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When I lean my head on Danny’s shoulder, he kisses my forehead tenderly. He’s still so loving, even when in pain. I know Rory isn’t one for giving grace to those like Arabella, whom he considers undeserving, but still. I can’t help but feel awful for her.
Go to bed an innocent. Wake up a hate figure.
I’m still idly stroking Danny’s injured wrist, allowing the serenity of our haven to wash over me. Touching and kissing. It’s a small, darling miracle, never to be taken for granted.
And then something amazing happens.
Something that jolts me away from Danny. Something that yanks me to my feet, heart pounding.
Rory instantly stands with me, looking alarmed. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I manage through stunned lips. But I’m staring at Rory with wide, wide eyes.
My pocket has started to buzz.
I wrap my fingers around the small vibrating egg, clutching it tight, and pull it out into the open of our classroom. Glancing down at it, I’d almost forgotten its purpose, that itcouldbuzz. From its lack of action, I’d assumed the castle had been out of range of the toy’s reception. I’d kept it in my pocket as a simple talisman, a reminder of Luke.
But no. It buzzes, quite merrily, inside my palm.
It buzzes so hard and fast that it spins around my palm like a compass dial.
“Little saint, that’s a…”
“It’s Luke,” I breathe, watching the egg pulsate across my hand. “He’s alive.”
“He gave you a…?”
“Yes.”
“Have you…usedit?”
I stare at Rory, noting the curiosity in his tone. “No.”
“Shame.”
Three pairs of eyes stare down at the aggressively vibrating love egg. It’s pulsing so hard it almost jumps out of my hand. God only knows what it would feel like inside.
“Well, it hasn’t been buzzing,” I point out stubbornly.
“It’s buzzing now.” Rory’s face shines with a kind of relief as he gazes down at it, but then his expression shifts into realization. “Wait.” He holds up a palm as he studies the toy. “It’s not just buzzing. It’s a message.”
Danny raises an eyebrow. “What?”
“Get me some paper,” Rory demands urgently, still fixated on the juddering egg. He’s concentrating hard. “It’s code — Morse code. My God, it’s actually Morse code.” He gives an astonished bark of laughter, taking the ream of paper Danny hands him and pulling out his pen to translate it. His brow is furrowed as he leans across the desk. “Bring it closer, little saint,” he requests, and I do so, keeping the egg secure within my cupped palms.
From the pattern, which I begin to predict, it seems to be the same message repeated over and over. It takes all my strength not to tilt my head and read Rory’s scribbles.
Eventually, with a half-smile he cannot hide, Rory spins his paper around. Danny leans across the back of his chair, his nose almost to the paper. At first, all I see are dots and dashes, but below it, in Rory’s short, neat handwriting, are the letters:F W L.
“‘F.W.L.’?” Danny asks.
“Fin with Luke,” I answer instantly, feeling a thrill rise inside me. If they’ve managed to meet up, if they’re together…
The frequency of the pulses begins to change, and this time the message is longer. Rory bows his head to the paper again, his hand in his hair, sketching out the series of dashes and dots. “Numbers,” he murmurs. “It’s an address.”
Danny tilts his head to the paper, looking fascinated. “I guess I must have missed the lesson on code.”
“It’s a natural part of Luke’s training. Fin learned it for Scouts, and I was in Cadets.”
