saw him in Salem. He came into the shop I was working at. He talked to me there.”
Her chin dropped as she leaned back. “He did? About what?”
“Honestly, nothing that made much sense, but the point is I’m still alive.” And he might be my way out of here. It was the only option on the table, and I wasn’t letting him go that easy. “I’ve got to talk to him. I think he can help me.”
She shook her head again. “I’ve heard bad things whispered about him. You’re setting yourself up for trouble. He’s not like everyone else.”
“Just cover for me if anyone asks, okay? Say I went to the bathroom.” I stood up. She could’ve said he was the devil himself come to take me to hell and I’d still have followed him. I was getting out of this place.
Rabbit was chewing on her lip like it was lunch, her hair frazzled from swiping it away from her face, as if she were already preparing for an interrogation. That girl would not hold up under pressure.
I made my way toward the bathroom and then did a quick dodge out the door. Hawk was nowhere to be seen in the hallway, and I didn’t know where to look. There was only one thing to do: make my way to the entrance and hope I hadn’t missed him. I ran down the steps, surprised at how easy it was to get out of this place.
I was out the door and behind a few tall bushes. The idea of running occurred to me, but run where? I had a bad feeling that Rabbit was right. The only way to get out of this place was to have someone get you out, or jump you out, as she’d called it. There would be no running anywhere. It was probably why they didn’t need to guard the doors.
The wind was whipping around, and I wished I had a jacket while I waited.
Hawk finally walked out the door a few minutes later. I let him get across the street before I ran after him. A discussion on the front stoop of the factory could turn bad fast. I dashed across the street and planted myself in front of him, stopping him with a hand on his chest.
“Did you turn me in?” I asked. If he had, getting him to jump me out was going to be a hard sell.
He looked down at my hand, pausing as if he wasn’t used to someone approaching him or touching him. It reinforced the way Rabbit had spoken of him. Desperation had its own set of rules, though.
He grabbed my wrist, moving it off his chest and then releasing it. “I didn’t turn you in.”
He stepped around me and began walking.
I chased after him. “You’re saying you had nothing to do with me being here?”
“I’m pretty sure that’s what I said.” His jacket flared as he walked briskly in front of me, and I nearly had to jog to catch up.
“I don’t believe you.”
“I’m devastated.” He continued to walk, not bothering to look at me.
He walked away as if I were of no consequence, but he wasn’t getting out of this that easy. I ran in front of him, grabbing his arm.
He looked at my hand gripping his sleeve. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t have time for you or your problems.”
“Did you turn me in because of your feather?”
His gaze shot to the surrounding area, to who might’ve heard me, and I knew I was onto something.
“Don’t mess with me, Whimsy witch. You won’t like the outcome.” The indifference in his voice turned to a growl.
He wrapped his hand around mine. I thought he was going to throw my hand off him, but he paused, his fingers stilled. It was the first time we’d had skin-to-skin contact, and I could feel a sizzle where our flesh met. I was the one who pulled back this time, ending the sensation.
“What are you playing at? Who are you?” he asked, stepping closer, the prey becoming the predator.
I was running out of time. He would either help me or not, and at least he was finally paying attention. “I’m no one. I’m a human, and I need to get back home. Can you help me? I’ll pay anything.”
He scanned me again, and I would’ve given anything to crawl into his mind for one minute.
“What are you doing out here? Why are you talking to him?” Mertie called