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Authors: Natasha Knight
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said, veering off onto a side street. The sound of water grew louder as they walked toward the end of the long road where a large, sandy area led to the water’s edge.
“It’s more wild this time of year with the snow melt,” Jenna explained. “By summertime, you can swim in it.”
“Who uses the canoes?”
Several of them stood tethered to posts near the water’s edge. The fence that she had thought circled the town didn’t seem to circle it at all because there wasn’t one beyond the river, a natural barrier, which led to the ridge. She could climb it, cross to the other side. It was the same in some other parts of the town, where the mountain was too steep to climb. She wouldn’t even need to cross the river, although it would be the easier of the two options. But then what? How would she get back to Magnus on foot?
The sound she heard next drew her attention. It was loud, that of a door opening, a large door. She turned, as did Jenna.
“Uh-oh,” Jenna said.
“What?”
“I was hoping we wouldn’t get caught, but we’ve just been found out,” she said, waving to the two men who stood arguing next to the huge garage door back along the start of the street.
“Who are they?”
“Shane and Marc. Arguing again,” she said, shaking her head.
“You know them how?” Livvie asked, her attention more focused on what she glimpsed behind the door than on the men outside. She stood still, watching.
“Shane’s my husband. Marc was…an old friend.”
“Oh.” Livvie wasn’t paying attention. The old model Hunter-Killer aircraft she glimpsed ignited a memory and, more important, gave her one more option. She knew her escape would come by water or air, not land.
The men stopped talking and their attention was suddenly on her and Jenna. Livvie recognized Shane from the first night. “Shane’s the one with the dark hair, right?” she asked Jenna, turning to face her friend, not wanting the men to know she’d seen what she’d seen.
“Yes,” Jenna said.
Shane nodded an acknowledgement to her and Marc just stared at them.
“I think Hayden’s going to know you’ve been out of the house,” Jenna said, looking at Livvie.
“I told you I don’t care,” Livvie answered. “Show me your kitchen and put me to work.”
* * *
Livvie switched the shower off and reached for her towel. She’d spent the day in the kitchen with Jenna assembling pies and one was baking downstairs in the kitchen now. The scent of it filled the small house. Jenna had suggested using it as a peace offering for Hayden for when he found out where she’d been all day. Jenna herself had taken one home for Shane, knowing she’d also be in some trouble since he obviously knew she’d taken Livvie out without permission.
She wrapped the towel around herself and let her hair out of its clip, wondering how they’d manage to get their hands on one of Magnus’ older jets. She’d seen them in the museum at Magnus One, had even been inside the cockpit. It was different than her modern airship, but she could manage it. She considered when she should go investigate things further, find out how easy or difficult it would be to get to the jet. She’d seen a makeshift runway, but wasn’t sure it would be enough to get the old ship off the ground.
But all she’d need to do would be to get the thing up in the air and away from the resistance fighters. She’d managed to break the lock on the window downstairs so although it still looked like it was locked, if Hayden tried it, he’d figure out pretty quickly what she’d been up to. But if she could get out within the next few days, it wouldn’t matter. She’d get to Katie and then figure things out.
“Pie smells good,” Hayden said.
Livvie jumped. “Christ, you scared me!” she said, finding Hayden lying against the headboard, one arm tucked behind his head, legs stretched out. He wore jeans, but that was all and Livvie couldn’t help it when her eyes wandered the
“It’s more wild this time of year with the snow melt,” Jenna explained. “By summertime, you can swim in it.”
“Who uses the canoes?”
Several of them stood tethered to posts near the water’s edge. The fence that she had thought circled the town didn’t seem to circle it at all because there wasn’t one beyond the river, a natural barrier, which led to the ridge. She could climb it, cross to the other side. It was the same in some other parts of the town, where the mountain was too steep to climb. She wouldn’t even need to cross the river, although it would be the easier of the two options. But then what? How would she get back to Magnus on foot?
The sound she heard next drew her attention. It was loud, that of a door opening, a large door. She turned, as did Jenna.
“Uh-oh,” Jenna said.
“What?”
“I was hoping we wouldn’t get caught, but we’ve just been found out,” she said, waving to the two men who stood arguing next to the huge garage door back along the start of the street.
“Who are they?”
“Shane and Marc. Arguing again,” she said, shaking her head.
“You know them how?” Livvie asked, her attention more focused on what she glimpsed behind the door than on the men outside. She stood still, watching.
“Shane’s my husband. Marc was…an old friend.”
“Oh.” Livvie wasn’t paying attention. The old model Hunter-Killer aircraft she glimpsed ignited a memory and, more important, gave her one more option. She knew her escape would come by water or air, not land.
The men stopped talking and their attention was suddenly on her and Jenna. Livvie recognized Shane from the first night. “Shane’s the one with the dark hair, right?” she asked Jenna, turning to face her friend, not wanting the men to know she’d seen what she’d seen.
“Yes,” Jenna said.
Shane nodded an acknowledgement to her and Marc just stared at them.
“I think Hayden’s going to know you’ve been out of the house,” Jenna said, looking at Livvie.
“I told you I don’t care,” Livvie answered. “Show me your kitchen and put me to work.”
* * *
Livvie switched the shower off and reached for her towel. She’d spent the day in the kitchen with Jenna assembling pies and one was baking downstairs in the kitchen now. The scent of it filled the small house. Jenna had suggested using it as a peace offering for Hayden for when he found out where she’d been all day. Jenna herself had taken one home for Shane, knowing she’d also be in some trouble since he obviously knew she’d taken Livvie out without permission.
She wrapped the towel around herself and let her hair out of its clip, wondering how they’d manage to get their hands on one of Magnus’ older jets. She’d seen them in the museum at Magnus One, had even been inside the cockpit. It was different than her modern airship, but she could manage it. She considered when she should go investigate things further, find out how easy or difficult it would be to get to the jet. She’d seen a makeshift runway, but wasn’t sure it would be enough to get the old ship off the ground.
But all she’d need to do would be to get the thing up in the air and away from the resistance fighters. She’d managed to break the lock on the window downstairs so although it still looked like it was locked, if Hayden tried it, he’d figure out pretty quickly what she’d been up to. But if she could get out within the next few days, it wouldn’t matter. She’d get to Katie and then figure things out.
“Pie smells good,” Hayden said.
Livvie jumped. “Christ, you scared me!” she said, finding Hayden lying against the headboard, one arm tucked behind his head, legs stretched out. He wore jeans, but that was all and Livvie couldn’t help it when her eyes wandered the
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