Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
ARCHER
She was gone when I arrived.
The greenhouse stood empty. It was dark and quiet, the scent of damp earth and leaves hanging in the air. A blanket lay discarded on the floor.
Shit.
I was three hours late. I’d known she wouldn’t still be there, but that didn’t stop the panic from detonating in my chest. My heart climbed into my throat as I tore down corridor after corridor, shoes hammering against the stone floors, breath burning my lungs.
There’s no fucking way I should have been in the student accommodation again. Not at this hour. If anyone caught me, I’d be done for.
But I didn’t care.
I needed to know her whereabouts. To make sure she was okay. I needed to explain why I’d stood her up.
As I approached her door, I knocked sharply and swung it open without waiting. Her and Adora jumped apart, both startled at my sudden presence. Relief crashed through me so hard my knees nearly buckled.
She looked so scared.
‘Iris?’ I breathed, relief filling my whole body. My very soul.
‘Where have you been? I’ve been so worried!’ She shouted, voice cracking on the last word.
And then she ran over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me into a kiss that stole what little breath I had left. I didn’t care that Adora was right behind her. I didn’t care about anything except that she was here. She was safe.
She pulled away from my body, just enough to look up into my eyes. Her lashes were damp.
‘What is it?’ she breathed.
I couldn’t answer. My eyes were probably manic, red rimmed. Iris’s skin was pale and clammy, her own eyes mirroring mine.
Behind her, Adora rose slowly from the bed. ‘What’s wrong? Where have you been?’
I was quiet for a moment, unable to speak. The words lodged somewhere between my lungs and my throat until I finally managed to croak out a whisper.
‘The Society held an emergency meeting.’
I heard Adora suck in a breath, but I was too afraid to move. ‘What?’ she whispered.
‘Draven collected me himself,’ I said. My throat burned. ‘I thought I was a goner.’
‘Does he know about you?’ Iris asked, finding her voice.
I shook my head.
Her shoulders loosened a fraction, but the fear never left her eyes.
‘Then what is it?’ Adora pressed, her voice thinner now. ‘Why do you look so afraid?’
‘Because they’ve picked their next target…’ I said, blinking hard against the sting in my eyes.
Iris went still. Adora wrapped her arms around herself as the two of them glanced at each other.
‘Who?’ Adora whispered.
Then I said the three words I had prayed I would never have to say.
The three words that would damn us all.
‘It’s you, Iris.’
Glass fragments scattered across the floor as the vase smashed against the wall. Destroying it had only eased the smallest fraction of my anger. My fists clenched so tightly that my nails bit into my skin, threatening to draw blood.
‘Archer,’ Iris breathed.
There was no time. She had to go. Now. It was the only way.
Adora was pacing around the room, throwing Iris’s belongings into a suitcase and crying quietly. She’d gone to get Rory from his dorm, and now he was helping her. I could hear his sniffling as he grabbed a stack of books from the desk.
‘Archer,’ she said again, and I felt her palm on my cheek. ‘I’m not leaving,’ she said, and something inside me splintered.
‘Yes, you are.’ My chest caved in at the words. ‘I’m sorry, Iris, I’m so, so, sorry. I thought we could end this. Beat them. I thought I’d be able to shield you from this. I never thought they’d choose you. You need to run, far from here, where you’ll be safe.’
‘I can hold my own, and—’
‘You can’t,’ I said, my voice sounding unlike my own. ‘Even if we stood against them, they would find a way to kill you, and I…’ The tears I’d be holding back all this time finally broke free. ‘I can’t handle that.’
‘I want to stay with you,’ she whispered, her voice breaking. ‘This is my home. I don’t have anywhere else to go.’
‘I know,’ I breathed. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Then let me—’
‘No.’
My voice rang out harsher than I intended, and she took a step backwards, defeated.
‘Nothing matters anymore, Iris,’ I said, more gently this time.
‘Not even the fifteen years of my life I’ve spent getting here.
I’d throw it all away in a second to be with you.
You’ve become my life. I’d give it all up for you – to be with you, far away from here, to live a life with you that’s safe, to be able to protect you.
But it’s not safe, Iris. You’re not safe… so you need to leave.’
A sob escaped her lips. ‘Come with me,’ she begged and my heart cracked.
‘I can’t. If I leave with you, they’ll know it was me who tipped you off. They’ll kill me, and then I won’t be able to help you – or be here to protect Adora and Rory.’ Iris’s eyes flicked to theirs. ‘If not for yourself, do it for them,’ I pleaded. ‘And for me.’
It was quiet for a moment before Adora slowly stepped forwards. I watched as she took Iris’s hands in hers and held them firmly. She looked strong, confident, even as a tear slipped down her face and off her chin.
‘Iris Blackthorne,’ she said, ‘I refuse to let my best friend—’ She paused. ‘My only friend – stay here when her life is in danger.’ She wrapped her arms around Iris and nestled her face into her long black hair. ‘You need to go.’
Iris began sobbing.
‘Don’t worry, Iris, I’ll take care of Dora,’ Rory said. ‘I’ll look after her, I promise.’ It was all he said, but it seemed to help slightly.
‘We’ll be okay, and once this is all over…
we’ll find you,’ Adora said. ‘Your bags are packed.’ Her voice broke, and her carefully crafted mask of confidence cracked, allowing her eyes to fill with tears as she looked at her best friend.
‘We’ll give you a moment… to say goodbye.
’ Her gaze flitted to me, and she nodded slightly.
‘When you’re ready, Rory will drive you down to the docks.
You can catch the first boat of the day. ’
‘You’ll take my car,’ I said to Rory. ‘I would take her myself, but…’ his voice trailed off in regret.
‘We understand,’ Rory said. ‘I’ll get her out of here, you have my word.’
I choked down my own emotion, ‘Thank you.’
Adora and Rory left, gently closing the door behind them.
We were both quiet for a long moment. I wrapped her into my arms and held her tightly, I closed my eyes and breathed in her scent, trying to hold myself together for her sake.
‘I thought I was too fucked up from my shitty childhood to ever feel the kind of love I feel for you, Iris.’ I swallowed deeply. ‘I may be the Professor, but you’ve taught me how to love, and I will be forever grateful for that.’
‘Stop talking as if we’re never going to see each other again.’
I smiled sadly, ‘Sorry.’
She pulled back and looked up at me. Her eyes were so sad. ‘I love you, Archer.’
I breathed in deeply, ‘I love you, too. More than anything.’
I helped her put on her coat, then reached into my own pocket and pulled out the envelope I’d snatched from my office before I ran here. ‘Take this,’ I said.
She took the envelope hesitantly, looking down at it. ‘What is it?’
‘Cash,’ I said. ‘To get you as far from here as possible – and then some.’
‘Archer…’
‘After Rory gets you across the water, get him to drop you at The Sleeping Fox. Keir will be opening for breakfast by the time you get there. Tell him what’s happened – the brief version, you don’t have much time – and he’ll get you out of Stonewall. Tell no one where you’re going.’
‘Archer, please—’
I shook my head and kissed her gently, prolonging the moment for as long as possible. She reached up and tangled her fingers in my hair, her other hand on my face. I leaned into her touch, her warmth.
The only warmth in my life – and it was about to be extinguished.
I pulled away and instantly felt the emptiness creep in. I reached out my hand, and she took it.
‘You ready?’ I asked.
‘No,’ she said quietly.
I kissed her again, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment, then walked her to the door where Rory and Adora were waiting outside.
Rory nodded to me as I passed him my car keys.
‘Get her safe,’ I told him. ‘Please.’
‘I will,’ was all he said.
And then they left.
I returned to my office. I don’t remember the walk there. I felt hollow.
I poured myself a large glass of whiskey, hands shaking as I touched the glass to my lips. I savoured the slight burn in my throat as I swallowed, and stalked over to the window.
In the darkness, I could just about make out three shapes moving towards my car. The first one separated, getting into the driver's seat of the car, while the other two lingered for a moment.
Saying goodbye.
I couldn’t bear the thought of Iris’s first and only friends being torn away from her like this.
Dark clouds had slowly gathered, and finally a sharp crack of thunder sounded. I braced a hand on the windowsill to steady myself as Iris’s form separated and she got into the car. They didn’t turn the headlights on. Smart.
The selfish part of me was hoping she’d change her mind, forget everything I’d told her, and come back to me. But I knew she couldn’t. Stonewall wasn’t safe for her anymore, and neither was I.
The image of her face when I kissed her for the final time would haunt me forever.
The car began to drive away, and I raised my hand, pressing my palm flat against the cool glass. It was useless, though—a silent goodbye she would never see.
I watched for a long time, even after the car had disappeared, just staring at the empty road. I needed to make sure no one followed them. I could see Adora doing the same, her small form lingering just as long as I did.
I was about to pry myself away from the window, to do God knows what, when lightning flashed. It illuminated my reflection – my pale skin – but I wasn’t alone in my office.
A figure stood in the doorway behind me.
I turned slowly, my heart hammering, and saw Headmaster Draven.
He said in a low, deadly voice, ‘So… it was you.’