Page 94 of Dead Wrong

The two of them disappeared into the building. Kaine gripped my shoulder gently, and I realized that my hands were clenched into fists at my side. “He’ll be fine,” Kaine said, “You can go with them if you want. I’m sure Wilhelm will make an exception for lovers.”

“No, it’s not—we’re not lovers,” I sputtered, face warming at the allegations. “Not anymore, I mean.”

“Ah, and you’re upset about that fact?” Kaine questioned.

“I’m not upset,” I argued, the high pitch of my voice in perfect juxtaposition. It wasn’t like that. I didn’t think I had some weird claim over Bastien. He was free to do what he wished. But this stupid tether I felt for him—the tugging at my chest whenever he left—was getting uncomfortable.

Kaine nodded slowly. “Right. Well, that’s none of my business. And if it were, I would have told you that boy is coming apart at the seams right now. And even if the history between you two is complicated, he’s got no one to lean on.”

The invisible tether hooked into my chest pulled taut at that as if reacting to Kaine’s words. It’s not that I didn’twantto comfort Bastien. I couldn’t imagine the rush of emotion he must be feeling right now. Paradise has shown him a world he never knew could exist. It must ache, knowing that this place was here while he suffered alone.

But I wasn’t exactly the best at comforting others. And there’s nothing I could offer him but a physical presence. A hand to hold. Would that be enough? He needed more. He needed someone who could care for him completely and who understood the pain he felt.

He deserved someone better than a selfish, arsehole-of-an-ex-boyfriend with holes in his brain. Someone who didn’t fear each memory that resurfaced and wasn’t forced to reconcile their own self-image a dozen times a day.

Bastien deserved better than me. But that fact did nothing to slacken the tug of the invisible line that drew me to him.

“Kaine!”

A familiar voice shook me from my daze as Azrael appeared at the end of the row of housing.

Kaine bolted from my side, running toward Azrael at full speed. The two collided with an embrace, laughing as Kaine lifted Azrael into the air and spun him around as if he weighed nothing. The two swatted at each other, speaking in a hushed tone as I approached slowly, not wanting to intrude on the moment of surprising affection.

Behind Azrael, figures began to flicker into existence as the crowd of Unseen allowed their magic to peel away. I recognized a few faces from the chateau, including the family with the younglings, who still clung to one of their fathers, and Eustace from the kitchens. But there were far more than just those that escaped Chateau Greene.

“Sorry we’re late,” I heard Azrael say. “We ran into some trouble on the road, so we had to take the long way around. They’re all exhausted.”

“What about you?” Kaine asked a twist of worry in his expression.

“Never been better,” Azrael replied with a grin, patting Kaine on the chest. “Can you see to them?”

Kaine nodded. “The support crew from camp has been making ready the housing. We’ll get them cleaned up and fed, and then we can discuss where to go from there.”

“Thank you.” Azrael pulled Kaine in close, resting his forehead against the shorter man’s. They closed their eyes, taking a moment to synchronize their breathing. It was an intimacy that forced me to look away lest I feel a voyeur.

When they pulled away, Kaine quickly addressed the crowd of Unseen. “Follow me, everyone. There’s warm beds and a good meal waiting for you all.”

There’s a murmur of relief through the group as they trudge after the blue-haired man, streaming into the entrance of the housing.

Azrael was looking at me, I realized, so I told him, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I feel the same,” he replied with a chuckle. “What happened to Bastien?”

“He’s with Wilhelm,” I explained, motioning back to the community hall. “They have a lot to talk about, I’m sure.”

Azrael nodded, scratching at the nape of his neck. “Aye. He’ll have a few choice words for me later, I’m sure. He’s been with the Rebellion for weeks, and I never told him about this place. Then again, I’d been sworn to secrecy, so only me and a handful of others knew it existed.”

And it dawned on me again that this wasn’t just Azrael, my friend, that I was speaking with. This was the leader of the Rebellion. It was amazing how much the same he seemed, even with that enormous burden on his shoulders.

“Come on,” Azrael said, motioning for me to follow him. “I’m starving, and I know a place down the way.”

I followed, hurrying to match his confident stride.

“Have you heard from my sister?” I asked as we went, weaving our way through the street.

“Lynette should be showing up soon. She insisted on traveling with a small company, as she had an errand to run before she joined us. Being the person she is, of course, she didn’t tell me what that errand was, so I couldn’t tell you how much longer she’ll be. But not to worry, she’s got a communicator that connects her directly to us, so I’m sure we’ll get an update soon.”

“How long has she been working with you?” I continued my questioning, looking to piece together some of the fragments of my understanding.

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