Page 24 of Bonded Ever After

I laugh, baffled by what she’s saying. “Ari, you have no idea what you’re saying. Neverwood is not like here. It’s a terrible place without anything close to people. No one could just stay there and never come back. It’s a death sentence.”

“Well, maybe Paradise Falls is a death sentence for you two. And if you have to choose a way to die, Neverwood would be better.” She’s completely serious, angry and agitated all at the same time.

“No,” I say, “there’s just no way.”

Her nostrils flare. “I’m taking a huge risk talking to you right now. A risk I’m an absolute fool to be taking. Listen to my advice, or you’ll regret it.”

Her idea is crazy. Just crazy. It’s like choosing to be lost at sea, or choosing to remain on an abandoned island full of killer animals. No one can have a real life if they remain in Neverwood, and certainly not with a baby.

“So, a girl who doesn’t seem to like me, or even care about me, is telling me to never come home. Yeah, okay, of course I’ll listen to you.”

“Don’t care about you?” she snaps, her face getting red. “Do you know how much I risked getting you that journal?”

My mouth falls open. Her eyes widen, like she can’t believe what she just said.

“You’re the one who hid my mom’s journal for me to find?”

She looks more nervous than angry now. “Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because… I knew you needed to be saved, but I didn’t want to end up like my mother. I wanted to give you a chance to save yourself without me getting involved, but you just couldn’t fucking do it.”

I don’t know what to say. “You know a lot more than you’re saying.”

Fear flashes across her face. “I do. And, Elora, you and Callum should not come back to Paradise Falls. This trip to Neverwood will be your last chance to escape before things go terribly wrong in your life. I’ve never been to Neverwood, but I know what waits for you here, and it’s worse.”

I’m so confused. “But I’m a Gold Keeper. One of the only two. They’d never kill me.”

“Some things are worse than death,” she whispers, then she spins on her heel but speaks over her shoulder. “Paradise Falls is not safe any longer, but if you’re too dumb to listen, that’s on you. I tried. My conscience is clear.”

I watch her stomp off into the woods, and touch my stomach. Staying in Neverwood sounds like a nightmare. Never being safe. Never having other people around us again.But what if Ari is right? What if staying here is worse?

Yet, I can’t think of what kind of evil could possibly make Paradise Falls that dangerous.

I need to talk to Callum.

TEN

Callum

Teth and I had snuck through the side entrance to the Council room and up the service stairs. We’d crawled into the little alcove overlooking the Council’s meeting room, then sat together in the near darkness, every light off other than the emergency one. This was our place. The one we’d been going to since we were kids. It was like a hideout from the world, and right now, that was exactly what we needed.

“What does it feel like to know your family is on the outside right now?” I ask.

He gives a small smile. “They’re away from the pollution. Away from the stuff giving them a cough and ruining their bodies. It’s all I ever wanted. I’m going to build them a whole life out there.”

“Yeah, you will,” I tell him, smiling. “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” he repeats.

We’re quiet for a minute. There’s not even the hum of the air conditioner to disturb our conversation, or even an awareness of others in the building. Security doesn’t keep a careful eye on things here, cockily believing that no one would be dumb enough to break into this building.

Teth clears his throat. “About Serrilll…” But then he says nothing more.

I shift, uncomfortable. “Yeah, so you two are…?”

“Yeah.”

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