Rival

by Cindy R. Wilson

  Maddox glanced at his mother, but instead of stepping forward, she nodded at Theo.

  “I think he’s the one who should be telling you this,” she said to the crowd.

  Maddox’s eyes widened, and he watched as his brother walked to the front of the room. Uncertainty laced with hope circuited through him. What was going on?

  “I was the one who took the supplies,” Theo said, voice gruff.

  Maddox’s mouth dropped open. The rest of the room went completely silent for one long moment before people started murmuring.

  Alice folded her arms and gave Theo another nod.

  “I stole the supplies and planted them on the other side,” Theo said, his jaw clenching.

  He still wouldn’t meet Maddox’s eyes, would hardly look at the rest of the room. But he was telling the truth, finally making it clear what had really happened.

  Maddox glanced to his mom with that same hope.

  While the crowd continued to murmur, Alice touched Maddox’s arm. “Let him take care of this. Come outside with me.”

  Maddox followed his mom outside. The sun glared across the tops of the buildings, but they stood in the shadows as the warmth of the day cooled to a tolerable temperature.

  “Did you know he was going to do this?” he asked Alice.

  She nodded, sadness touching her eyes briefly. “I asked for the whole truth, and he gave it to me.”

  “Are you sure?” Maddox asked doubtfully.

  “He stole supplies from the other side,” she said and waited for him to nod. “He took our supplies and hid them across the border.” Another nod. “He and James tore up the nets.”

  Maddox’s mouth opened. “I didn’t know that one. But I should have guessed. So you heard a lot last night?”

  “And I talked with Theo about the rest. I insisted he tell the rest of the community the truth so that we can make a decision together on what to do next. After this, I’ll be making all the decisions without Theo. I’d like to consult you, if you don’t mind.”

  Maddox nodded in surprise. “Of course.”

  Alice sighed and held her hands out in appeal. “Also… I’m sorry. I guess…” She rubbed her hand on her forehead as though she had a headache. “I understand why Theo wanted to do this, but I don’t understand how he could actually go through with it.”

  Maddox nodded. “He was trying to start a war, adding fuel to the fire where he could. He wanted revenge.”

  “He saw his father die right before his eyes. It’s a hard thing to forget.”

  Maddox swallowed and looked away. She was right. If he remembered more, maybe he wouldn’t feel as neutral as he did.

  “But his solution still wasn’t right,” Alice said, making his stomach calm a little. “We’ve been so focused on hating the other side for so long, we haven’t stopped to think if we still need to. From what it looks like, we were more to blame than them. We were the ones breaking the agreement. Maybe…” Alice gave him a small smile. “Maybe we’re the ones who need to fix it.”

  He looked at her for a long moment, allowing himself to feel just a flicker of hope. “Is Theo telling them everything?”

  Alice glanced to the window. “I believe he is. And I’ll talk with the rest of the community later. We need to…reassess. I hope you’ll be part of that.”

  Maddox hesitated. He wanted to ask about Juno. No, he wanted to go see her. To tell her she was safe for now.

  “You’re thinking about her, right?” Alice asked. “The girl?”

  “Juno.” He cleared his throat. “Her name is Juno.”

  Alice’s lips moved just slightly, almost in a smile. “Juno. Tell me.”

  “She didn’t steal the supplies—but you know that. Her fish were stolen, and we agreed to help each other find out who the thief was. But we…” He lowered his chin, trying to find the words. To admit them to himself. “We got distracted. I—she—she’s not who everyone thinks. She’s good. All the way in here,” he said, pointing at his chest.

  “You love her,” Alice said.

  Hearing those words still shocked him, but he didn’t deny it. Instead, he said, “I do. That’s why I let her go. And I turned my back on her because it was easier, even though she’s the one who had to pay the consequences of this whole mess in the first place.”

  Alice got a wistful expression. “Your father would be proud of you. Even in the end, when we knew he wasn’t going to make it, he tried to remind us that anger wasn’t what was going to get us through all this.”

  “What is going to get us through?”

  Alice smiled. “Trust? Hope? Probably even a little forgiveness.”

  He swallowed hard. How was Juno supposed to forgive him?

  “I promise Theo—or anyone else in the community—won’t go after Juno. I’ll make sure of it,” Alice said. “She’s safe—even if I have to protect her myself. I believe she’s the person you say she is.”

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  “Do you know where she is?”

  Maddox looked around as if Juno might appear out of thin air. “I have an idea.”

  “Do you need to go to her?”

  He glanced back at his mom, not understanding the words at first. “What?”

  “If you need to go to see her, I understand. Do what you need to do. I’ll take care of Theo.”

  “But…what about the meeting?”

  Alice shook her head. “We’ll wait for you. I’ll talk to them, but we’ll come to a decision together.”

  “What kind of decision?”

  “What to do about the feud. I think maybe it’s time we offer a truce. Even if it means offering some of our supplies.” Alice shrugged as though it wasn’t a big deal, though he knew it was. Ending the feud was huge—even bigger if it was their side that made the first move.

  “We need to offer something to make up for the mess Theo caused and show them they can trust our word.”

  “Really?’

  Alice nodded. “Really. I’ll talk to the rest of the community, and we’ll decide together, but I want to make this right. I don’t want things to get this bad again.”

  It only took a split second for the decision, then he reached forward and hugged his mom. “Thank you.”

  He dashed from the courtyard without anything except for a goal. He had to find Juno.

  Maddox made it to the border, hope racing in his heart. But by the time he reached the taller buildings and the sun started to sink behind the horizon, he got discouraged. Where was he supposed to find her? Juno was smart—she wouldn’t go back to the bridge. Or at least, not for long. She had to be hiding in one of the buildings. But which one?

  He scrubbed his hands over his face. He’d search them, that’s all. He’d search every single one of them if that’s what it took to find her. And then…he had no idea. He hoped she’d listen to him, but she might not want to have anything to do with him.

  He deserved it.

  Maddox searched buildings, scanning floors in a haphazard pattern, hoping to get lucky. Mostly he came across other people who were occupying the buildings and ready to fight him if he tried to take over their space. After four buildings, when the stars were starting to come out, he wandered in the direction of the bridge.

  It was almost dark. She was probably already hidden away for the night. Pretty soon he wouldn’t be able to see anything inside the buildings. He’d have to come back tomorrow. And the next day if that’s what it took.

  Then he spotted a shadow, a figure darting under the bridge.

  Before he could think it through, he ran after it. It had to be Juno, right? He wouldn’t let himself think anything different.

  Maddox reached the bridge, looked around, and then ducked under the structure. He froze when a knife touched his throat. He held up his hands even as he made out her features in the dimness.

  “Maddox?” Juno asked, jerking the knife away. Then her expression hardened, and she pointed at the rats. “You owe me this, at least. I
’m taking the rats.”

  “Take them,” he choked out, surprised. “Take whatever you want.”

  She frowned. “What are you doing here?”

  “Looking for you.”

  “I screwed up again, then, didn’t I?” Her voice was as icy as he’d ever heard it. “If you found me, I must not be hiding as well as I thought.”

  Words dried in his throat. He swallowed and tried again, but she was already talking.

  “Are you here to take me back? Your community thinks I stole more supplies?” She stepped forward. “Take me back, then. I won’t fight you.”

  “Take you back? No, I—”

  “Then leave me alone,” she said, turning her back on him.

  She went farther under the bridge and disappeared. He followed her to the other side and saw her climbing the structure.

  “Juno, wait!”

  She didn’t wait, only continued climbing in the near darkness. So he followed.

  She went quick, and he kept slipping because he was trying to watch her at the same time. “Juno, wait! Be careful.”

  By the time he’d hiked his leg over the top, he was out of breath and his hands were shaking from the adrenaline. At least now she’d have to talk to him. She had nowhere else to go.

  When she turned, he caught the flicker of anger in her eyes. But it was eclipsed by hurt. “Still here, huh?”

  “Yes. I’m not leaving. Not yet.”

  “Then what do you want?”

  He took a slow breath and felt all the tension release from his body. His voice was calm when he said, “I want to tell you something.”

  “What?”

  “I love you.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Juno

  The words might as well have been a slap to her face. She’d hoped for them, dreamed about them, and now that they’d been said, she couldn’t say anything back.

  Maddox took the moment to walk to her, to meet her close to the edge of the bridge, with the water waving below. “I love you,” he repeated. “And I should have told you before.”

  Emotion crawled up her throat. She held it back. She loved him, too, or had, but words alone didn’t fix this.

  “It’s…” She shook her head. “Thank you for telling me.”

  He almost smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  “But.”

  Maddox held up his hands. “I knew there would be a ‘but.’ There’s more, I promise. Will you please listen? Just for a few minutes, and then I’ll leave you alone if that’s what you want.”

  Alone? She felt like she’d been alone her entire life. Maddox was the only one who had made her feel alive. But again, him being here didn’t solve the problem. It didn’t fix everything that had happened.

  Juno turned to face the water, to stare at the small hint of light that was vanishing over the horizon. The stars were out in multitudes, and maybe another day she might have stared at the inner city, the Light Side, dreaming of being there. But that was the old Juno.

  She had a chance to make something of herself now; she just had to figure out where to start.

  She nodded. “Okay. Talk.”

  Maddox came up next to her but didn’t touch her. “I left you. I walked out on you when you needed me. Or—or maybe you didn’t need me. You’re strong, but I should have been here. Every time I wasn’t here, I should have been here.”

  Yes, she’d needed him. She’d needed him so badly. But now…he was right. She was strong.

  “I love you, but that’s not enough.” Maddox’s voice lowered, carried away on the wind. “I know that’s not enough.”

  She waited for him to continue, almost wondering if that was all he had to say. But then he turned to her, his face a shadow just like all those times they’d met at the dock.

  “That’s not enough,” he repeated. “I don’t want to have to hide this—what I feel.”

  She opened her mouth to argue. It wasn’t like they could tell anyone else how they felt. Pillar was the only one who knew anything more, who’d had a glimpse at how much she and Maddox shared.

  “I told my mom,” Maddox said.

  “What?”

  He nodded and ran a hand over the back of his neck. “I’m tired of our communities being at war. Of everyone worrying all the time. But mostly, I was tired of not telling the truth and not being able to say how I feel.” He lifted his head. “So, I told her about you. Everything.”

  “Everything?”

  “Yes. I told her I was the one who went to your side and started this mess.”

  “You did?” Juno finally turned to him, a small crack opening in her heart, just enough to let hope through.

  “Yes. She knows everything. In fact, most of my community probably does now, too. She knows you didn’t take the supplies.”

  “How? Did you find out who took them?”

  “It was Theo.”

  She slapped a hand over her mouth, and her voice came out muffled. “Really?”

  “Really. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but my mom knows the truth, and she’s not going to let Theo or anyone else come after you. You’re safe here.”

  “But…what about the feud and—and—”

  “We’re going to talk about it. She wants it to be over, and so do I. She’s going to offer a truce. Which means…you’re safe. You could go back if you want.”

  Juno blinked. Go back? Was that even a possibility? She’d decided long ago she didn’t belong there. Even after things changed—if they changed—was that what she wanted?

  Maddox gave a smile that was almost shy. “And she knows the rest, too.”

  “The rest?”

  “That I love you,” he said, reaching for her hand. “The most important thing.”

  Her heart broke and she squeezed his hand. “You told her that?”

  “I told her that. I needed her to know. I needed to fix this. Not just by telling her, but by making sure she knows what’s important in my life. You.”

  Juno wrapped her arms around Maddox, and he responded immediately, his mouth closing over hers. He ran his hand down her back in a gesture of reassurance as she clung to him, allowing herself to hope more than she’d ever hoped before.

  But then a thought occurred to her, and she jerked back. “Wait. Did she kick you out?”

  He laughed. “No. She didn’t kick me out. She let me come to you. She’s not mad.”

  “Really? But how…” She still couldn’t believe it. Not only were they trying to end the feud, but it was okay with Maddox’s mom if he loved a girl who was supposed to be the enemy?

  “I’m serious,” Maddox said as if reading her thoughts. “She understands.”

  She swallowed and clung tighter to Maddox. “I’m glad.”

  He took her hand, turning them to face the water again. To listen to the waves below. “Do you think you’ll go back? If things change? If your side accepts some sort of truce?”

  “I…I don’t think I want to.”

  “Really?” He squeezed her hand.

  “Really. I think I found my home.”

  Maddox’s voice lowered. “I saw how your family was. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry, Juno.”

  She smiled at him. “I’m not. It was time for things to change. I’m sure you have to get back now.”

  “No. I don’t. And even when I leave, I’ll come back and see you. Tomorrow. The next day. As many days as you want.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, making him laugh again.

  “I know you don’t have much reason to trust me, but I promise I’ll be here. I love you, and I need to be here for you. For whatever happens.”

  “I love you, too.” She sighed and faced the water again. “So what’s next?”

  There was a smile in his voice when he answered. “I have no idea. But whatever it is, it’ll be together. And it’ll be an adventure.”

  He was right. It would be an adventure. So many things up to this point had felt like a fight—her family, her relat
ionship with the one person who truly seemed to understand her, and even her own feelings. It almost didn’t feel real that she might have a chance to live a life free from those same worries.

  But with Maddox by her side, she was starting to believe there was a whole world out there she’d have a chance to explore.

  So they stared at the stars together, and finally, finally, after all this time, Juno felt like she’d found her place.

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  Acknowledgments

  This book came from a lot of collaboration and hard work, and it took effort to step outside of my comfort zone.

  A special thanks to Jessica for reading an early version to make sure I was on the right track. To Stacey Donaghy, thank you for negotiating details and keeping me sane while I worked on this project. Stephen Morgan, you pushed me to get this story just right, and I appreciate the guidance.

  Another big thanks goes to my editor Lydia Sharp for helping polish this book so it was bright and shiny, and thanks to the rest of the Entangled team for their work.

  Lastly, thank you to Libby, Katelyn, and Brooklyn. You helped me brainstorm, kept me company while I paced and thought about Rival for long hours, and kept me encouraged when writing got hard.

  About the Author

  Cindy lives at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and loves using Colorado towns and cities as inspiration for settings in her stories. She’s the mother of three girls, who provide plenty of fodder for her YA novels. Cindy writes speculative fiction and YA fiction, filled with a healthy dose of romance. You’ll often find her hiking or listening to any number of playlists while she comes up with her next story idea.

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