Page 147 of Swallow Your Sorries

It’s not glowing tonight with its thousands of candles but its dark walls are glittering in the moonlight, calling for me to enter and wait there where it’s safer fromotherwild animals. But why the hell would I want to finally uphold my end of the interlude in there?

A place that’s creeping with creatures.

A place Gant undoubtedly does a host of fucked up things like torturing Sylo, who I had yet to apologize to.

Why would I want to submit to him there?

Because it’s crawling with darkness.

Just like you’re crawling with desire. With the unknown.

The steps grow louder, but as I continue to listen, I realise it’s not human steps. It’s padding. Like an animal stalking me...

Petrified, I turn left, ready to bolt back to Maple House, but my foot catches on a tree root. I fall back, hard, my tailbone screaming as two glowing eyes hover over me.

They’re not an icy blue or coal black like it’d anticipate such a beast to have, but they’re just as terrifying despite their warm golden hue.

Zoi.

With the shadows encasing most of his face, he looks like a literal demon. A beast of the night, but then his snarl drops and suddenly I can’t see each of his pointed teeth. His brow smoothens, making his eyes look less crazed and more round and innocent. Then his breathing eases from hunting mode to playful panting, and he sits.

We stare at each other unmoving.

Is he waiting for Gant?

“Did Gant send you,” I whisper

I’ve never been around dogs before. I don’t know their cues, but Zoi nuzzles into my hand and lays his head on my chest, forcing me to lie flat on the ground.

“That’s not fair,” I breathe when I can’t get him to budge. “It’s cheating actually…”

Zoi lets out a little whimper.

Had I offended him? Tentatively, I stroke his furry head.

“Okay, maybe you decided to join in on the fun on your own?” I glance around the trees. “Is this where Bae hides you?”

Zoi barks at his owner’s name but quickly settles down again, his tail wagging back and forth.

“I hope not. I hope you run around and then sneak back to the dorms where it’s warm. Then again, you look like a wolf descendant. Made for the forest and the cold. I mean, I think all dogs are related to wolves, but you seem recently related.”

Why am I talking to a dog? Then again, Zoi seems to understand me because his golden eyes are boring into me, trying to communicate something I’m not picking up on. That’s when his snout nudges my gym bag.

Right.I had a piece of ribeye in there from the dinner Zedd had just made for Stassi.

I fish it out and toss it a few centimetres away to lure Zoi off of me. But I don’t make it to my knees before strong arms wrap around me. One around my neck, the other around my waist, suspending me off the floor and crushing me against a strong chest.

I want to fight him off and I want him to hold me.

I want to win and I want to lose.

I squirm and kick out of instinct, but Gant only squeezes me tighter, the pressure on my neck making me feel lightheaded.

“Why would you hide in the open?” Gant coos in my ear, carrying me towards the very place I’d finally decided to run towards.

The old greenhouse.

The door’s already open, waiting for us.

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