Page 79 of Crown of Death

“Where will I go?” I ask in a whisper. “I can’t stay here. I will have to tell everyone something. Give them some reason why I won’t see them for such a long time. But I do have to gosomewhere.”

Cyrus stands, and I can nearly see the weight upon his shoulders. “That will become very clear once the end of the month has arrived.” He goes to stand in the doorway and looks back. “Logan, are you sure you still wish to wait so long? The uncertainty could be over in fourdays.”

My chest aches. Splinters at the look in hiseyes.

“I need to say goodbye,” I say quietly. And I hate that I can’t give him what hewants.

Cyrus only nods, and walks out of the room, as if it hurts too much tostay.

I look back down at mylist.

I need to leave for ayear.

Where I’m going, no one will say. My future is uncertain. But the lie isnot.

And there, working on the list, on all the things I need to wrap up, I come up with the lie, with the plan, that I will tell everyone I careabout.

Chapter 18

We’re comingover on Sunday, I text my mom thatnight.

I tell Cyrus to get ready, tell him to play along with everything I say when we go over, and heagrees.

All the little pieces I plan out, crafting my lie so intricately that no one can question it. So it looks so solid and perfect that they’ll believe it and just be happy forme.

On Sunday, I grab the grocery bag and Cyrus and I head out to hiscar.

“What’s in there?” he asks, nodding his head at the bag as he pulls onto theroad.

“Mom asked me to bring a dessert,” I say, looking down at the box of cookies. “Which is funny, because she knows I can’t cook. I think it was a little bit of payback for putting her off for solong.”

He looks over at me, and it’s there, more intense than usual. Like he’s searching for answers on myface.

We drive across Greendale, and head into Cherico. I guide Cyrus through the main roads, and then the turn-off that cuts toward ourneighborhood.

“I’m excited to meet them, your parents,” Cyrus says as we turn onto my street. “I may not have much good to say about your biological mother, but she did right, doing what she did. Making that sacrifice. Despite the hardships you’ve had the last few years, you seem to love yourfamily.”

He parks in front of the house. And I feel my heartswell.

He’sright.

I did have a good life. A goodfamily.

I do lovethem.

So I have to do this. And I have to protectthem.

“Are you ready?” he says, looking atme.

I stare into his beautiful face. So beautiful he isn’t human. Heisn’t.

It’s a face chiseled by time and trial and war anddeath.

But it’s stillbeautiful.

I find myself leaning in just slightly. But he blinks, and shifts back ever soslightly.

“Yeah,” Isay.