by Lola StVil
She laughs. “Hey, I wasn’t naïve. I was just...new to it all.”
“Same difference.” I grin.
“But we’re really okay?”
“We’re really okay.”
“You just looked so angry for a minute there,” she says.
“I am angry. But not with you. I’m angry with this stupid quest. At the thought of you risking your life again,” I say.
Another lie that’s a partial truth. I want to tell her the truth. That I’m so afraid of losing her one way or the other, but I don’t. It would be selfish of me to put that on her now.
“I’m not exactly thrilled about it myself, but I knew what I was taking on when I accepted the role of the Seeker,” she says.
“Did you? Really?” I say.
“Yeah. I think I did. But I guess one thing has changed,” she says. “Back then, I didn’t care whether I lived or died, because I felt like I had nothing to lose.”
“And now?”
She smiles warmly.
“And now I do,” she says simply.
I lean in, and my lips brush hers. I can taste the sweetness of her skin. She kisses me back, but she pulls away long before I’m ready for her to.
“We have to find some answers, Kane. Will you call Sadie? See if she knows anything?”
I know what she’s doing. She’s trying to push Sadie and me together, hoping I’ll start to forgive her. I should refuse, but I won’t. I’d never refuse her anything.
“Sure,” I agree.
I head for the porch. I need some air. I’ll call Sadie while I’m out there. I go down the steps and sit on the grass, my back against the porch. I take a moment to let the cool air wrap itself around me.
“What do you look so pleased about? We’re about to head to our deaths,” I hear Langston say to Saudia.
I didn’t notice them when I first came out, but I see them now. They sit on a checkered blanket on the grass, their backs to me.
“It’s just a good time for me. Tracey is finally clean. Like really clean, for the first time since I met her. And I’ve never felt more in love,” Saudia says.
I can hear the happiness in her voice. Langston sighs.
“God, listen to me going on about being in love. I’m so insensitive. I didn’t think, Langston, I’m sorry,” Saudia says.
Langston shakes her head.
“It’s fine. It’s not about Drew. Not really. It’s just…well... Perry and I might have kissed. And I feel guilty. Not because I kissed Perry. I feel guilty because I don’t feel guilty. Does that make sense?” Langston asks.
I’m doing it again, eavesdropping on gossip. Fucking hell. I might as well go order myself the Sex and the City box set and be done with it.
I pull my cell phone out and bring Sadie’s number up. I look at the screen for a second, wondering if I should change her name in my contacts from Sadie to Mom. I shake my head. Like that’s what’s important now.
I press call, and I wait for her to answer.
“Kane. Is everything okay?” she says as she takes my call.
“Yes. No. I don’t know,” I say.
I sigh.
“Let me start that again. We know what the next object is. And where to find it. Do you have any idea where the Vulture Valley is?”
The line goes silent for a second, and I think the call has dropped, but it hasn’t.
“You’re going to Vulture Valley?” Sadie asks, her voice so quiet I can barely hear her.
“Yup,” I say. “It just gets better, doesn’t it?”
“Oh, Kane…” she whispers.
“Look, I get it. It’s dangerous. Rah, rah, rah. But we’re kind of on a schedule here,” I say.
“Oh. Yes. Of course. I don’t know offhand but give me half an hour, and I’ll see what I can find out. I’ll meet you at the loft.”
She hangs up before I can tell her that a call will be sufficient.
I spend the next fifteen minutes just sitting there, trying not to think. Saudia and Langston are gone, so at least I’m not eavesdropping anymore. I need a moment to allow myself to wallow in self-pity and then put it aside. And that’s what I do.
I walk back into the lounge, where everyone has gathered again.
“Sadie is on her way over. She’s trying to find the location of the valley,” I say.
“Great,” Atlas says. “Thanks. Now, what did everyone find out?”
We sit together comparing notes on what we’ve all learned about Vulture Valley. The trouble is, it’s all just conjecture and hearsay. No one’s ever made it out of the place alive, so no one knows what we’ll have to face. And because each time a Seeker fails the place gets more desolate, who knows what new horrors might be lurking there.
But we do manage to put together some ideas, the things that all the people we’ve spoken to seem to believe.
Everyone is adamant that the valley is in three parts and of course it’s a no-fly zone (why do we always get sent to no-fly zones?), so we’ll have to walk through them all.
The first section is the only section we’re sure we have right. The rumor is, people have tried to enter Vulture Valley and have fled after a couple of steps, and those people all agree that the first section of the valley is a combination of dead leaves and sand. That doesn’t sound too bad in itself, but rumor has it there are creatures there that will awaken if a single sound is made. Lethal creatures that will tear us limb from limb. Dead leaves suddenly don’t sound so harmless.
The next section is rumored to be filled with some sort of fox-like creature. No one is quite sure what they do exactly, but the consensus is no one wants to meet one. Shocker.
The third section is even more shrouded in mystery. All we know is it’s some form of mental torture. Great.
“So basically,” Perry says when the discussion is done, “no one knows what we’re facing, other than that it’s all lethal. Which we pretty much knew anyway.”
“That about sums it up,” Sadie says as she walks in.
“Did you find out where the valley is located?” Atlas asks her.
“Not exactly. What I did find out is that we were wrong. About no one getting out of there alive. There’s a Shadow named Loom. Apparently, he’s walked the Vulture Valley and lived to tell the tale. You guys need to track him down. He might be able to shed some light on what exactly you’re facing. And he’ll be able to give you the coordinates of where the valley is located,” Sadie explains.
Atlas is already on her feet.
“Everyone splits up. Do whatever it takes to find this Loom guy,” she says.
Everyone starts to split off and leave. I have an idea of who will know where to find Loom, and I’m almost out the door when I hear Regal.
“Atlas? Can we talk before we leave?”
I know even before he’s finished the sentence that I’m going to do it again. I’m about to eavesdrop yet again. If he causes her any trouble, refusing to follow orders because he’s too focused on Quinn, I’ll step in and make him see reason.
I don’t like this new nosey side to myself at all, but in my defense, I never had a mother to tell me that you never hear anything good listening at doors. Something else I can blame Sadie for.
“I’ve been thinking. About what happened to Remy. And I know I was an ass to Quinn. I should have just been honest with her. But that doesn’t excuse what she did. I blame her one hundred percent for Remy’s death. But do you want to hear something fucked up?”
“Umm, sure,” Atlas responds.
I can tell by the tone of her voice that she wants to get on with the mission, but she’s too kind to brush Regal aside.
“If we could turn back time, I’d do it again. The kiss I mean. I don’t think I’d have the strength not to kiss you,” he says.
Fucking punk. Just when I was starting to think he wasn’t so bad after all.
“It was just a stupid kiss, Regal. That meant nothing,” Atlas says.
I smile despite myself.
&
nbsp; “Maybe for you it was. But not for me. I regret the circumstances, but I don’t regret kissing you. This whole thing taught me that life is short. And not being honest about your feelings has consequences. So, I just wanted you to know that I have feelings for you, Atlas,” he says.
“Is this some sort of a joke?” Atlas snaps. “You think that now is a good time to talk about this?”
“Not really, but as I said, life is short, and I don’t want to spend another minute lying to myself and pretending these feelings don’t exist. Atlas, I have feelings for you. Strong ones that won’t go away, and I think deep down there’s a part of you that feels the same way. I understand you’re with Kane, and I know you want to believe the best of him, but you’re good, and Kane isn’t. And the longer you spend with him, the more he’ll drag you down into the darkness with him,” Regal says.
“That’s not true,” Atlas says.
“Look, he’s done some good things for us; even I have to admit that. But those few good things don’t wipe the slate clean for all of the bad things he’s done. I know you think you love him, but the truth is, just because you think you should be with him doesn’t mean he’s right for you. Don’t let him extinguish your light,” Regal says.
I’ve heard enough. I can feel the anger inside of me pushing me past my breaking point. If I don’t move now, I will kill Regal, of that I have no doubt. And if I do that, then I’m just proving his point for him.
I barge out of the door and take to the air. I needed to go to Pest anyway, as he is the one person I can think of who will know where Loom is, but now, he’s the one person I can think of who might be able to calm me down.
The worst part about all of this is I didn’t wait to hear what Atlas said next. What if she thinks Regal is right?
No, that isn’t the worst part. The worst part is that I think Regal might be right. What if, instead of Atlas pulling me into the light, I pull her into my darkness?
I arrive at Pest’s place and barge in. Pest takes one look at me, and the sarcastic comment I know was coming at my grand entrance dies on his lips.
“What happened?” he asks.
I tell him what Regal said to Atlas. I pace the floor as I tell him how he’s trying to weasel his way in between us and how he said I’m not good enough for her.
When I’ve finished explaining, Pest is quiet for a second.
“You know when people get the angriest?” he says eventually.
“When some little shit is trying to steal their girlfriend?” I say.
“No,” Pest says. “It’s when someone touches a nerve. When they say something that the person already believes about themselves deep down.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I ask.
“Put it this way. Are you mad at Regal because of what he said, or are you mad at him because you think he might be right?”
“Oh, fuck off, Pest,” I say.
I storm back to the door. As I reach it, I wonder again how Pest knows me so well. And I think I owe him an answer.
“Both,” I shout as I leave.
Well, that did nothing to calm me down. In fact, it only irritated me even more. But I know I have to keep a lid on my temper. I have to be there to protect Atlas on this stupid mission. And I have to show her, and myself, that Regal is wrong. That I can turn the other cheek and not be confrontational.
With a bit of luck, Regal will get himself killed on the quest.
Oh fuck, the quest. I forgot to ask Pest if he knew anything about Loom. Once again, I let my anger cloud my judgment.
I have got to get a grip on myself. No more listening in on things I’m not meant to hear. And no more tantrums. That’s the promise I make to myself as I step back into the loft.
I pull my cell phone out. I’ll have to call Pest now. It’ll take too long to get there and back again. Sadie appears before I make the call.
“There you are. Roof. Now,” she says and then she disappears.
What the fuck?
I’m tempted to ignore her, but maybe if I can shout and scream at her for summoning me that way, I can release some of this pent-up rage.
I make my way to the roof.
“I don’t appreciate being summoned like that,” I snap. “You had no right to pluck me away from what I was doing like that.”
I notice Atlas standing beside her on the roof.
“I needed to talk to you both where no one else could hear us. I’m sorry,” she says.
I feel some of the self-righteous anger fade. Judging by what she’s said and her grave expression, we have more problems to deal with than couple woes.
“We have a big problem,” Sadie says.
“Well, it’s been a good three seconds since the last one, so that sounds about right,” I say.
Sadie ignores me and carries on.
“I didn’t say this at the Tamlo because it’s something I only want you two to hear. The poison that was used on Regal only works if there is a hair from the intended victim’s head in the original mixture,” she says.
Atlas and I look at each other, confused, and then back at Sadie.
She rolls her eyes.
“Do I have to spell it out for you both? Someone on the team is working with Quinn.”
Sadie’s words take a moment to sink in.
“You’re wrong. No one on the team would do that,” Atlas says, sure of it.
Wouldn’t they? I’m not so sure. If someone had said a couple of weeks ago that one of the team would betray the others, become the Keysu, and kill one of them, Atlas would have had the same reaction. I probably would have had that reaction myself, but now I don’t know.
“How else do you explain it then?” Sadie asks gently. “I know you don’t want to think any of your team is capable of such a thing, but you have to face the facts, Atlas.”
Atlas nods.
“I am facing the facts. And here are the facts as I see them. Quinn has admitted to us that her main plan is to turn everyone against me until I am all alone in this. Well, here’s a good way to do it, right? Make us all suspicious of each other.”
“But how else would she have gotten a hair off Regal’s head?” Sadie asks.
Atlas rolls her eyes.
“Well, isn’t it obvious? She could have walked right in and taken one herself. All she had to do was go into his room and find a stray hair on his pillow, or in his comb, or in one of a thousand places,” Atlas says.
Okay, she has a good point there. It’s not like only the team could have had access to a hair off Regal. Quinn lived here for long enough. She knows her way around the loft as well as any of us.
Maybe she even snuck in while we were all sleeping and plucked a hair right off his head. I decide against saying that out loud. It’ll only give Atlas something else to worry about.
“Maybe she crept in and cut off a hair while he was sleeping,” Atlas says.
Okay, so she’s already a step ahead of me here then.
“You could be right, Atlas. But, so could I. You need to be careful with who you trust,” Sadie says.
“I’m going to tell them,” Atlas announces.
“No, that’s not a good idea,” Sadie says.
“Well, I think it is. If you’re right, maybe someone will give themselves away. Or at the very least stop working with Quinn because we’re onto them. And if you’re wrong, which for the record, I think you are, then everyone will know to be a bit more vigilant,” Atlas says.
Sadie shakes her head.
“I’m the leader of this team, Sadie, and this decision is mine, not yours,” Atlas says firmly.
“What do you think, Kane?” Sadie demands.
I think I don’t particularly want to get in the middle of this.
“I think Atlas is right. She’s the leader, so it’s her decision,” I say.
Atlas throws me a grateful smile.
“And you also think none of the team would betray you all like this?” Sadie presses.
I think
of how much I used to hate them all. How I would have given anything to plant doubts like these in Atlas’s mind. And then I think of the way they come together on missions, how they have her back.
And I think of how they’ve started to accept me. Tentatively of course, but still. It’s time for me to meet them halfway.
“Maybe in the beginning, but not after what Quinn did to Remy,” I say.
Sadie glares at me. What did she expect? Me to take her side? Hardly likely at the best of times, but I genuinely think Atlas could be right about this.
Atlas doesn’t wait to finish the argument.
“I’m going to talk to the team,” she says.
I go to follow her. Sadie reaches out and grasps my arm. I frown, looking at her hand and then her face. She drops my arm like it’s burnt her.
“Sorry,” she says. “Look, I get why you’re taking Atlas’s side on this…”
“It’s not about taking sides,” I interrupt.
Sadie sighs.
“You’re supporting Atlas, and I get that. But, Kane, she is so blinded by the need to have the team stay together that she could be making a big mistake. I get why you didn’t say anything in front of me, but go after her now and try to stop her from making this public. At least for a while until she’s had a chance to do some investigating,” Sadie begs me.
I sigh. Is she right? Is my determination to support Atlas clouding my judgment? I don’t think it is. I don’t think any of them would work with Quinn. But it can’t hurt to have a conversation with Atlas before she tells the whole team.
“Whatever. I’ll talk to her,” I say to Sadie.
She nods gratefully as I walk towards the door.
“Kane, wait,” Sadie says.
I turn back, already dreading what she’s going to say. She’s going to try and make me forgive her again. Every time she pushes me to forgive her, all she does is push me further away, but I can’t tell her that. It would be too much like letting her in.
“Don’t let this come between you and Atlas. I don’t think telling the others is a good idea, but if she insists on it, support her. Whatever happens, don’t you walk away from her. Okay?”
“I intended to,” I say.
Sadie smiles.
“Good,” she says.
