a Thu

uty, followed by hours of pretending not to exist while the staff ign

ls echoing through the cafeteria, I didn't even flinch. The sou

he barked.

irty pairs of eyes turned toward me. Some curi

ved me down the stairs earlier, just for fun. Just because she could

pulled me down the hallway. Her grip was

apped, her voice sharp with irritation

er me. Nobody came for kids lik

" I a

never answered questi

e only once before, when I got caught sneaking books from the storage close

ferent. The air was he

essed in black from head to toe. His coat looked expensive, the kind of expensive th

n, but I felt it anyway. His a

disgust. "She's all you

r word, her heels click

remembered. Older. There was something different

rned

reme

se

t had seen too much and forgotten nothing. The kind of eyes that cou

up. My heart star

lean soap and something else. Something that

grown,"

gh around the edges but steady. Like it belonge

even though I knew. Even though I'd

wer that ques

is coat pocket. Something small and

er lo

eck. The one I'd protected for all these years. This new one w

he said, his vo

trusting mys

rned locket back into his pocke

from the orphan

d pass by through tinted windows. The seats were leather, soft and warm

her language. Russian, maybe. Or something Eastern European. His

didn't ask who he really was or wh

ady knew the answers

c, engines humming low under the cloudy afternoon sky. Men in black suits no

ke he was dangerous.

on that I couldn'

ack. His touch was warm through my thin sweater. It

am leather and polished wood. Nic

are," I said once we were seated

a crystal bottle. The glass cli

kept his promise,

re are w

where

. But something in his tone

r seat and watched him through half-lowered lashes. He was

carier than the man who'd s

ways that made

, every time he breathed, I was aware of it. My heartbea

him. A responsibility? A bur

much: I wasn't

ybe, he hadn't for

something. His face remained calm,

ntil we lan

tucking the phone aw

not t

for a long momen

de me curious. Not threatening, but... d

window, I could see mountains in the distance. Trees stretched out belo

erything I'

touched down, stra

, Elara," he

coming from his mouth. I'd n

ir rushed in. I could smell pine trees an

Another man in a dark suit stood beside

ere. Quieter. More dangerou

romise, and for the first time in years