Page 71 of Tell Me Why
Pushing out a breath, she holds her hand out. “I can try. But I’m not promising anything.”
I drop the keys into her hand. “You’re the best.”
“So, let’s say by some miracle, we do find out what building they open. What then?”
“Then I find a chance to slip away and go get what I need.”
Easy-breezy, right?
“You make it sound so simple,” she says. “But you forget, the Sacred Sons have eyes everywhere. What if you’re caught? It’s not worth the risk.”
“Skye, someone here isactivelytrying to kill me, but I can’t leave Rush House until I find something blackmail-worthy. So, I’m doing this. I don’t really have a choice.”
Her throat bobs, and she nods. I can tell she thinks this is suicide, but I know she’ll help me anyway. “Okay, when?”
“Provided you get what you need from the key office, then tomorrow morning. Let’s say…seven, on the dot? I’ll tell Christian I need to come downstairs to study or something.”
“Wait, no, tonight is the Vernal Awakening Ceremony,” she says. “They do it down at the beach. Someone said it kicks off at midnight and doesn’t end until sunrise.”
“Vernalwhat?” I shake my head. “Christian hasn’t mentioned anything about a ceremony.”
Skye shrugs one delicate shoulder. “It’s some kind of renewal thing. Someone said it’s mandatory...”
“Ugh,this complicates everything.” I bite my bottom lip, thinking. “I guess I could wait until the following morning, but I really need to handle this before my brother comes bursting through the walls or someoneactuallymanages to kill me…”
“Wait,” Skye says, like something has just occurred to her. “Maybe the ceremony is a good thing. Everyone will be distracted, right?”
I open my mouth to argue, but…yeah, she’s right.
“Good point.” I purse my lips, running through the options in my head. “Is this Vernal thing an official Burning Crown event?”
Skye shrugs one shoulder. “Yeah, I think so. Why?”
I flash her a mischievous smile. “Only Burning Crown members are allowed to attend official events, right?”
She smiles. “Oh, right! You’re not a member, so you’ll be in the house alone.” She pauses. “What about the security guys, though? They’ll still be here.”
“Yeah.” I scrape my teeth across my bottom lip. “I don’t know, I’ll figure something out. In the meantime, let’s just pray Christian doesn’t sniff out my plan…”
Because, if he does, I’m as good as dead.
Christian will make sure of it.
CHAPTERTHIRTY
Eve
After my meeting with Skye,I head back upstairs to bury myself in homework. On my way down the hall, I bump into someone I was hoping to avoid. Forever.
“Eve Savano,” the deep voice intones, stopping me cold.
I turn around slowly, my smile flat. “Cash,” I say with an exhausted sigh. “I’d heard they’d opened the gates of hell for you. What are you doing here?”
He saunters closer, that arrogant swagger making him more attractive than he has any right to be. Or maybe it’s his style—the black slacks, black button down, rolled up at the sleeves, dark, wavy hair, and black, vacant eyes. Whatever that X factor is, he’s always had it. Ever since we were kids.
He leans against the wall casually, his gaze wandering over me openly. “Good to see you, too, baby,” he says with that charming smile. “I’m here to make sure you don’t get served another almond-laced latte and earn yourself a ticket across the River Styx.”
I tilt my head to the side. “So you’re here to investigate? Weird that they’d invite an outsider to do what they could just do themselves.”
