Dust (Of Dust and Darkness) - By Devon Ashley Page 0,68
free will or not, we’re going to get you back to them.” He rolls our bodies forward, and I groan when my body takes on the vertical position. “Come on, sleepy. You’ve got a lot to do this week to get your strength up.”
“This week?” I ask, moving to lean on my hands as Jack removes himself as my support system.
“Yep. We’re not going to push the number of days we’re willing to wait before Finley shows up again. He could be a jerk and come back in a week instead of two weeks this time. I want you gone and out of here before he even entertains the thought of coming to see you again.” He offers his hand and I look dumbly at it. “Come on. Up.”
My arm mindlessly obeys the command, and the next thing I know, I’m on my feet, with practically an inch separating our bodies. He’s slow to release my hand, his eyes lingering on mine, and I smile at the affection.
“All right. Start walking. Go as long as you can without pulling a muscle or cutting your feet. You’re literally going to have to run away from here. Hopefully, they won’t catch on too quickly, and you’ll get some distance in between you and the spriggans before they start flying after you.”
He gives me a playful push to get me moving, and once again I groan. I’m still pretty tired and I doubt I’ve eaten anything in a few days. Right on cue, my stomach rumbles and vibrates my lower abdomen.
“I’ll fly home and get you something to eat. Keep walking,” he demands, pointing his finger at me as he lifts out of here.
I huff and make my first pass around the hole. “Slave driver.”
I count ninety-two laps before Jack returns with provisions. I’m practically drooling as I watch him unpack a canteen of butternut squash soup, two yeast rolls, strawberries and bananas covered in some sort of red glaze, and a cup of mixed nuts.
“Try to eat it all sometime today. I want you as nourished and energized as possible when it’s time to go.”
Eat all that? No flippin’ problem! I practically knock him off his feet to get to the smorgasbord. I head straight for the roll, tearing off a piece and letting it dissolve on my tongue. “Your sister really knows how to make good bread. Definitely one thing I’ll miss around here.”
Chuckling, he teases, “The food is all you’re going to miss?”
Squatting on the ground, I gum another piece of bread before I find the courage to meet his eyes and answer. “No. I’ll miss you most of all. I wouldn’t even be alive if you hadn’t been assigned to watch over me. So I guess I should thank you for that.”
His smile is weak. Maybe he meant that question to be rhetorical. Or maybe he thought I wouldn’t have the courage to mention him in my response. Either way, he seems a little uncomfortable with my answer. And here I thought we were finally moving past that.
“Thank me when I get you out of here. Which won’t be easy. I’ve got some serious research and planning to do.”
His wings flutter and I jump to my feet, a swarm of bees suddenly stinging my insides as I gasp. “Wait! You’re leaving again?”
“Yeah. I can’t plan your escape here, Rosalie. I need to observe the spriggans’ routines, gather supplies for your journey, then figure out how I’m going to get a pixie past spriggans and faeries without drawing attention. I’ve got a lot to do and I want you safely out of here in a week.”
A week! Can he even do all that in a week?
“So when will I see you again?” I ask, fighting hard to hide the panic screaming within.
“Rosalie, I’ll still come by each morning and evening to give you rations and fresh buckets. I wish I could be here all day with you, but I just can’t right now. But don’t worry. Chances are slim anyone’s going to show up to give you a hard time. Just keep building up your leg strength.”
I feel a slight tremble in my limbs when he steps toward me and embraces me in a light hug. Man, three inches difference sucks when we stand! He curls to rest his chin atop my head, and I place my forehead just below his chest. Thump, thump, thump his heart goes. As I wrap my arms slowly around his hips, I swear the