While You Were Creeping - Poppy Rhys Page 0,40

earned here would at least help take care of the foundlings.

My comm buzzed in my small handbag.

I frowned. I thought I’d turned it off.

“Sorry,” I whispered to the others around me who’d heard it and shot me disapproving glares.

I reached into my bag and went to turn it off as the text scrolling across the screen caught my eye. A series of characters and off-planet coords I didn’t recognize.

I didn’t know anyone who didn’t live on Dor Nye full time—

Shit!

The elves!

I shot up out of my chair, interrupting the auction, but I couldn’t let this call slip by!

“Excuse me, sorry, excuse me,” I apologized as I attempted to exit my row, accidentally stepping on toes, and nearly falling into laps. I could hear Kye’s hooves shuffling against the shiny floor as he made excuses too, following.

I rushed from the room into the lobby as fast as my heels would take me without faceplanting.

“Hello?” I finally said, answering the call. “Hello?”

“Ms. Zax? Ms. Zax can... hear... Hello?”

“Hello? You’re breaking up!”

I moved frantically around the lobby, trying to get a better signal before bursting through the buildings front doors, dipping around guests that came and went.

“Hello?”

Dammit, I could only hear static!

“It’s Nan. Hello? I... reception... Got message. I don’t...”

“Nan?”

The line went quiet.

I pulled it away from my ear only to see the screen blink and the connection sever.

Immediately, I tried to call back only to get an automated ‘this line is for outgoing calls only.’

“No, no, no, no!” I chanted, trying again only to get the same message.

“FUCK!” I shouted, startling guests around me. “Sorry. I’m sorry.”

Kye caught up, shuffling down the few steps. “Holly? Everything okay?”

No. No it wasn’t okay! Yet I couldn’t form the words to say it because I was so damn upset.

I didn’t know where Nan was or if she’d be able to call again or when. What if this had been our only chance? What if a signal error ruined the possibility of setting Kye free?

I felt so overwhelmed I couldn’t even look at Kye.

‘What if’ haunted me all the way home.

****

Gretta: Where’d you go, Mouse? Your mother’s looking for you.

Me: Went home. Not feeling well.

Gretta: Is that code for bumping uglies?

I rolled my eyes, even if I smiled. Oh, Aunt Gretta, you wicked bird. I quickly texted back and set my comm down before resting my head on Kye’s shoulder.

An old comedy vid played as we hung out on the couch in pajamas. Kye tried to cheer me up with that and popcorn, which was comical itself. He was trying to cheer me up even though it was his freedom on the line.

Yet, when I looked at him, he didn’t even seem worried. Humor danced in his eyes before he laughed at some guy on the screen and took another handful of popcorn.

Skully jumped up and sat on Kye’s other side. Even let Kye rub his scruff.

When had that happened? Skully disliked almost everyone—even Kye at first—but now he cuddled up like they were best buds.

What were we going to do once Kye was gone and it was just us again?

I needed a change of thought, but I also wanted some explanations of how this all happened to Kye in the first place.

That dreaded question I’d avoided for so long.

I tapped the remote and muted the vid.

Kye’s attention diverted to me. “What’s up?”

“I haven’t asked because... well it’s none of my business I guess, but I’d be fibbing if I said I wasn’t afraid of how you might answer.”

My mouth watered and I swallowed hard.

“Let me guess,” he sighed, “you want to know why I’m imprisoned?”

“Yes.”

No.

Yes.

Ugh.

I wanted to know, I didn’t want to know... My poor nerves.

“Surprised it took you this long to ask.”

I shrugged. “Maybe I didn’t want to know the answer. Maybe I still don’t.”

“Worried you’ll hate me afterward?”

That... Maybe that. But, as I chewed on the inside corner of my lip, thinking on his words, I...

I don’t think I could hate you.

Did I say that? No.

I was a chicken shit. It worried me. It worried me that, even if he’d committed some horrible crime, at this point... I didn’t think I could hate him. Even if I should.

As cracked as it sounded, he could be a destroyer of worlds and I was afraid I’d still... like him.

Obviously, I had a lot of issues.

Again, I just shrugged. Noncommittal. Hold my cards close. Wait for the story and then decide.

****

KYE

This had been coming. Shit, I’d anticipated it. She’d outlasted my prediction. Thought she would’ve asked