t abandon Graham.It didn’t matter that, technically, Graham was one of the bad guys.He wasn’t here willingly.He’d never hurt Sol.In fact, he’d tried helping him, which had resulted in him getting beaten at least a few times.
Sol would never forgive himself if he left Graham behind and something happened to him—and something would.
“I still need you,” Sol tried.Using Graham’s safety to convince him to leave wasn’t working, but maybe this would.“I don’t know where I’m going.I don’t even know where we are or how long I was in that cell.I’ll get lost in this forest.Even if I don’t, they’ll find me.I’ve no idea where I’m going.”
None of that was a lie.Sol didn’t know where they were, and the house in which he’d been kept prisoner was surrounded by trees as far as he could see.He had no idea if Carlyle had neighbors, but if he had to guess, there was no one around.Carlyle would have wanted privacy so no one would hear Sol’s screams.
“I don’t know if I can help you.”
“We can help each other.I know you don’t want to stay, Graham.I can’t make any promises, but we both know that if you don’t go, you’ll get hurt.At least if you come with me, you’ll have a chance of fighting back.”
Graham still didn’t look convinced, but when he nodded, Sol knew he’d won.It was only the first step, unfortunately.
There were still plenty of opportunities for Carlyle and Simon to find them.
