Page 75 of Storm Caller

So I keep running until I burst through Amery’s doors. The grand hall is empty, and I stare about the space, my knees weak. I was sure I’d never see these walls again.

I head for the stairwell that leads to the lower level. My heart races as I near my dorm room. My fingers are shaking as I punch in the code. The door opens to reveal Rook pacing back and forth.

He stops mid-step. He looks exhausted. Eyes bloodshot. Hair hanging limp.

“Poet,” he whispers. “I thought . . . I . . . They wouldn’t tell me anything . . .”

“Rook,” I gasp, tripping toward him. “I love you, too.”

25

Rook crosses the room in a flash and hurls himself at me, wrapping me in a crushing hug.

“Fuck,” he breathes, cupping the back of my head and burying his face into the curve of my shoulder. “I was so scared.”

He’s shaking, trembling. His hand slides over my hair and down my back, up and down, like he’s checking to make sure I’m really here. We cling to each other as our knees give out and we sink to the floor in a tangle of limbs. He takes my face in his hands and kisses away the tears on my cheeks before his lips meet mine. We kiss and kiss as we try to get closer. I want to step inside of him. I want to hang on to him forever.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” I whisper. “I thought I’d never . . .” I can barely speak. My chest is so tight that it feels like I’ve been cinched by a thousand rubber bands.

“Did they hurt you?” he asks, fire flashing in his gaze.

“No, not really,” I say. “I was fine. They didn’t touch me, just left me alone. Not nearly as bad as I would have imagined.”

“Good,” he replies. “Or I’d have to kill someone.”

Then he’s kissing me again. I tug on the hem of his shirt, lifting it to slide my hands against his warm stomach and chest. I want his skin against mine. His weight pressing me into a mattress.

“Rook,” I whisper. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”

He groans and pulls me closer, kissing me fiercely.

“Knock, knock,” comes a voice that yanks us both apart.

“Oh!” says another voice. “Sorry!”

I’m dizzy and breathless, but then I realize Domino and Journey are standing in the doorway, and I can’t even be upset about the interruption. I’m on my feet, throwing myself into their arms as we hug and cry.

“We’ve been so worried,” Domino says, clinging to me.

“I know. I’m sorry. So many things happened, and I’m still trying to make sense of it.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Journey says. “We can go.” She waves her hand in front of her nose. “Kind of smells like you need a shower anyway.”

A sobbing laugh cracks out of me. I missed her habit of saying whatever’s on her mind. “Don’t you dare leave,” I say. “I’m so happy to see you.”

I pull them into the room, and they settle on one of the empty beds, leaning their backs against the wall, their feet dangling over the edge.

“What happened that night?” Domino asks, her forehead furrowed with concern. “Why did Trinity say that about you? And where did you go?”

I share a glance with Rook. They’re my friends, and I hate the idea of lying to them, but the truth could get all of us killed.

I plop into a desk chair, then offer an abbreviated version of events. The story that everyone will see on the surface. A sort of half-truth.

Trinity thought she saw something during our test that day, but she was mistaken. Scared for my life, I ran. Rook took me to the Wastes, where we hid out for a while.

“Why did you come back?” Journey asks.

“Because I couldn’t stay out there,” I say, guilt winding in my stomach as I pad my lies. “It was awful.” I can’t meet Rook’s gaze as I spin tales of how unbearable his home was.