Page 122 of Jaded Princess
The answer was in his gaze. “Theo,no.You can’t keep killing.”
“I’ll do what I have to to get you out of this.”
His attention tore over my shoulder. “Take her. Now.”
I spun, denial already on my lips, but the determination stuck when I saw who it was.
“Kai,” I said. A phantom necklace weighed heavy against my collarbone and the repercussions it caused. While Kai wasn’t responsible, he was a conduit, but in this moment I couldn’t reconcile the two—it was too confusing. I swayed on my feet.
“You’re a cat’s incarnate, Scar. You really are. Come on.”
“I can’t—”
“Youcan,” Theo said at the same time Kai yelled, “Let’s go!”
I turned back to Theo, feeling like I was being ripped away from something crucial, like I was leaving behind an appendage I’d have a horrific time living without.
“Go,” Theo said, then again as Kai pulled me, “Go.”
It killed me, but I went with Kai.
The two of us raced to the next block, then up a side street until we reached Kai’s apartment. He ushered me in and scanned the immediate surroundings before shutting us both in.
When we’d reached his apartment and Kai double-locked that door, I allowed myself the imaginative pleasure of leaping into Theo, my arms a vice against his neck, before we had to say what felt like our final good-bye.
“What will he do?” I asked Kai while standing in the middle of his living room. The shirt that wasn’t mine fell heavy and wet against my chest.
Kai ran into his bedroom without answering, though he didn’t have to. I heard the opening and shutting of doors, the sounds of efficiency, of continuing movement, while I remained bolted to the floor.
Gas, probably. Theo was going to light the car on fire, with all bodies in it, and make it appear like one of those bodies—the smaller one—was mine. DNA would eventually figure out it wasn’t me, but that could be weeks,months, from now. Plenty of time to get me out of here and keep me away. For good.
My parents. Verily.
Theo.
Kai appeared with fresh clothing, a hoodie and basketball shorts, and he motioned for me to strip. “Shower first, honey, then put these on.”
“I … is there time?”
“I can’t exactly transfer you anywhere with blood on your chest, so there will have to be. Hurry.”
“Am I going into witness protection?” My voice sounded shrill.
“Of a sort,” Kai replied, then pleaded with me to move. To keep going.
This was the end result of all my actions. Being ripped from my family for their safety, cutting off all contact with Theo and never seeing him, any of them, again. It wasn’t a stranger’s clothing making me feel heavy now. It was consequence.
And terror.
“Gordon isn’t going to stop, is he?” I asked Kai when I reached his open-air bathroom. “He’s going to keep coming after me, even while in jail.”
“He has people everywhere,” Kai agreed. “Even my department isn’t safe. No one can know where you are.”
“Ever again?” My lower lip trembled.
Kai slumped, for mere moments his hurriedness disappearing. He came before me, his hands warm on my bare shoulders. “Let’s take this one step at a time, okay? I know you’re scared. But all everyone who loves you wants is for you to be safe. And we’re gonna do that.”
“I can’t vanish,” I said. “Please don’t let me disappear like my sister.”