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“Yes,” she says. “I’ll stay. I’ll misdirect them, but go.”
I know what they’ll do to Valery if we leave her behind, and part of me wants to go. The part that reels from her betrayal, that feels led around for months. But she’s made the same sacrifice that Enora would have made. That’s why they loved each other. I can’t blame her for being angry and lashing out. Haven’t I done the same? Haven’t I risked lives in the Coventry with my smart, unthinking mouth?
“No one gets left behind,” I say. “Jost, where’s the boat?”
“We circled the island looking for you. It’s on the northern side,” he says.
“The ship is sailing from the south, so she’s right. If we go now there might be enough time to get away,” I say. “Get it ready.”
“Ad,” Erik says in a deep voice, “there’s no way we can outrun that ship. Someone should stay behind. If you won’t let her, then I’ll do it.”
“I know you think you have debts to pay, but stop trying to prove yourself,” I snap. “I’m not letting any of you stay behind, especially not you.”
Behind us the warden’s house creaks, and a wall caves in, forcing Dante to drag Albert away from it. Dust from the plaster billows out around us.
“This is the first place they’ll come,” I say. “We shouldn’t wait here.”
Everyone scurries across the large concrete yard toward the prison, and the road that will lead us to the boat, but before I reach it, Erik’s hand grabs my wrist, stopping me.
“You have to get away, Adelice. They’re coming for you and Albert. I can’t let them take you,” he says.
“Why are you telling me this now? We can all go,” I say.
“No, we can’t,” he says. “Not if there’s a chance for you to escape. I can confuse them, lead them into the prison. We’ll play hide-and-seek. It’ll be fun.” He tries to shrug nonchalantly, to look charming and casual and carefree, but his shoulders pitch too high and there’s no sparkle in his eyes.
“I can’t let you do that,” I whisper, turning in to him.
“Yes, you can.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because we love each other,” he murmurs. “And we always knew this day would come.”
My lips close over his, sealing the truth of his statement. I linger in the kiss, knowing what I have to do and dreading it. His lips stay firm against mine and his hand stays clasped tight in mine. Our bodies aren’t fighting to press closer together. This kiss is gentle and full of promises that can never be fulfilled, and it leaves an ache consuming me. It’s the kiss we should have shared long ago but never made the time for, and now it’s too late. It’s more than goodbye—it’s regret.
Now. Only now, a tiny voice urges me.
So I kiss Erik. I kiss him goodbye. I kiss him for all the moments we will never have, and because I know I love him.
Because I know I’m leaving him.
FORTY-ONE
THE BREEZE OFF THE OCEAN GHOSTS THROUGH us. Its chill makes me shiver and Erik pulls away, rubbing my shoulders to warm me, both of us dazed enough to forget where we are for a moment.
Unfortunately, a moment is too long to waste.
“Ahh, young love,” purrs a voice. “Isn’t that sweet?”
We whirl toward the voice. Ahead of us, the others are frozen to the spot. No one tries to run. We’re all trying to figure out what the next move is.
“Not expecting us?” Kincaid asks. “We RSVP’d.”
“This is so embarrassing,” I say, twisting from Erik’s arms. “But we have a previous engagement.”
“Yes? That is a pity,” Kincaid says, snapping the fingers of his gloves and removing each in delicate order.
Approaching footsteps—many, many footsteps—draw my attention away. Even Kincaid turns, but his face doesn’t fall when he sees Cormac Patton approaching. My own sags in frustration. We’re seriously outnumbered.
