Page 93 of Red

I rise up from the table, and so does Stark. He walks in front of me, past the table to Darwin, his body tall and rigid.

“Where would you like to talk?” I ask, keeping my eyes on Darwin. I don’t need him to spill any more of my blood.

“Let’s go find a seat somewhere more private. There’s even more I’d like to know.” Oliver walks along with Darwin as he guides us down a long hallway, the high ceilings continuing throughout the home. Stark walks behind me as we pass a few wooden doors, heading to a small sitting room surrounded by windows on three sides. A lit hearth along the far wall fills the space with a smoky scent.

Darwin looks over me at the rooms entrance. “Stark, you can go join everyone for dinner.”

Stark’s face is hard, his jaw locked, as his eyes stare down into Darwin’s. “It’s fine. I finished.”

“Go. I will be okay,” I say, trying to get his attention.

Darwin chuckles. “Listen to the girl, Stark.”

“Is there an issue? Stark, she’s more than safe with both of us. Please, go join the festivities.” Oliver moves to take a seat in the small room.

It’s going to get scorching in here. I can’t keep calm with Stark raging, even if no one else can see it in him.

When he doesn’t move, I go closer to him and rise up onto my tippy toes. “I’m not yours to protect. Go.” I want him to stay, but Otis warned me already. They want to hurt him, and Darwin seems to be the most eager.

Hard-lined from his jaw down, he turns around and walks out of the room.

“Aloka, dear, please, I do have to ask—living with the humans, were you nervous?” Oliver asks.

I take several deep breaths, reminding myself we’re not in danger. I tell my body that, too, except it lashes up my neck, “There were moments I was scared. I’d say seeing the gun room was at the top of nerve-racking. They have much more than I imagined.”

“Do you remember where this unit was?” Darwin asks.

“I do. I spent time memorizing the camp layout.”

“Brilliant.” Oliver smiles.

“We’re so grateful you were able to gather such intel,” Darwin says, sitting crossed-legged with a smug look.

“Excuse me?” I say to Darwin. How could he say that? The memory of the wounds on my back burns.

Cool down. I steady my breath.

“What’s the matter?” Oliver looks between us, but I keep an eye on Darwin the whole time. I’m not afraid of him—well, not completely. The heat in my chest fires out flames again, and I suck in a breath. I cannot turn and attack him.

“Oh, I just wanted to clarify on the gratefulness of the situation, as Darwin attempted to take my life the day after I got home.”

Darwin growls. “Business conducted within the Elders’ Chamber is a private matter. You’re expected to—” He rises, his stance wide, but Oliver rises between us.

“Aloka, I think you can go. I will fill in Darwin on your work.”

“Thank you,” I say, and leave the room.

I wander back to the dining room, but Stark is nowhere to be seen. He hasn’t talked to me all week, and he said we aren’t even friends. I don’t get why he’d get involved with Darwin, the man who thrives on other’s pain. My back tenses at the memory of the deep, blood-filled strokes across Stark’s stomach. I need air.

I find a door to the outside and walk down to a firepit, far from the side of the house. Mud on my shoes, I take a seat on a faded wooden chair and lean back. The trees shoot up into the sky, white clouds drifting overhead. If Darwin is close with Pratt’s cohort, why did he want to hurt me so bad? It’s not like every single one of them wanted to be my friend, but most were civil enough. Nikolas helped the situation, being so cheery. I missed him. Pratt spent so much time here. I glance over at the yard and house. He lived a life I only knew a glimpse of, and he should’ve told me more. I might’ve been jealous of a lot of it, but knowing he had a life outside of protecting me be would have been something.

“A red sky?” I say upward. The painting told nothing and so much at the same time. I missed the way Mom’s eyes looked when she turned. The green was bright like Stark’s blue.

“There you are.” Kiya comes and takes a seat across from me. Jocko follows, his face withdrawn as he looks out at the trees behind me.

“Where’s Stark?” I ask.

“He took off after you got dragged in for that meeting. I saw his black coat through the window,” Kiya says.