Catalyst Page 0,18
Kahli fell silent, her thoughts swirling in her mind until she latched onto the one that was bothering her the most. "You're playing both sides, aren't you? From day one, I didn't know what to make of you. You saved me from one wolf and threw me to another. Then, the stuff at the palace and with the King," her hand drifted to her throat, pressing on the thin white scar that was still on her neck. Calling it "stuff" and not naming what the King had wanted to do to her made it more bearable. Kahli sucked in a deep breath and glanced at him.
"There are things I can't say," Will's voice was soft, apologetic. His blue eyes held hers for a moment and he breathed, "I wish I could."
"I don't understand."
"I can't explain it to you," he said, stepping nearer to her. Will looked down at her beautiful face, wishing he could say more, but it wasn't possible.
"Can't or won't?" She held his gaze, searching for the lie. Kahli had to know the truth, she had to know who he was fighting for, but the blood runes hid that from her.
"Can't." Will brushed his hand along her cheek. Kahli's heartbeat increased at his touch, the breath she was about to take remained locked behind her lips. "I wish I could, but there are measures that prevent certain things."
Kahli wanted to close her eyes and lean into his hand, but her mind fought her body. His replies were always masked and this one was very convenient. Will didn't seem like he was lying, but she'd seen him with the vamps. He was one of them. The vampires were as certain of Will as she was, and yet here he was with her. There was a small voice in the back of her mind suggesting that his true name might not even be real. There was no way to know unless she gave it to someone who could use it against him. Kahli sighed and pulled away.
Will's gaze followed her across the room, but he didn't move. He didn't offer explanation or apology, even though Kahli wanted both.
Finally, Will asked, "What was this place?" His blue eyes lifted upward, taking in the tall metal ceiling above him. They'd entered through the side of a hill covered in snow and ice. There was a crack, like the ice had snapped centuries ago. It was large enough to walk through. They followed the crack inside the hill, which took them to a door. The metal building was inside, buried beneath the snow.
Kahli glanced at him as she crossed the room. "I think it was a tornado shelter. Most of the safe houses were fallout shelters of some sort. You know, most have typical concrete walls and metal furniture - very homey."
Nothing was warm in this room. No place felt like home. It would be nice to stop running and stay somewhere, but that was a life Kahli couldn't even fathom. It was also a life that Will offered, if they managed to assassinate the King and Queen. Kahli fished out a few silver packets from the pantry. "Would you like freeze-dried packet A or this delicious looking packet with a C?"
"Is C for cookie?" Will asked.
"Or cat," Kahli replied, glancing between him and the packets of food.
Walking toward her, Will took the A packet and flipped it over in his hands. There were no other markings. "Seriously, what's the difference?"
Kahli shrugged, "Well, that one is way more disgusting than this one. Good luck with that." She turned and grabbed a bottle of water and swallowed the food without chewing. Will watched her, still holding his packet in his palms. Kahli glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "What?"
He shook his head, "Nothing. It's just - " What was he supposed to say? Sorry I left you alone for so long that you no longer chew your food? Part of her was wild and always would be. Kahli was part wolf and would destroy anything that threatened her. From the look in her eye, he knew that she wasn't sure of him. Will wondered if he'd go to sleep one night and awake with a knife in his neck. She had no reason to trust him. Offering what he did was too little, too late. She'd been through too much and when Kahli eventually found out the rest of his deplorable past... his heart sank. That day would suck. She'd