“And you’re welcome.”
He shoved the Hollow as hard as he could, sending the man rolling into the fire. There was no scream, no struggle. The Hollow’s brown eyes fluttered open, but he didn’t move to climb out of the blaze. Swallowing hard against an urge to be sick, Kaie shoved his way out of the burning building and back into the blessedly cold air of the night.
The only thing guiding Kaie as he hurried down the poorly-lit path was the rough description Vaughan gave him while they planned. The boy was a lot of things, some of them even useful, but this proved not to be one of those things. Counting steps was pointless. Vaughan’s strides were too short. Kaie knew that, but he couldn’t help ticking off the numbers anyway.
21 steps for Vaughan would translate into how many for him? 10? 15? Twice, he almost walked past the turn he was supposed to take. But he couldn’t stop. Numbers rattled around in his head, refusing to be silent.
Avoiding the increasing amount of traffic heading for East Field wasn’t easy, but it was far from the most difficult part of his night. No one was looking for bodies heading toward the mansion, and his new attire lent itself to hiding in the shadows. As long as he darted out of the light when he heard someone approaching, eyes glossed right past him.
It meant his feet got wet again. More wet. His toes went numb and his whole body was shaking long before he turned the right corner – at last – and found the stables where a wagon full of Hollows was waiting. Kaie took in a slow breath, trying to control his shivering and tried to make his face completely blank.
“I knew it.”
Kaie spun around, slipping in the slush. His frozen feet found nothing to grip and he headed down. He was caught before he landed. His relief at avoiding a drop into the slush was short-lived. Kissa was the one holding him up.
“The moment I heard about the fire, I knew it was you,” she said with a scowl.
“Congratulations. I’m sure you’ll get a fine pat on the head for catching me,” he sneered, tugging his arm out of her grasp. She didn’t try to hold him, which confused Kaie a little. Their last interaction was seared into his memory and he was fairly certain she needed to touch him to make him pass out. At least she seemed to. Without any Hollows around to grab him this time, he couldn’t understand why she would be willing to give up her ability to fight so easily.
“It’s not as comforting as you think,” she mused with the same scowl. “It means I’ve been in your head too much; that I know you too well. You and your great declarations of freedom. You are driven to big displays of defiance the way others are drawn to candy.”
He shrugged, taking a slow step backward. All for nothing, if she called out to anyone that might be around them, but he needed to try. If there was any chance of salvaging this plan, he would try. One death was more than he wanted, but Kaie wouldn’t hesitate to add another. He wasn’t going back with this girl to have his mind stolen all over again. “What can I say? Fire’s pretty.”
Kissa rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. “I’d say it’s going to get you killed, but I don’t imagine you’re going to live long enough for that.”
“My prospects are looking significantly slimmer, I admit.” He took another careful step back. It was risky. Without any feeling in his feet, Kaie couldn’t tell if he was stepping on solid ground or something that was going to trip him up again. But he kept going anyway. “Still, I think I’m going to surprise you.”
Kissa sighed and shook her head. Then her hand darted out. Kaie jerked backward instinctually, nearly falling again, keeping his head out of her reach. Except she wasn’t aiming for his head. Instead, she snagged a button on his new shirt and popped it open. Five more quickly followed. Before he knew what was happening, his shirt was undone.
“What, did you dress
He shoved the Hollow as hard as he could, sending the man rolling into the fire. There was no scream, no struggle. The Hollow’s brown eyes fluttered open, but he didn’t move to climb out of the blaze. Swallowing hard against an urge to be sick, Kaie shoved his way out of the burning building and back into the blessedly cold air of the night.
The only thing guiding Kaie as he hurried down the poorly-lit path was the rough description Vaughan gave him while they planned. The boy was a lot of things, some of them even useful, but this proved not to be one of those things. Counting steps was pointless. Vaughan’s strides were too short. Kaie knew that, but he couldn’t help ticking off the numbers anyway.
21 steps for Vaughan would translate into how many for him? 10? 15? Twice, he almost walked past the turn he was supposed to take. But he couldn’t stop. Numbers rattled around in his head, refusing to be silent.
Avoiding the increasing amount of traffic heading for East Field wasn’t easy, but it was far from the most difficult part of his night. No one was looking for bodies heading toward the mansion, and his new attire lent itself to hiding in the shadows. As long as he darted out of the light when he heard someone approaching, eyes glossed right past him.
It meant his feet got wet again. More wet. His toes went numb and his whole body was shaking long before he turned the right corner – at last – and found the stables where a wagon full of Hollows was waiting. Kaie took in a slow breath, trying to control his shivering and tried to make his face completely blank.
“I knew it.”
Kaie spun around, slipping in the slush. His frozen feet found nothing to grip and he headed down. He was caught before he landed. His relief at avoiding a drop into the slush was short-lived. Kissa was the one holding him up.
“The moment I heard about the fire, I knew it was you,” she said with a scowl.
“Congratulations. I’m sure you’ll get a fine pat on the head for catching me,” he sneered, tugging his arm out of her grasp. She didn’t try to hold him, which confused Kaie a little. Their last interaction was seared into his memory and he was fairly certain she needed to touch him to make him pass out. At least she seemed to. Without any Hollows around to grab him this time, he couldn’t understand why she would be willing to give up her ability to fight so easily.
“It’s not as comforting as you think,” she mused with the same scowl. “It means I’ve been in your head too much; that I know you too well. You and your great declarations of freedom. You are driven to big displays of defiance the way others are drawn to candy.”
He shrugged, taking a slow step backward. All for nothing, if she called out to anyone that might be around them, but he needed to try. If there was any chance of salvaging this plan, he would try. One death was more than he wanted, but Kaie wouldn’t hesitate to add another. He wasn’t going back with this girl to have his mind stolen all over again. “What can I say? Fire’s pretty.”
Kissa rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. “I’d say it’s going to get you killed, but I don’t imagine you’re going to live long enough for that.”
“My prospects are looking significantly slimmer, I admit.” He took another careful step back. It was risky. Without any feeling in his feet, Kaie couldn’t tell if he was stepping on solid ground or something that was going to trip him up again. But he kept going anyway. “Still, I think I’m going to surprise you.”
Kissa sighed and shook her head. Then her hand darted out. Kaie jerked backward instinctually, nearly falling again, keeping his head out of her reach. Except she wasn’t aiming for his head. Instead, she snagged a button on his new shirt and popped it open. Five more quickly followed. Before he knew what was happening, his shirt was undone.
“What, did you dress
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