chapter Four
They didn’t bother to take the tunnel back to the cavern. As soon as they exited the basement, Nathaniel pulled ahead in a run, his aura a storm of royal blue, crimson and yellow. Tense, angry, and a tad fearful.
Was it the fear of being hunted? Or was he afraid of losing Mitch and, in turn, their home? Liberty kept up the best she could.
Before she’d even lowered the hatch, she could hear the boom of Nathaniel’s voice as it echoed into the vestibule. She shoved her legs into a pair of elastic waist pajamas, shrugged on a zip-up sweatshirt and slipped her feet into unlaced sneakers before she hurried to the guest chamber. When she entered, Nathaniel already had Adrian jacked up against the wall.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? What we’re in for?” Nathaniel held the paper up to a wincing Adrian and, for extra emphasis, shoved Adrian against the limestone with every syllable. Gabriel and Katie appeared further down the corridor, worried and half-clothed.
Liberty stood just inside the entrance of the room, but stepped aside as soon as his parents reached it.
“Christ, Nate.” Gabe grabbed Nathaniel’s shoulders, attempting to pull Nathaniel away from his son, “What the hell’s going on?”
Liberty watched in mild fascination as the paper fluttered to the ground in soft arcs, oblivious to the commotion it had caused. Katie stood next to her, searched her face for an explanation. Liberty met her gaze blankly. Katie’s face paled, her mouth quiet for a change as she stared wide-eyed at the unfolding scene in front of her.
“Your son can answer me that, too.” Nathaniel tried to shake off a persistent Gabriel, and then finally lessened his grip as Gabriel wedged between the two. Nathaniel let Adrian drop, the boy hitting the ground with a thud.
Adrian didn’t seem able to respond, covered his face with trembling hands and mumbled words that were unintelligible.
“Speak up, kid,” Nathaniel yelled, as he tried to swat Adrian’s hands.
Gabriel stepped firmly between Nathaniel and his son. “Nate, I’m losing my patience. Tell me right now what the hell is going on.”
Katie moved closer to them, honest concern written across her face.
Still mumbling, nobody could understand what Adrian was trying to say.
Nathaniel grabbed the paper from the floor and shoved in into Gabriel’s hands. “See for yourself.” He started to pace and looked ready to jack Adrian up again.
Gabriel stuck his arm out and motioned for Nathaniel to stay before looking at the photo. He blanched, turning to hand the paper to Katie.
Nate looked at Gabriel. “I don’t need to tell you what Liberty and I are in for thanks to him.” He motioned to Adrian and the boy flinched. “You need to leave. And you need to do it tonight.”
Katie put her hand to her mouth, shook her head from side-to-side, slowly coming to terms with what her eyes and ears told her. Her hand and the paper trembled, matching her voice. “Adrian, how could you let this happen?”
Liberty nearly smiled. Witnessing Nathaniel’s sister in a vulnerable state was a new and welcome experience.
Nathaniel appeared stoic, moved to the side with his arms crossed, and allowed Gabriel to take over the interrogation.
Gabriel took a couple of steps, stood in front of his son, and said, “Look at me.”
Adrian, his mouth still covered, looked up at his father like a trapped fox.
“I’ll give you one chance to tell me how, and more importantly why, this happened. If you lie…” his voice trailed off.
Liberty knew Adrian had often told tales since he’d become a teenager, but before now it had been innocent. An issue of integrity. Not life and death.
Gabriel gathered himself. “If you lie, so help me, I’ll take you to the woods myself.”
Liberty held her breath. Gabriel hadn’t acted this way the previous year, on the night Sage disappeared. Maybe he finally could understand how she felt. Now it was his child whose life was at stake.
Though the immediate danger Adrian had placed himself in had passed, there was still the little matter of having to face Cutler. Liberty thought it was time Adrian be held accountable. Past time.
Katie started to sob.
Liberty enjoyed another wave of overdue justice. Good. Cry, Katie. How does it feel? Your son’s behavior finally hit home, huh? Liberty’s ears perked up when Adrian, the little Neanderthal, finally spoke.
“I know this is bad.” Adrian took his hands away from his face. He appeared to be looking at the dead space between all of them, cleared his throat. “And I’m sorry I got caught, but I couldn’t help it. I saw her. A girl…” Adrian dropped his head again.
Nathaniel yelled, the sound amplified in the small chamber, “Her? What’s her? You’ve risked our lives for some girl?”
Gabriel grabbed onto Nathaniel’s arm to keep him from pouncing on the kid again. Liberty looked at Katie and saw her eyes dart between her son, brother, and husband like she was trying to keep track of a wasp.
It was Adrian’s turn to raise his voice. “Not some girl, Nate. Sage. It was Sage.” Adrian’s voiced hitched. “And she was human.”
“What did you just say?” Liberty heard her voice before her mind registered the response.
“Sage. I saw her outside, as human. She was sitting with a boy at the pavilion near the campground.”
You could’ve heard a bat wing flutter at the far end of the cavern.
Liberty knew his mouth formed the words, her ears took them in, but she was having difficulty registering the meaning. The next she knew the walls closed in on her. The view got blurry and then she kissed the cold rock of the chamber floor. Sticky, sweet blood filled her mouth, her heartbeat drummed in her ears, and a pair of legs ran toward her.