Burning Bridges (17 page)

I zoned out as my father joined her at the table and they flipped through the papers. When I looked inside of the fridge, I found it hard to hold back the bile rising in my throat. Old meat, spoiled milk, and left over lasagna was all there was, and the lasagna looked as if it
’
d been laid
out
on the asphalt in the sun to bake. I bit my tongue to hold back my snarl, but it was a battle so easily lost. With all the work I
’
d been doing, the money I
’
d been giving them, they should have had more than this—more food, more
something
. Where
the hell was
it all going?

Looking over my shoulder at my father, I knew exactly where
it
was going.

“
What does that say, Fran?
”
Mother asked him.

He took the papers from her and began reading what he could. Though my father was definitely
a narcissist,
he loved my mother more than life itself. He could have left, but he didn
’
t. The thought made me realize that he might
’
ve been trying a lot more than I was giving him credit for.

“
I
’
m not sure what this word is, Carys, but I
think
it
’
s talking about a missing person.
”
He handed it back to her and shrugged.

“
Well, that can
’
t be right.
”
Mother turned it around in her hands as if another angle would help her read it better. I smiled.
“
They
’
re talking about the Princess, honey. How could she be
missing if she was just at the B
all the other night? Or was that last night? I can
’
t remember.
”

“
No, that was a few days ago, love. And
I
’
m sure I read it correctly.
”
He pointed down to a specific word and began to sound it out.
“
Mis-sing
. Missin
g. It
’
s right under her picture
.
”

I slowed as I turned to the cupboards. The Princess
couldn
’
t be
missing, she was…

I cursed loudly and Mother turned around to sc
old
me. I barely gave her time to say anything before
I reached into the cupboards and grabbed
a can of sausages and a banana off the counter. At that moment I don
’
t think I was
breathing
, or even
thinking
.

“
Can I see this for a second?
”
I asked Mother. I pointed at the newspaper.

“
Yes, but Ayden—
”

I took the papers from the table and rushed through the back door.
“
Language, I know. Won
’
t happen again.
”

As I walked into the cabin
, my emotions ranged from anger
to shock,
and right back to anger again. The Princess
missing
? No doubt the entire civilization of New Haven was looking for her. She was heiress, who wouldn
’
t be trying to find her? Worst of all, though, was that she hadn
’
t gone missing at all. I
’
d taken her—stolen her—and now I was facing death because of one moment of weakness.

I dropped the food
on the table in the kitchen and carried the newspaper into the bedroom. My hastiness suddenly faded when I set my
eyes on the Princess
and everything I
’
d been so flustered about ebbed away into the shadows of my mind. She stood with her ba
ck to me, but I watched her in
the mirror. She raked her fingers through her dark tresses that must
’
ve been wet from washing them. She hummed and sang like she hadn
’
t a clue I was there and I took full advantage of it, consuming her with my eyes. She was small, very much like Feven, but in a humble, less aggressive way. I noticed her nails were painted black
and
smiled.
She could
’
ve gone with pink,
red, or even green. Instead, she went with black—a small, yet significant detail about her rebellious character.

Sometime
between the past two days, I stopped caring whether my thoughts turned to her or not.  They were inevitable—like trying not to think about war when it is all you know. She
’
d actually become the sanity I strived for, the piece heaven in the midst of my infinite hell.

“
You
’
re back,
”
she said suddenly. She turned to meet me and frowned.
“
With newspaper?
”

I glanced down and remembered the reason for my anger. Funny what one glance at her could do.
“
I need you to read it.
”
I crossed the room and handed it to her.

“
Okay.
What is this for, may I ask?
”
Her hands left her hair and she moved to the bed. I sat beside her, but not close enough that I could smell the
scent of her hair—pinewood and peaches as if she
’
d just come from the market
.

How do you know she smells like peaches?

Sighing, I said,
“
Just read it. You may not like what it says.
”

Her blue eyes watched me for a moment before she nodded and began to read.
“
August 15th: Word from the King has not been final, but it is rumored that she disappeared at midnight. No reasons have been given nor has a letter been left behind. It is safe to assume that she has been kidnapped…
”
She stopped to clear her throat
, and
then continued.
“
The Queen refuses to talk and her betrothal, Prince Noah of Delentia, has sworn to find her himself and bring her back. Till then, guards have been given the right to forbid anyone, Warrior and Hunter, from
leaving or entering the border until the missing Princess is found… The King promises the death of her captor.
”
H
er eyes shot to me, emanating a kind of
anger I
’
d never expect to see in her
.
“
What
is
this?
”

I shook my head.
“
My death
certificate, that
’
s what it is.
”

She shoved the papers in my hand and began to pace the room.
“
Missing.
Me
,
”
she ranted.
“
Dammit, Ayden, they think I
’
m
missing!
Do you know what this me
ans? Every guard, maid,
Keeper, and Warrior probably has that picture of me in their pocket, searching everywhere but where I
truly
am. Here.
”

I
groaned
, her words like wounds to my heart. I was dead. That should have concern
ed me most of all, but it didn
’
t
. Who would take care of my mother, Misty and Milo? I shuddered. No one.

No, this couldn
’
t
happen.

“
You have to go back.
”

Echo stopped pacing the room long enough to look at me.
“
Are yo
u mad?
I-I can
’
t. I don
’
t want to.
”
She watched me straight in the face, daring me to defy her. Sadly, she was just as stubborn as I was.

“
You have to leave. I can
’
t have this burden on my family.
”
I stood and walked to the door, but she blocked the entrance.

“
I can
’
t go back there, Ayden. It
’
s not just the wedding, it
’
s everything. I can
’
t
be
there, I can
’
t live. Ca
ll me delusional, but the last eight
hours that I
’
ve spent with you were the freest hours of my life.
”

I stared down at her emotionlessly.
The confession should have enlightened me, but it only
tempered
with my growing ire.
“
You can
’
t stay here.
Who knows how long it will be before they are kicking down my door? You can
’
t possibly understand the position this puts me in.
”

“
Yeah? Try me. You think you
’
re the only one, but you
’
re not. This is hell on earth for me too.
”
She stood with her back against the door, her eyes full of tears.

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
I murmured.

“
Ayden, I don
’
t have anywhere else to go. I
’
m—
”

“
And how is this my problem!
”
I yelled. Instead of shying away like I presumed she would, she grew about two years older as she stepped closer to me and looked me dead in the eyes.

“
I need you, okay? I
’
ll die before I feel comfortable in my own home, my own Haven! I
’
m abnormal, I don
’
t fit in,
”
she sneered.

“
Why have your pro
blems suddenly become mine, Princess
?
”
Without thinking, I gripped her shoulders.
“
I don
’
t even know you!
”

“
You
’
re the
only
one,
”
she screamed, pushing at my chest.
“
You listen!
”

“
Maybe I don
’
t want to listen to you now!
’

She pushed me away and moved to sit on the bed. She sat staring blankly ahead, tears dripping down her cheeks. If I felt any guilt at all, it
was very small. As much as I couldn
’
t stop thinking about her, this was my family, my life, we were talking about.

“
Not you,
”
she whispered. She shook her head and looked up at me through her tears.
“
Just tell me one thing: what changed between the first time we ran into each other and last night?
”

“
Nothing,
”
I answered. Very vague, and a complete lie.

“
Fine. I
’
ll go.
”
She got up from the bed and rushed out the door. I followed behind her instinctively,
grabbing a scarf from over the couch,
and caught her as she raced
through the yard
.

“
You can
’
t just walk through the borders expecting no one to notice you.
”

“
I don
’
t care anymore!
”
she yelled, pu
shing
me from her.
“
Neither do you, so just leave me be.
”

I watched her walk away and cursed whatever gods could hear me. I resented them for this, all of this. Most of all, I hated her for
whatever
spell she
’
d cast on me.

“
I
’
m taking you as far as the border. From there I
’
m sure you can find your way back. You
’
ll need something to cover your face,
”
I said, walking through the backyard to meet her.