He sighed. “I don’t know. But she—correctly—pointed out that after all the trouble we gave her by staying here, it’d cause even more if you left and were caught by the Alchemists. We could try to sneak out . . . but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re checking cars at the gates.”
“I thought something like that might be going on,” said Ms. Terwilliger. She’d overcome her shock and was slipping into her let’s-get-things-done mode, which I found immensely reassuring. “Which is why I came prepared. I have a way to smuggle you out, Sydney, if you’re willing.” Her gaze lifted to Adrian. “Just Sydney, I’m afraid.”
“No way,” he said promptly. “If she goes, I go.”
“No,” I said slowly. “She’s right.”
His eyebrows rose. “Look, you risk a lot more than I do by going out there. I’m not going to let you go and endanger yourself while I stay safe, so don’t—”
“It’s not that,” I interrupted. A moment later, I amended that. “I mean, I want you safe, yes, but listen to what you just said. If I go out there, I risk more because the Alchemists are looking for me. Except they aren’t looking right now because they think I’m safely locked away with you. And so long as they keep thinking that, they aren’t going to be actively looking for me. No one sees me here around Court, but they do see you every once in a while for feeder visits. If we both suddenly disappear, word might get out to the Alchemists that we’ve left. But if people still see you . . .”
Adrian grimaced. “Then they’ll think you’re still here too, just hiding away from the mean vampires.”
“You’d be part of my cover,” I said, placing my hand over his. “I know you don’t like that, but this really would help. It’d let me move around more freely in the world and try to figure out how that”—I nodded at the robot flyer—“is tied to Jill.”
He took a few moments to answer. I could tell he knew the truth of my argument—but still didn’t like it. “It just bothers me to think of you out there alone while I sit around.”
“She won’t be alone,” said Eddie. “I don’t have any assignment, and no one’s after me. I can come and go freely from Court.”
“Me too,” said Neil.
“One of you needs to stay with Adrian,” I argued. “Just in case there’s another repeat of today. Neil, would you? And Eddie, you’ll come with me to check this out?”
I made it sound like a request, a favor even, but knew there was nothing on earth Eddie would rather do right now than search for Jill.
“Here’s the deal,” said Adrian, once the dhampirs had agreed. “I’ll stay here and cover for you, but as soon as there’s a way I can join you without blowing our cover, I will.”
I met his eyes again, wishing I could tell him so much. Like that I was sorry about our earlier fight, that I wasn’t trying to control him. I was worried. I loved him so much that I just wanted him to be safe. I hoped he knew all of that. All I could do now, with so many witnesses, was nod in agreement.
Ms. Terwilliger regarded us all with dry amusement. “Has everyone decided which brave roles they’ll be taking on?” she asked. She shot me a smile. “You don’t seem very concerned about how I plan on getting you out of here yet, Sydney.”
I shrugged. “I have faith in you, ma’am. If you say you’ve got a way, I believe it. What’s it involve?”
After she told me, silence fell in the room. We all stared at her, dumbfounded, until Adrian finally spoke. “Wow,” he said. “I can’t say I saw that coming.”
“I don’t think anyone could have,” admitted Eddie.
Ms. Terwilliger’s focus was on me. “Are you up for it, Sydney?”
I swallowed. “I guess I have to be. And we shouldn’t waste any more time.”
“First,” said Adrian, “can I have a word with my wife before the hilarity ensues?”
“Of course,” said Ms. Terwilliger, gesturing grandly.
Adrian steered me away and called to the others, “Talk amongst yourselves.” He led me to our bedroom, not saying anything else until the door shut behind us. “Sydney, you realize this is crazy, right? And I don’t say that lightly.”
I smiled and drew him to me. “I know. But we both also know there’s no way I can’t not follow a lead that might take us to Jill.”
His expression darkened. “I wish I could do more than be your cover,” he said. “But if that’s what it takes . . .” He sighed. “What also seems crazy is you leaving after we fought so hard to get here and be together.”
“Yeah, but . . .” I hesitated, hating to say my next words. “You can’t say this has exactly been what we imagined.”
“What do you mean?” he asked, but I could tell he already knew.
“Adrian, there’s no question I love you and want a life with you. But this particular life . . . hiding away from both our people . . . having your mother hovering over us . . . I don’t know. Maybe some space is a good thing.”
His green eyes widened. “You want to get away from me?”
“No, of course not! But I want to revaluate things, to figure out how we can get that life we’ve been wanting.” I sighed. “And of course, even more than that . . .”