Thankfully, the ride to the station is quiet. Officer Steroids leaves my stuff with the front desk before leading me through the small building to the cells in the back.
“Really?” I snipe, glaring at him.
“Really. You’re a flight risk. I told you the sheriff wants a word. But he’s busy, and I’m not babysitting.”
Making sure to roll my eyes and huff out my annoyance, playing up the petulant child they all think I am. Tends to make them underestimate me. Which suits my needs just fine.
The sound of the heavy metal door banging shut and the loud click of the lock makes me jump.
After about an hour of sheer boredom, I’m sprawled out on my back on the bench and staring at the peeling paint on the ceiling. My mind conjures up images out of the random shapesto stave off the worry that stitches through every cell. What if Adriel is hurt? Can he get hurt? What if something happened to his territory which weakens his magic?
I have to get back to him.
A throat clearing forces me to jolt upright to find the sheriff standing in front of the cage with his arms crossed. His white hair stands in stark contrast to his deeply tanned skin. And the frown tugging on his lips only accentuates the wrinkles all over his face.
“Why am I here?” I ask, pushing myself upright. “Is this like a ‘Scared Straight’ situation?” ‘Cause it doesn’t work like that.
“I was hoping to give you some time to think. Perhaps you’d see the error of your ways and quit giving your grandmother so much grief.”
“Being gay is not a crime,” I snap.
“No, but it is a sin. How complicated do you think it’d be to convince the local judge that you were belligerent? Running away may not be illegal for you now, but if you continue to step out of line, I can make sure they tighten your reins to the point you can barely breathe.”
I take a step back, all the wind rushing out of me in a panicked rush of air. “You wouldn’t,” I choke out, and hate how pitiful I sound.
“Thankfully, I won’t have to because you’re going to start being on your best behavior?”
He presents it as a question, though I know he intends it as a statement. I nod anyway, not wanting to push my luck.
“Excellent,” he says with a sadistic grin. “Your grandmother is on her way to pick you up.”
“Yes, sir,” I mumble and plop back onto the bench.
True to his word, Grandma Julia shows up not even ten minutes later. I gather my things and follow her out to her car in silence. Neither of us say anything the entire car ride home.The air is thick with her unspoken words, and it takes everything in me not to leap from the moving vehicle. The road burn and broken bones would be less painful than this car ride.
I know a harsh tongue-lashing is coming my way and I wish she’d just get it over with. Though luck is not on my side.
“Why don’t you go unpack?” Her tone is neutral, not giving away her true emotions. She must have something up her sleeve.
Shuffling my feet down the dreaded hallway, I slip into my room and close the door behind me. The strange knob makes me pause and inspect it. Opening the door again, I see she had someone change it so the lock is on the outside.
Son of a fucking bitch. She’s going to lock me in my room!
Dropping my stuff on my bed, I rush to the windows to find them screwed shut.
No, no, no, no, nononononono! Ihaveto get back to Adriel.But how?
Chapter 30
Adriel's POV
My eyes open slowly, the scratchy lids rubbing painfully against the dry eyes. It takes only a matter of a few seconds before the ache throughout my entire body rushes forward, like fire burning through my veins.
I cry out in pain, curling my body inward to try to hold it back.
It only grows in intensity, causing my vision to funnel and darken at the edges. Consciousness feels more like a fleeting object compared to my existence.
Small feet patter quickly on the earthen floor, pausing by my head. Delicate fingers scrape against my forehead as if they’re inspecting me for damage.
