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I scribbled a note about it on a piece of paper and tacked it to the board Maybe India could be our first stop, if we ever figured out how to get out of Paris
For just a second, I pictured allowing o anywhere And, whispered a little voice in the back of my head, I’d really be part of their fa not to think about how badly I wanted that, but it was like any craving--the ot
Noical side But would it really be that much of a risk?
I scrubbed my hands over my face I couldn’t do this anymore today I had to at least try to sleep
I took out the brown contacts disguising my purple eyes and snuck into the dark bedroom
Jack hadthe blankets in to form precise corners, the pillow fluffed and centered Just as perfectly as he made our beds every day, like he washed every dish, like he patrolled the neighborhood for anything out of the ordinary on a down-to-the- was tidy and in its place, including hiht, sleeping Just like he was supposed to be, just like he was every night while I lay awake, staring at the ceiling Thinking, worrying, trying to shut offterrible things behindht when Jack stirred In the dilowed as he blinked once, twice His covers lifted, and heaenough for one person
I hesitated only a second before bypassing ratefully into his, ht, I didn’t have to stare at the ceiling long at all
The next , on the first day of the third week, I woke up still in Jack’s ar," he said sleepily, his hair ers through it
"Gooda little sleep or being reminded that, even if eren’t technically in a relationship, Jack really did care about erous, but all of a sudden, I knehat I had to do There was only one thing that o to the Saxons," I said
CHAPTER 2
My father must have had a jet on standby By early afternoon, just hours after I’d called him, Jack and I were at Heathrow Airport, andfrom more than the plane ride We dise for us on the tarmac
"Miss West, I presuave Jack a quick once-over, and I could see in his eyes that it wasn’t just the Saxons who disapproved of Jack running off with me Everyone orked for them was so loyal--what Jack had done was unthinkable
I glanced at Jack, who, for the first time, looked a little uncertain about this plan
A Keeper--which hat Jack and Stellan were to the Saxons and the Dauphins respectively--were more than employees A Keeper was a combination of security director, adviser, and personal assistant As close to a faet There were only two Keepers per family--one older and established, and one second-in-co to take over when the older Keeper could do longer do his jobor if anything happened to him That was Jack and Stellan Both Keepers did the jobs the family didn’t trust to anyone else When a family’s Keeper suddenly disappeared with one of those jobs--in this case, htly
Not toroh to warrant ter rule breakers Even though Jack and I should be safe on that front now, the pilot’s glare aze slid to e of plans You’ll beto the estate" He handed e yellow earphones "Please, Miss West, make yourself co the arround shrink away below We rose quickly over fields of green and yelloard the city of London, which grew closer by the h its center like Paris, London looked newer andskyscrapers, wider streets, bigger boats sailing down the wide river The city stretched away as far as I could see
We zipped over squares of bright green parks, a white Ferris wheel that looked ser--"That’s the London Eye," caht out of a Dickens novel--"Tower Bridge," Jack said as it hinged open from the center to let a cruise ship pass beneath
Paris had co in this new city was more of a shock toBen, Parliament, the British Museum, all names I’d heard a thousand tis was touring each new city we lived in And then I remembered with a start that she’d lived in London, too This here she’d met my dad
After what seemed like no time, we dropped onto a rooftop in the city’s center The rotors were still spinning when Jack swung open the door and helped er than I should have while I got o ofacross the landing pad My sister
I’d only met Lydia once, at the Eiffel Tower ball, where I first realized the Saxons were h, I’d taken every opportunity to look her up online The Saxons’ cover story for being so rich and well connected was that they were minor British royalty, and the tabloids reported on their exploits as such Lydia dragging her twin brother, Cole, away froht at a bar The two of the the christening of a new royal baby Every time I saw a picture of her, it seeer still