AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I got all your personal belongings out of David’s car before we left Charlotte.”
“Why Durham?”
He hesitated. “I want to talk to Myra and especially her boyfriend. David wouldn’t have mentioned him for nothing.”
“Oh.” After my encounter with Myra yesterday morning, I wasn’t sure how well she’d take it if I showed up at her doorstep with Collin in tow. But Collin was right. David’s message had to mean that Steven must know something. Had Myra told Steven anything about the curse? Had he sold me out?
“I called the number on the phone while you were sleeping and arranged the meeting for tomorrow night at eleven. They agreed to give me the spear, but not the sword. But I want to know what these people know about us and how they found out. We need to figure out a way to get the three of us out of this alive and unharmed, so the more we know going in, the better.”
“The three of us?”
He nodded, looking solemn. “I promised to help save him, and I intend to make good on my word. Wewillget him back, Ellie.”
I couldn’t answer without breaking down again. Instead, I looked at the clock on the dashboard. It was close to two o’clock. It was hard to believe that so little time had passed since David and I first arrived in Charlotte. “So, what’s your plan?”
“Let’s go shower, change clothes again, and try to set up meetings with the both of them for this afternoon. Then we’ll head back to the Outer Banks. You need the ocean.”
I couldn’t argue with him.
“I considered driving straight to the shore, but we really need to talk to Myra and her boyfriend in person. I’m pretty good at reading people. I think I’ll be able to tell if he’s lying.” His eyes hardened. “And if he is, I’m going to find out the truth.”
I couldn’t stomach the thought of Steven betraying me, but at this point I could count the people I trusted on one hand. “It’s a good plan.”
He wove his fingers through mine. “Do you know where a spare key to the house is? I can pick the lock if you don’t.”
“I don’t think he has one.”
“Wait here while I take care of it and I’ll come back to get you.”
He was out the door before I could answer.
My eyelids felt heavy again and I let them close for a moment before jerking them open. I didn’t have time to sleep. We needed to get this information. Now. I couldn’t leave David with those people. What were they doing to him?
Tears squeezed through the corners of my eyes and Collin’s voice surprised me.
“I’m going to carry you inside.”
I tried to lift my forehead so I could look him in the eye. “I can walk.”
“I know you can, Ellie.” But he scooped me up anyway and carried me into the house, setting me down on the sofa. “You really need to shower. Do you think you can stand for long enough?” He sounded worried.
“Yeah.” I sank back into the cushions, letting my eyes close again. “Just give me a minute.” But when I opened my eyes, it was dark and the air around me was cold.
I was really dead this time.
I bolted upright, screaming Collin’s name as hysteria swamped me. He pulled me into his arms in an instant.
“Ellie. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
“It was dark and cold,” I forced out between sobs. “I thought I was dead again.”
“No. It’s nighttime. You’re safe.” He held me for a long time until I calmed down, and then he unwrapped his arms from me and slid off the bed. Seconds later a light turned on in David’s bathroom and Collin cracked the door before coming back and sitting next to me.
I was in David’s house. On his bed with Collin.
This was so wrong.
“I thought we were going to Durham,” I said, confused.
