The Girl Who Dared to Think (The Girl Who Dared #1)

Roark’s snores faltered for a second as the loud pop filled the air, and I looked over at him, expecting to see his eyes open and staring at me. His eyes were closed, though, and he suddenly snorted. Then the gentle snores were back, filling the air.

I fished out a few pills—just in case—and then found the bottle marked “Paragon 9” and grabbed a few for myself, also just in case. I didn’t want to take the bottles, for fear of losing them or getting caught with them—the pills at least I could swallow. I mean... I had no idea what the side effects would be, but at least they wouldn’t have anything to analyze if they caught me.

I slid the pills into my pockets—Zoe’s on the left and mine on the right—closed the bottle, and then took a quiet step away. Then another, and another, the sound of Roark’s snores chasing me out. I couldn’t imagine getting caught by him, but he did not give the impression that he was a “hug it out” kind of guy.

Though, who in this Tower was, really?

I carefully slid out of the narrow opening and headed directly for the stairs, unwilling to waste any more time. I made it to the front room easily—everyone was fast asleep in their beds, thankfully. I was on a roll tonight in the luck department.

I was starting for the ladder, and nearly screamed when a voice spoke out behind me.

“Where do you think you’re—”

My hand pressed against Grey’s mouth, and I pushed him back away from the entrance of the hall, deeper into the shadows of the room.

“Keep your voice down,” I whispered after a moment, lowering my hand from his mouth. “You want to wake everyone?”

Grey stared at me, his eyes dark and unfathomable. “No. But then again, I’m guessing you really don’t want me to, considering you’re wearing your Knight’s uniform... Where are you going?” he breathed.

I exhaled slowly, puffing out my cheeks. “Zoe’s in trouble.”

His eyes widened, and then narrowed. “How do you know that? I thought the contact only agreed to—”

“My brother netted me on the way back from the meeting,” I whispered, interrupting him. Grey gave me a hard look, and I sighed. “He’s an Eye. But before you freak out, he’s figured out what’s going on, too, and wants to help. He looked up Zoe, and she’s in the Medica, Grey. They are cracking down on threes, and now fours—and she’s a two. If I don’t get her out of there, they will kill her.”

Grey studied me for a long moment, and then nodded. “Then there’s no time to waste. I’m coming with you.”

“I don’t...” I hesitated, torn between wanting him to come along, and wanting to protect him. “Grey, you’re wanted for Gerome’s murder.”

Grey stared at me, and his expression grew dark. “Gerome’s dead? How?”

“Poisoned—an injection. But they think you killed him and... and me. They’ll be looking for you.”

There was a span of silence, and then Grey shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. If anything, it’ll be the perfect distraction if we are discovered. I’ll get them to chase me.”

“That...” I stopped again, giving him an incredulous look. “That’s no reason for me to take you along! I’m trying to do everything in my power to keep the people here safe.”

“Liana,” Grey said, his hand going up to my cheek. “Stop arguing with me. I’m going—I owe it to your friend for saving my life. And there’s no way I’m letting you go alone.”

I stared at him, trying to find the will to fight him on this, but found myself ultimately unable to. I really was on a selfish streak tonight, it seemed—throwing the people here into danger for my friend, potentially getting Grey caught trying to help me. But at the same time... I felt just so grateful that I wouldn’t have to do this alone.

“Then it’ll be a fun party,” announced a hushed voice, and I started, turning away from Grey to see Tian, a smile on her face. “Because I’m going too!”

Grey and I looked at each other and then back at her. “No, you’re not,” I retorted, just as Grey said, “Absolutely not.”

Tian’s eyes grew wide and large, immediately filling up with tears. “I can’t... go?”

Crap. A crying Tian was the last thing we needed right now. I immediately dropped down onto a knee, putting myself at equal height with Tian. “Sweetie, don’t cry. Just hear me out. You know we’re already going to be in trouble for doing this. Could you imagine how mad Cali would be if we took you?”

The little girl’s eyes widened in alarm, and she looked around. “Oh, my gosh, you are so right!” she said suddenly, her voice a rushed little whisper. “She’d murder you.”

“Yes. And... I’d just feel better if you were here, okay?”

Tian hesitated, and then nodded. “Okay, but you have to take Grey with you, then. So you’re not alone.”

I smiled and nodded my head. “All right. I promise. Now go to bed, okay?”

“Okay.” She turned to go, stopped, and then whirled around to throw her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. “Please be careful, Liana.”

“I will,” I vowed, holding her tightly to me. I let her go, and watched as she made her way back down the hall, my heart heavy. I had to keep them safe. I just had to.

“You’re stuck with me now,” Grey said from behind me. “Tian’s orders.”

“I swear, that little girl’s charms will be my undoing,” I muttered, standing up. “Now, let’s get out of here before I attract any more help in this supposedly stealthy operation.”





32





We took the plunge, and I quickly learned that Grey was afraid of heights.

“It’s not heights,” he insisted, his arms and legs holding tightly to me. “It’s the plunge. How you bloody Knights even attempt to navigate these things is insane!”

He winced as my arms suddenly snapped out to the left, hitting a nearby beam and using the gears in the harness to jerk us to the right to avoid a bent girder blocking the way. My other hand was already spinning, and I released the lash and felt the tug when it connected. I jerked us up, the new gears working as smoothly as if they were greased and twice as fast as they had before. The air tore at my hair as we flew ahead, the light in Grey’s hand illuminating our path while the painted symbols on the wall guided my route.

I took a sudden left, and he exhaled slowly, his fingers digging into my skin as I lashed us through a tight makeshift tunnel of pipes. “Can’t you just move a little slower?”

“Yes,” I said with a smirk, launching us through the opening on the other side and lashing the first thing I could see above us. I was sweating from the exertion and my heart was pounding in my chest with the excitement of finally doing something to help my friend. “You okay?”

I felt Grey’s weight shift slightly and compensated for it by throwing another lash and changing direction to rebalance. “I’m hanging in there. And by in there, I mean on to you. I assume this just shatters all conceptions of my masculinity, right?”