“I think he’s from the Moorlands.”
“Makes sense. Moorlanders are strange people.”
My pulse hammers behind my eyes. I press both hands to my temples, hard, to make the pressure disappear. It doesn’t. I can’t breathe. I can’t fucking think. All these voices clashing inside my head.
Tom.
Where’s Tom?
His face is drained of color, the crackling fireplace reflecting in his eyes.
I’d give everything I have just to crawl inside his head right now. To see what’s running through his mind so I can explain, reassure him so he wouldn’t feel lost, or betrayed, or whatever storm is raging through him right now.
My Sapphire. Please look at me.
Someone bumps my shoulder. I turn and see Finn storming at Jay.
“Jay, you’re a fucking bully!”
Finn turns around, pointing a finger at everyone.
“Fuck you, fuck you, and fuck you. You’re all fucking cowards for letting this happen!”
Finn’s anger has been building for a long time. And there’s no greater anger than the kind born from heartbreak.
Then it all goes to hell in seconds.
Finn swings for Jay, Sergei moves fast, catching his arm, twisting until Finn screams.
Cheryl explodes. “Don’t you fucking dare touch my son! You’re fucking fired!”
“That’s not your call, Cheryl!”
Eli tries to break it up but takes an elbow to the ribs, stumbling into the liquor cabinet. Glass and bottles crash everywhere.
“DAD, I HATE YOU!” Joan throws herself on Jay’s back.
Luca tries to get her off, but Janice steps in, slapping Joan with a flat palm in the face.
“Ungrateful brat,” she hisses.
Calvin loses it and spits out a string of insults at Janice as he lifts Joan away from her stepmother.
Joan thrashes in Calvin’s arms, screaming and clawing around.
Cheryl comes for Janice; Mary’s screaming too.
Effy, where is Effy?
I watch her disappear into the hallway like a ghost that was never here.
That’s when I realize I can’t save her from this place. Sheisthis place and she doesn’t want to be saved.
I exchange looks with Calvin. One nod, still holding Joan in his arms. That nod says, you take him, I protect her.
“Avalon,” he shouts at me.
In the chaos, I reach for Tom’s hand. We push through the people fighting. We need to get the hell out of here.
