Page 110 of The Light Within

“I was patiently waiting for you to stamp my dance card. Unfortunately, you didn’t even notice me until you were completely hammered.”

Elliot needed to redirect this conversation before it went off the rails. “Let’s rewind so I can get this straight. Madame Sinclair had you tailing us, but you’ve decided to… what, switch sides?”

“Not exactly. But I’ve gotta admit, for a group that spends most of their time throwing insults at each other, you’re surprisingly tight-knit. It made me feel lonely. Got me thinking I’d have way more fun on the inside.”

“What do you mean,not quite? Look, dude, just tell me what’s going on here.”

Malik started moving backwards. “Look out for a message tomorrow.”

“What?” Elliot snapped. “No, hold on. What do youmean?”

“If I say any more, I’m definitely gonna get lynched this time. But trust me, this will be easier. Just believe me, Elliot.”

There he went again, wielding Elliot’s name like he owned it. Elliot ground his jaw. He trusted this twat as much as he trusted a rattlesnake in his boot.

With one final, calculated smile, Malik turned and took off into the night.

Allowing himself to unleash a loud, frustrated sigh that filled the quiet garden, Elliot stared at the space where Malik had been moments ago. Elliot could chase him again, but he had a feeling he wouldn’t catch him this time.

He also had a feeling he’d be seeing him again soon.

He hated how he didn’t completely hate the idea.

twenty-five

Julien

It took three hours of brisk walking from the crash site to reach some semblance of civilisation. It took a further two hours to locate a rental car office.

The woman behind the counter gave them a horrified gasp when they staggered through the door. It might have had something to do with their bloodied clothes, or the thick layer of ash that still smothered their faces.

When Julien politely asked if she had any painkillers, she passed them wordlessly over the counter.

Though, shortly later, she was extremely reluctant to hand over the keys for the car Julien selected. Julien himself was reluctant to take the keys from her, because since when did he drive a Renault Clio?Sacrilège.

An attendant brought the car around for them. It was a good thing they didn’t still have possession of their two dead bodies, because the tiny boot wasn’t up to the job of housing even half of one.

Julien slid into the driver’s seat. He was already cramped as hell. The tacky plastic interior only added to the insult, and the faint odour of cheap air freshener almost made him gag. He opened his mouth—

“Don’t,” Cinn warned. “Just drive.”

Julien pulled out onto the road with a rough jerk, gritting his teeth at the Clio’s attempt at acceleration. “I could pedal faster than this,” he muttered.

And so began their very slow journey back to Talwacht. Although he originally intended to drive flat out, no stops, Julien’s eyes kept betrayinghim by fluttering shut. To avoid car crash part two, he pulled over to sleep, although the experience of trying to nap in the hire car was anything but refreshing.

It was mid-morning by the time they reached Darcy’s cottage, avoiding Cinn’s house, lest any more badly trained assassins pop up. They’d rung Darcy to forewarn her from a payphone before collecting the car. She’d been surprisingly sympathetic about Maz. But then, the carwasher daily ride to Auri.

Elliot’s motorcycle claimed its usual spot outside Darcy’s, frost spreading like cracks across its mirrors. When they reached the living room, it was as if they’d never left—Darcy was sprawled out on the worn armchair near the fireplace, one leg draped over the side, a book in hand. Elliot perched on the edge of the sofa, his hands extended towards the flames.

Darcy looked up from her book. “You two look like shit.”

“Thanks, Darce.”

She turned a page. “Let Cinn have the first shower, else you’ll steal all the hot water and his will be cold.”

“You know, I’m beginning to wonder why we came here.”

“Because you have literally nowhere else to go?”

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