Page 124 of The Darkest Chase

That tells me who has the real power here.

I might as well not be here.

As he draws closer, they lean in, speaking in whispers.

I don’t catch what they’re saying as they step inside—and as they do, Eustace pulls something out of her skirts, shielded by their movements.

…a camera?

Eustace must have realized I was watching them. She pauses, and while the camera vanishes into Xavier’s coat, she throws another terrible look over her shoulder.

Then she turns back, watching me like a hungry lizard the entire time, and pulls the double doors shut with an ominous thump!

I’m left alone in the silence of day with nothing but the cries of hunting hawks wheeling overhead.

14

DARK FOREST (MICAH)

Ihate crossing guard duty like hell.

No, not because I’m always risking getting cooked under the sun like an egg on a griddle.

I just feel like an absolute dumbass, standing in the middle of the street with my Officer Friendly smile plastered on while I wave kids through the crossing.

It always feels so out of character, even though it’s a comfortable façade. More of the act that lets me exist here, embedded in Redhaven like I truly belong.

I’d bribe Lucas Graves into taking my shift, but he’s got his hands full as a new dad, so here I am. Grinning like an idiot at a gaggle of elementary school kids at the light, their faces sticky with the ice cream pops they just bought from the truck on the corner.

“Skelly man’s so cool,” one boy whispers under his breath to his little co-conspirator.

That goofy grin on my face gets a little more genuine. After a lifetime of shitty nicknames and whispers, I don’t mind this one so much.

I’d rather look like a bone-white skeleton man to these kids than something repulsive.

Hell, maybe I’d mind it even less if I had kids of my own.

If I could look at these little rug rats and think, Yeah. That. I want that in my future, my own little mini-mes scampering around, making messes everywhere and looking up at me with those big, trusting googly eyes and calling me Daddy, believing there’s nothing in the world I can’t fix.

If I’m being honest, I’ve never given much thought to settling down.

I’m not sure what I’ll do once this case gets settled.

The idea of a wife, kids—am I too hollow for that?

Will I have enough soul left to spare after I’ve made Xavier and the Jacobins pay? And what woman would want an empty shell of a man?

I don’t know why I’m thinking this shit.

Only, I do.

I know every goddamned reason why.

Talia’s coming over tonight, and I’m already itching to get my hands on her.

It’s like thinking about her summons her when my phone vibrates.

I glance at the foot traffic, the few cars coming through, and retreat to the curb, watching the light the entire time even though my shift’s over in four minutes anyway. I still wait for every munchkin to get across before I read my screen.

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