Her voice dropped.
“I’m just so goddamn lonely, Kieran.”
I leaned back into the wall of the building and watched her.
“I shouldn’t have left you, Seph.” I said finally, surprised at how true the words felt. “I wish I had gotten you out sooner. And I’m sorry.”
I’m sorry.
Tears glistened in her eyes. She closed them, like she was forcing them back.
“Thank you for saying that.”
“You’re welcome.” I said finally.
And together, on that last quiet night, we watched the sun set.
Chapter 39
Seph
When I woke the next morning, a small gift lay at the end of my bed, like someone had slipped in during the early hours. It was wrapped in black silk, without a note or card attached to it.
I picked it up slowly and unwrapped it.
Inside, shimmering with onyx gems in the hilt was a stunningly crafted dagger.
The balance was perfect.
Of course it was.
Dev had once told me a blade should feel like an extension of your hand.
I dressed quickly in my fighting gear. I ran out of the room, down the path towards the garages.
But just as I got there, I saw the cars leaving the lot. One, then two. Then more.
The last car disappeared through the gates.
They were gone.
I ran to Elliot’s office, only to crash into Jess in the hallway. In her hand she held a bottle of tequila, a couple of glasses and a wilted flower.
“Tequila?”
“Better than nothing. So, take a shot because I have a day planned you won’t want to miss.”
“Since when are you a birthday girl?”
“Since always! Birthdays are the shit. So, here’s my plan. We run the obstacle course downstairs until we puke. Then volcanic pools all afternoon. Then, we sneak into Elliot’s office and raid the place for movies. Hopefully something like The Shining or Scream. We load up on snacks and pretend everything is alright until they come back. What do you think?”
I smiled, unable to help myself. “Why the obstacle course?”
“Have you seen it? It’s like a goddamn treetop safari. Ropes, ziplines, nets, climbing walls. Plus, you know, you’re a little out of shape.”
“Hey!”
“Come on! It will be fun. We’ll do it slow. What do you think?”
