‘I want to come back here, once I’m crowned, and speak to Cass. Tell her who I am.’
His kisses pause. ‘What? Why the fuck would you want to do that?’
‘Because I think this place could be the answer to changing everything.’
He tenses. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Before I went to the Safe Zone, I thought it was somewhere humans could live their lives the way they used to. But it became clear very quickly that wasn’t the case. The Channel Islands … you know why it won’t work. But this way of living is perfect. And it’s global. Everyone gets what they want.’
‘No way. No fucking way.’ He rolls onto his back. ‘Fuck, Emelia. Reaperskillto protect the cells. They’ve been doing so for centuries. If you expose this, you risk bringing the whole lot of them down on Raven.’
‘I don’t want to expose them! I want to learn from them.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘There are more abandoned towns and cities; darkness knows I saw plenty when we were travelling. I want to set up my own cells, using the same model, for whoever wants to go there, vampire or human. I can link them to the Safe Zones and set up a network for humans to move through, just like the Reapers have done. Raven guards can protect them, just as theReapers do. And I’ll make sure they’re run the same way.’
‘It’s not going to be that easy.’
‘Oh, I know that! Everyone tells me things aren’t going to be easy. Nothing is fucking easy. Nothing worthwhile, anyway. No one thought I’d survive to adulthood, but I did. No one thought I could be crowned Raven, but I’m going to be. And no one thinks I can change the world. But I’m going to. This is what I’m here for.’
Michael still looks doubtful. ‘Reapers won’t let you blow their secret open.’
‘I don’t want to do that! I just want to use this model. Nobody needs to know.’
‘You know it won’t work like that.’
‘What else can I do? What other option do I have?’
He doesn’t seem to have an answer.
I know I have to leave this place, plunge back into the swirling politics and darkness of my regular life. Just as I know I need to end things with Joaquin, whatever the fallout may be. But I dare to dream of a life like this. A court of light and darkness, of daylight and dreams.
* * *
A few hours later we crouch in bushes at the edge of the clearing where we first arrived. It’s dark, the forest rustling softly. We both reek of anti-feed, courtesy of a bottle Michael found in the bathroom.
‘What in darkness?’ I exclaimed when he opened the cupboard and grabbed it.
‘Every house has some.’
‘But it’s…’
‘Expensive? Yeah, I guess. But it’s made from distilled vampire blood. It’s not just humans who donate blood here. Maybe it’s only expensive in our world because we’ve made it that way. Every household here has some, so humans can travel safely between cells.’
Another piece of information to tuck away, to rage against. Another difficulty we’ve imposed on humans. Yes, of course, make the one thing that keeps humans safe expensive. It’s a good way to keep them down.
‘Not long now.’ Michael breathes the words, his breath warm on my cheek.
Darkness, I hope this works. But there’s no alternative. We have to leave. Still … I turn and kiss Michael, putting my whole heart into it, the love and joy and warmth he gives me.
‘Wow,’ he breathes, when I pull back. ‘What was that for?’
‘Because I love you. And if we don’t make it out of here, I want?—’
‘We’ll make it out of here,’ he growls. ‘Even if I have to kill them all myself.’
I believe him. I love him so much. ‘You won’t have to do that. We can do this.’
