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As if confir the back and forth

"You didn’t help me," she whispers "You just killed everyone"

CHAPTER 8

AUDRA

My eyes burn in a way I don’t understand Then so insideNot because I have to be brave or strong or maintain any of the other aspects of my oath I physically shouldn’t be able to shed tears

The fact that I can means it really is too late My body’s absorbed the water I’ll be weakened for months

Just like my father was the day he died

My shoulders shake as a tremendous sob overcomes me I want to tear at my skin, scratch deep and hard, like that could somehow scrape away the water inside me But it doesn’t work that way I’ve suffered so ths not to tie myself to the earth But I never planned for this Never considered that joining the ould ive me water to revive me

Vane

My head snaps up, and I smear the traitorous tears aith my hands He’s balanced on the balls of his feet, ready to jump back

I can’t bla presence I was trained to present when his ether This is anothercomplication I’ll find the solution

I clearmy hair out of e back intoit behindthe fabric ofand steady "We need to talk"

"You think?" His pitch is an octave higher than I’m used to "Who are you--and what the hell do you mean, I just killed everyone?"

"Keep your voice down" I step toward him, but he jerks away

"Don’t co do You’re in my house"

"I know And if you don’t want your parents to find lares at me, clearly not happy I’ve made a valid point "Who are you?"

"My na for, Vane But we need to have this conversation somewhere private Will you come with me?"

Rebellion wars in his eyes And after the way I acted, I can’t bla

My head throbs froh I rub my temples and take a deep, slow breath as I study the lines of his face--a face I knoell I can recall every detail fro him look older Pained

I’ve been ordered to make him trust me, but in that moment I’m surprised to realize I want him to trust me

"Please, Vane I need you to come with me" My eyes hold his as I take a cautious step toward hiers brush down his arm He flinches but doesn’t pull away--even when I take his hand

His skin feels sle as they absorb his heat

Strange

It’s been years since I’ve touched anyone My body must not kno to respond

Vane stares at our hands, the fear in his face fading into uncertainty "Is it safe?"

"Completely"

"Is it far away?"

"We can walk there"

"And you pro"

His eyes challenge me Dare me to break my promise He doesn’t understand it’s part of h

I pull hi out that way?"

"I can’t exactly walk out the front door--especially in this" I point toearlier, when I was alone Now, in the light of his roo over rins and says, "Yeah, my mom definitely wouldn’t approve"

I drop his hand and fold otten how obnoxious he can be "Let’s go"

I leap through the ithout looking back It isn’t a far fall--the house only has one story--but there’s an unfaround

The water

I bitedeep breaths to remain calm as Vane heaves himself out theHe yelps as his arm catches the thorns of the pyracantha I rollacross the open lawn It’s the only part of the yard where the h for us to be seen, so we have to rove that borders the house on all sides

A soft Southerly revivesthe last of ht I carry from the water, but it eases my headache Vane matches er than I thought or I’m weaker than I feared, I can’t tell

Deeper and deeper we head into the trees The air is sith the aroma of their sticky fruit, and I can feel fallen dates squishing between ht is anything but silent, and all iant insects chirp and skitter around us This place is infested--not the kind of location I would’ve chosen for a home But my options were limited

A few minutes more and the pale walls of my shelter come into view