then my grandma Sofia countered, “Hopefully the IBSI doesn’t have any witches hanging around nearby who might close the portal in the meantime. That would delay things for us a lot.”
“That’s a good point,” Derek replied. “Maybe we should set up closer to the gate then, to keep an eye on it. Horatio?”
“Hm,” Horatio said, stroking his jaw. “Yes. That might be a better idea. Then we’ll have to stay alert for the others returning through it, so we don’t miss each other.”
Horatio transported us away from the cave and landed us in the treetops, almost directly above the portal. We tried to settle down and make ourselves somewhat comfortable as we waited, but I could hardly sit still for a moment.
Only a couple of hours ago, it had been Orlando occupying my mind, and I’d found it almost impossible to pry my thoughts from his kiss. Now, all that was practically forgotten. I was barely even aware of his presence a few feet away from me on the branch. Everyone surrounding me in the tree became invisible to me as those few seconds of my reunion with Lawrence played over and over in my mind like a broken record.
As lost as Lawrence seemed to me, I couldn’t shake the doubt that he might not be like his father. That the Lawrence I had spent time with in The Shade had been genuine. That he was not inherently evil, and if I could somehow get him to realize the harm the IBSI had perpetrated, the real truth about the organization and his father’s almost definite murder of his mother, I might get him to see the light, no matter how vigorously his mind had been programmed.
But if I was going to attempt this at all, I needed to find him before Lucas returned with an army… before the dragons arrived. I knew the chaos that would ensue. I would have no control over who got killed. Lawrence could easily be among the casualties.
“Are you okay?” A husky whisper came from my right. Orlando.
I focused my gaze on him. It was the first time I had looked him in the eye since he’d kissed me. I nodded slowly, even though the truth couldn’t be further.
He inched closer to me, looking genuinely apologetic. “Hey, I’m sorry, okay?” he breathed. “I took things too far. Way too far. I just thought for a moment… you were thinking the same thing and, hell, it’s been so damn long since I kissed a girl. And I… I’ve never kissed a girl quite like you.”
He glanced away, sealing his lips.
Now was not the time for Orlando to be talking to me about this. I was too overwhelmed with anxiety to focus on his words.
“It’s okay, Orlando,” I murmured. I cast my attention firmly away from him—to Horatio, who sat on the other end of the branch. The jinni’s head was panned downward as he kept a close eye on the portal. Orlando took the hint and backed away, giving me some much-appreciated space.
I realized as I watched the jinni how dry my throat was feeling. I reached into my backpack and grabbed my water. I downed the whole bottle in a matter of minutes, but still, the uncomfortable scratchy feeling at the back of my mouth didn’t subside. Not in the least.
I looked toward my mother and was about to ask her for some more water when my throat closed up. I began to choke.
Oh, no. No. Not again.
I began hacking as though I was trying to cough my organs out, and then came blood. Drops of blood, raining from my mouth onto my knees and open palms. As I continued coughing, I was expelling far too much blood for comfort.
Oh, God. I’m getting worse.
Orlando and my parents, who were nearest to me, hurried to stabilize me on the branch so that I would not slip as tremors claimed my body again. They lasted longer than ever before, each one more powerful, more violent. My skull banged against the branch. My teeth chattered. My extremities felt like ice cubes and tingled like they were being punctured by needles.
When the fit subsided, and I attempted to sit up slowly—Orlando and my parents still
“That’s a good point,” Derek replied. “Maybe we should set up closer to the gate then, to keep an eye on it. Horatio?”
“Hm,” Horatio said, stroking his jaw. “Yes. That might be a better idea. Then we’ll have to stay alert for the others returning through it, so we don’t miss each other.”
Horatio transported us away from the cave and landed us in the treetops, almost directly above the portal. We tried to settle down and make ourselves somewhat comfortable as we waited, but I could hardly sit still for a moment.
Only a couple of hours ago, it had been Orlando occupying my mind, and I’d found it almost impossible to pry my thoughts from his kiss. Now, all that was practically forgotten. I was barely even aware of his presence a few feet away from me on the branch. Everyone surrounding me in the tree became invisible to me as those few seconds of my reunion with Lawrence played over and over in my mind like a broken record.
As lost as Lawrence seemed to me, I couldn’t shake the doubt that he might not be like his father. That the Lawrence I had spent time with in The Shade had been genuine. That he was not inherently evil, and if I could somehow get him to realize the harm the IBSI had perpetrated, the real truth about the organization and his father’s almost definite murder of his mother, I might get him to see the light, no matter how vigorously his mind had been programmed.
But if I was going to attempt this at all, I needed to find him before Lucas returned with an army… before the dragons arrived. I knew the chaos that would ensue. I would have no control over who got killed. Lawrence could easily be among the casualties.
“Are you okay?” A husky whisper came from my right. Orlando.
I focused my gaze on him. It was the first time I had looked him in the eye since he’d kissed me. I nodded slowly, even though the truth couldn’t be further.
He inched closer to me, looking genuinely apologetic. “Hey, I’m sorry, okay?” he breathed. “I took things too far. Way too far. I just thought for a moment… you were thinking the same thing and, hell, it’s been so damn long since I kissed a girl. And I… I’ve never kissed a girl quite like you.”
He glanced away, sealing his lips.
Now was not the time for Orlando to be talking to me about this. I was too overwhelmed with anxiety to focus on his words.
“It’s okay, Orlando,” I murmured. I cast my attention firmly away from him—to Horatio, who sat on the other end of the branch. The jinni’s head was panned downward as he kept a close eye on the portal. Orlando took the hint and backed away, giving me some much-appreciated space.
I realized as I watched the jinni how dry my throat was feeling. I reached into my backpack and grabbed my water. I downed the whole bottle in a matter of minutes, but still, the uncomfortable scratchy feeling at the back of my mouth didn’t subside. Not in the least.
I looked toward my mother and was about to ask her for some more water when my throat closed up. I began to choke.
Oh, no. No. Not again.
I began hacking as though I was trying to cough my organs out, and then came blood. Drops of blood, raining from my mouth onto my knees and open palms. As I continued coughing, I was expelling far too much blood for comfort.
Oh, God. I’m getting worse.
Orlando and my parents, who were nearest to me, hurried to stabilize me on the branch so that I would not slip as tremors claimed my body again. They lasted longer than ever before, each one more powerful, more violent. My skull banged against the branch. My teeth chattered. My extremities felt like ice cubes and tingled like they were being punctured by needles.
When the fit subsided, and I attempted to sit up slowly—Orlando and my parents still
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