Chapter 40
CHAPTER FORTY
ARCHER
We emerged from the cavern and into the forest. They hadn’t bothered to lock the hatch – I suppose they never assumed I’d get out of my chains. My throat tightened when I realised it was cold and dark, which meant we’d been trapped down there for a full day.
‘Do you know which direction they would’ve gone?’ Adora asked desperately.
I nodded. ‘Yeah. Follow me.’
We walked through the dense forest for what felt like an age. The rain eased into a light drizzle, though it hung in the air like a fine mist, stopping us from seeing too far ahead.
Adora tripped, her knees smacking against the forest floor.
‘Shit, you okay?’ I asked, offering her a hand to help her up.
‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ she said quickly, wincing slightly. ‘Sorry – I’m so clumsy.’
I shook my head. ‘Hey, don’t apologise. It’s fine.’
She let out a quiet laugh, and it caught me off guard.
‘What?’ I asked, glancing at her as she took my hand and stumbled to her feet.
‘Nothing,’ she said, though I could see her smile in the dim light. ‘It just reminded me of Iris. I’m always telling her the same thing – to stop apologising for everything. Have you noticed how much she does it?’
I let out a short chuckle. ‘No. Never,’ I said dryly.
She turned towards me, a dramatically startled expression on her face, lit by the moonlight. ‘Wait – he makes jokes?’
I huffed indignantly. ‘Why does everyone assume I’m incapable of humour? Like I’m some bore who never laughs?’
‘Because,’ she said, far too matter-of-factly, ‘most of the students are convinced you’re slightly unhinged.’
‘Unhinged?’ I repeated. ‘That feels excessive.’
‘Mmhmm.’
‘Yeah, well… I’ve heard the rumours, and they’re purely based on the small fact that I live off campus.’
She thought for a moment. ‘Huh. Yeah… I suppose they are.’
We both laughed quietly, but my gut ached with anxiety, and from the way Adora walked with her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach, I could tell she felt the same.
‘We’re going to save her,’ she whispered.
‘I know,’ I said, hoping it was true.
Silence settled between us for a moment before she added hesitantly, ‘I’m really glad Iris has found someone who loves her.’
A sad smile tugged at my lips. ‘And I’m happy she’s found a friend willing to risk her own life to save her – armed with nothing but bobby pins.’
She smacked my arm lightly. ‘Back off the bobby pins. They saved the day!’ Then she added quietly, ‘I’ll always risk it for her.’
We edged towards a clearing. It was so dark that it was hard to tell whether it was the clearing or just somewhere nearby, but I scanned the trees before stepping out, just in case.
‘Can you see anything?’
I was met with sudden silence.
‘Adora?’ I turned around, trying to peer through the darkness. The trees were so thick out here that the moonlight barely managed to break through the gaps in the canopy. ‘Adora!’ I called. She had been right behind me…
I heard a groan.
I stood still for a moment, trying to listen through the wind and rustling leaves.
‘Mmm.’
Iris.
I ran into the clearing, not even caring if the coast was clear. I would kill anyone who came too close.
And then I saw her…
Her small figure lay bound against a tree at the opposite side of the clearing. Her hair had fallen into her face and she looked only semi-conscious. I ran faster than my legs had ever carried me. I pushed past the burn in my body, my lungs, until I fell to my knees beside her.
I took her face in my hands and pushed her hair aside.
‘Iris,’ I whispered. It took her a moment, but eventually her eyes fluttered open.
They’d gagged her again, so I reached around to untie the fabric from the back of her head.
It was so tight, her skin red raw. I gently pulled it out from her mouth, and then threw it far away.
‘Iris, can you hear me?’
She nodded faintly, her voice barely more than a whisper. ‘Archer?’
‘It’s me. I’m here.’ I stroked her rain-soaked hair. ‘I’m here. I already told you – there’s nowhere you could go where I wouldn’t find you.’
I looked down to the chains securing her wrists, my eyes following them to where they wrapped around the tree.
Fuck.
She opened her eyes fully, and I helped her sit up, back against the bark.
‘How did you get out?’
‘Adora,’ I breathed, smiling. ‘She came to help, but we got separated—’
Alarm flashed across her face. ‘What? No, no, no, Archer, you don’t understand…’
‘What is it?’
‘When Rory dragged me here, I tried to find out why he would do this to us. Why would he betray Adora like this… He told me everything…’ She blinked, as though she could make the reality disappear.
‘He was playing with us, Archer. He was just playing with us. He told me I wasn’t truly the sacrifice…
’ she breathed. ‘I never was… Rory lied. Draven lied.’ She paused, eyes full of terror. ‘I’m just the bait.’
Oh no…
‘What do you mean, the bait?’
‘For the true sacrifice…’ she breathed. ‘The one he’s been working towards all year.’
Fuck.
No.
‘Adora!’ I called. When there was no response I shot up. ‘Adora!’
Shit, shit, shit.
‘She’s going to be okay,’ I told Iris. ‘I’m going to save her.’ My words came out rushed.
‘What if you can’t?’ she asked, her eyes full of a sadness I didn’t think would ever end if I didn’t save her best friend.
I took her hands in mine and said slowly, ‘I’ve already allowed one girl to lose her life to these arseholes under my watch, and I promise you, it will not fucking happen again.’
I searched the clearing for anything that could work as a makeshift lockpick.
‘You need to leave me, and go to her,’ Iris said.
I barked a harsh laugh. ‘Yeah, like fuck I’m leaving you here with those psychotic murderers out there.’
‘You have to! I couldn’t live with myself if we let her die!’ Iris screamed.
I closed my eyes, kissed her forehead gently. ‘Fuck, Iris… I’m so sorry. For everything.’
‘Don’t,’ she said, her eyes wide. ‘Please… just save her.’
Hesitantly, I went to stand, but a quiet gasp escaped her lips before I could.
‘What?’ I asked instantly. ‘What is it? Are you in pain?’
A smile graced her face, and the sight of it made my heart hurt. ‘Hey,’ she whispered.
I looked around the moonlit clearing, confused. ‘Iris?’
Looking back at her, I realised her eyes were locked on a spot of grass.
‘Hey there, little fella,’ she said gently.
Realisation dawning on me, I shuffled closer and took her hand in mine, chains rattling. I turned to look at where her gaze was aimed, and smiled.
Boo was here.
I reached out. ‘Hey, Boo.’ He nuzzled into my hand, his fur like midnight silk. I could hear his gentle purr over the howl of the wind, over my own blood pumping. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Archer, look…’ Iris murmured. I watched as she reached towards him. ‘He’s wearing a collar,’ she said. ‘He’s never worn a collar before.’
‘Huh.’ I put my arms around him, and he willingly allowed me to scoop him up.
Iris let out a gasp. ‘Look! There—’ She pointed at him, and then I saw it.
A small silver key was nestled beneath his collar.
‘Surely that can’t be—’ Iris whispered.
‘What do you have for us, buddy?’ I plucked the key out from under his collar and looked down at it in my palm.
‘I think it might be…’ I navigated it into the lock at Iris’s cuff, and my eyes widened when it fit perfectly.
A soft click sounded. It was muted by the wind but still loud enough for us to look at each other in bewilderment, before the metal parted.
‘Who gave you that key?’ Iris asked, looking at the cat, who was sitting neatly with his tail wrapped around his fluffy body, looking very pleased with himself. ‘God, I wish you could talk.’
Boo tilted his head slightly and let out a small squeak. He turned away from us, walked a few feet, his bum wiggling in the air, and vanished.
‘I’m really confused about what just happened,’ I said slowly, ‘but let’s not linger.
They won’t be expecting both of us to be free, so we’ve got the element of surprise – though let’s not wait for them to figure out we’ve escaped.
’ I moved to take Iris’s hands in mine. ‘Are you okay? Can you walk?’
She shakily got to her feet, using both me and the tree for support. ‘I’m fine.’
‘Are you sure? I can hide you somewhere safe and then go and get her alone.’
‘Absolutely not,’ she said instantly. ‘She’s only in this position because she came to help us, so I am one hundred per cent going to help her.’ Her eyes met mine, full of a resolve that made me proud.
‘Come on then.’ I held out my hand, and she slipped her fingers into mine. ‘We need to be quick.’