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Alex yawns, scratching his shaking head. “What do you mean?”
“He’s dangerous,” I tell him.
“More than our fearless leader?” Alex laughs.
“I honestly don’t know, and I mean that,” I say. “That’s not an exaggeration or a petty attempt at drama. He’s tried to kill my family more than once. Succeeded with my sister.”
“Why the fuck would the boys ask you to get him?” Alex asks. “Why are you listening to seven-year-olds summon that kind of guy? It’s dangerous enough down here.”
I don’t have an answer, not one that would make sense to him. They’ve seen something, but even though I’ve put some trust in Alex, that’s not a secret I’m willing to tell.
“They’re young,” I offer. “He’s like family to them, and he was in power on the first boat, the Thalassa. They’re not totally off-base. He would spare me… us. And he’s got things your Eminent wants. I think it’s our only chance to get out of here alive. And I do mean all of us.” I rub my hands down my face until I wrap my palms around my throat, feeling my quickened pulse. “The devil you know and all that.”
“This place… everything that’s happened. It’s a lot of change for little kids,” he agrees. Alex curls to his side, pulling a pillow between us. I hope the barrier is a sign for me to stay in the warm bed. We love our spouses, but it’s not a bad idea considering there’s a connection between us. “The speaker said you lived on an island between the storms.”
“Yes,” I say, smiling at the memory.
“That must have been nice,” he muses, his voice drifting off. “Sunshine. Beach. There are still places like that out there?”
“Yes, there are, but no matter how beautiful something is, there are dangers,” I say. “We didn’t have enough medical supplies, and some of us got sick.”
Alex sighs, and he adjusts the pillow under his head. “Something to look forward to either way,” he says.
“Goodnight,” I say, wanting to end the inquiry.
“Are you afraid of him?”
I press my lips together and bite on them, worried that my every fear may spill out and then somehow come true.
“Rowan?” Alex presses.
“I’m afraid for my family,” I admit. “I want to see them. Tell them I’m okay. I meant it when I said Dean wants me. If he gets that, I think everything else doesn’t matter to him.”
“That’s a serious stalker,” Alex says under his breath. “Would he hurt your family? You said your sister…”
“I have something he needs. Something he’ll keep them alive for, as leverage.”
“Fuck,” Alex breathes. I’m glad when he rolls away, his shoulders relaxing in the dark even though my answers are vague and confusing. The late hour gives me the benefit of keeping my explanations aloof. A few more hours of sleep sounds good to me, too, and I put my back to him, hoping Dean’s face stays out of my memory for the rest of the night.
“Goodnight,” he yawns. “Rowan?”
“Yeah?”
“Just sleep in the bed. The couch is torture.”
“Alright.” He doesn’t need to try hard to convince me, and we’re both asleep in minutes.
I’m listening to Alex rustle around the room, but I refuse to open my eyes. Sleep feels too good, and exhaustion weighs down on me, heavy and unrelenting. I’m at the point in the morning where I could rest for another few hours, but shouldn’t.
“What time is it?” I slur, rolling over and curling into a ball, hoping it’s still too early to get up. There’s a stirring in my belly, an unease that doesn’t feel right. “Alex?”
Alex doesn’t answer, but when I hear other footsteps around the bed, my eyes fly open. It’s BeLew standing on my side, staring down at me with wide eyes.
I’m not in my bed, and I realize there’s a hard floor against my hip. I reach for them, crying out their name. “BeLew!”
I’m so happy to see them and can’t believe my eyes.
When I hit the floor, sliding through the boys instead of holding them in my arms, I growl in frustration.
