A Shade of Kiev 3(39)

Maybe we’ll be able to return Anna to her family after all.

“Rhys proposed to me last night,” Mona croaked.

That returned my attention to her.

“What?”

She nodded.

“If we are to escape, it has to be as soon as possible. Tonight.”

Tonight.

“How do you suggest we go about this?” I asked.

She chewed on her lower lip and began pacing the floor, rubbing her temples. When she turned to me again, it was with nervous anticipation.

“Go now and warn your siblings that we plan to leave two hours after midnight, tomorrow morning. Tell them to wait by the second largest ship in the port—The Journeyman, it’s called. A large dark brown ship. It’s moored right next to the Black Bell. I’m still not sure why you stole this immune, but since you seem to be bent on protecting her, bring her too. You’ll come down at the same time as your siblings. I’ll meet you there. And once we’re all together, I’ll break through all of our bonds at once.”

She reached up to kiss me once more before taking a step back.

“I need to go now. I’ve already been away too long. I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Please make sure that none of you are late.”

I nodded, although I hated that she had to leave me again so soon after I’d rediscovered her.

She vanished.

I looked over at Anna. She breathed out, clutching her stomach.

“Thank God,” she breathed.

I had no time to waste now.

“Anna, I need to go and find my siblings,” I said.

I pushed the cupboard back against the wall, concealing her in the small space once again.

“I’ll be back as soon as possible,” I whispered.

I rushed toward the door and, careful to lock it, began racing down the hallway up the staircase to my siblings’ quarters.

I barged through Helina’s door and was relieved to find both her and Erik sitting in the living room sipping on glasses of blood, deep in conversation. They looked up at me in alarm as I stormed into the room.

“Kiev?”

I explained everything as quickly as I could. They sat dumbstruck.

“Mona… Do you even trust her?” Erik asked. “What if this is all just a test—a trap to see if we’re loyal to them?”

“I trust Mona,” I said quickly. “I don’t have time to explain. You just need to trust me when I say that this isn’t some sort of test. This is real. And quite possible the first and last opportunity to escape this place you’ll have for the rest of your lives. I’m leaving with her tomorrow. It’s up to you if you want to come with us.”

There was a silence. They exchanged more worried glances.

“We’ll be there, Kiev,” Erik said. “I’m trusting you that this is worth the risk.”

I heaved a sigh. I’d been expecting it to take longer to convince them.

“Good. Now I have to return to Anna. Remember, whatever you do, do not be late. I’ll see you early tomorrow morning.”

I dashed out of the apartment and hurried back down the steps toward my chambers.

As I stepped down the last step leading to my floor, I found myself face to face with the last person on this island I needed to see right now. The ginger warlock, Efren.

“In a hurry, vampire?” he asked.

I brushed past him, but he reached out and gripped my arm.

With his other hand, he held up a clump of long ginger hair. He dropped it down on the floor in front of me.

“I should have had the sense to test her hair right at the beginning for traces of potion.”

I stood still, speechless. Although I didn’t let my face display even the slightest hint of emotion.

“And guess what I discovered? She had recently taken—or been given—some kind of memory-altering potion. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Hmm… Somehow, I just don’t believe you, Novalic. Nobody else on this island would have done this to my sister. I know them all too well. Of course, I can’t prove to Rhys that it was you who did this, but it doesn’t matter. Because I know it was you.”

I brushed past him, but as I turned my back on him, he reached out and grabbed my shoulder. As his fingers closed around it, an excruciating pain shot through my body. My legs gave way beneath me. I looked down in horror to see that he had paralyzed me. I couldn’t move them an inch.

“Don’t worry,” he hissed, bending down so that his face was barely an inch away from mine. “I’m not going to be the one to punish you and make you suffer. I’m going to leave that to someone more capable…”

He reached down and, as he touched my head, we vanished from the spot.