by Megan Linski
“Is it about Eric?” I ask instantly. “Did they summon me for trial?”
She doesn’t confirm or deny. “Please, sit down.”
I take the chair across from her. I lean forward, place my elbows on the table, and say, “Okay, what is it? I promise not to freak out.”
Isolde takes a deep breath. “You don’t need to go to trial to testify against him anymore. The case has been dropped.”
“What? Why?” My mouth opens in surprise. “Why would they do that?”
“Let me clarify.” Isolde clears her throat. “You don’t have to worry about Eric because he’s no longer a concern. They found him in his cell late last night. He’s dead.”
Eric is dead.
It’s like a chime goes off in my head. Ding. Ding. Ding.
Eric is dead.
“He was murdered. Security found nothing more than a pile of ashes and some burn marks in his cell.” Isolde’s perched on the edge of her seat, anxiously awaiting my reaction. “The guards are trying to figure out how one of the prisoners could’ve gotten a lighter, or how he went up so quickly, but…”
Isolde’s voice fades away into the background. Ashes. Fire.
Thames.
“How do you feel, Cassia?” Isolde’s interlaced fingers tighten, her fingernails pressing into skin.
My insides are numb. Eric is dead. He’s really, really gone. I never have to see him again, never have to feel obligated to keep him behind bars, never have to worry about if he’s out there molesting other girls or if it’s my fault that he is.
He’s been taken care of.
I smile. Isolde raises her eyebrow.
“I’m… I’m okay.” Way better than okay. “Thank you for telling me, Isolde. I really appreciate it.”
She’s stunned that I’m not freaking out. “Are you sure? I know something like this could send you into shock—”
“I’m not.” I shake my head. “I’m really fine. It’s all right.”
I proceed to the cupboard and start pouring a bowl of cereal like it’s any other morning. Isolde watches me cautiously before she asks, “Do you want any updates if the guards find out what happened?”
“No.” I shake my head. “It’s done and it’s over. Time for me to move forward.”
Isolde seems to be impressed with how I’m handling this. “Very well.” She grabs a breakfast bar for herself before she asks, “Would you like to come with me tonight to a crop and shop down at the craft store? It’s good for relaxation.”
“Sure.” I give her an encouraging grin. Scrapbooking isn’t my thing, but I’m in such a good mood I’d probably sign up for crocodile hopping if Isolde wanted to go.
Isolde seems relieved. She gives me a kiss on the cheek and I scarf down my cereal. Today’s going to be a good day.
When Isolde drops me off, I run straight to my locker. Thames, my Thames, is waiting there for me like he used to. My backpack drops to the ground as I fling my arms around him and squeeze him tight.
“Thank you,” I whisper. I don’t want to cry in school again, but my eyes are already getting watery. Thames seems to be good at doing this to me.
He doesn’t have to ask. Thames rests his head on mine and hugs me back, tighter than he ever has. His voice is thick, too. “You’re welcome.”
Cairo passes by. An expression of disapproval is set heavily on his face, though I know it’s not because of the hug.
“Cassia.” Cairo jerks his head. “Come with me for a minute, please.”
Thames doesn’t object. He just grabs my hand before I go, and says, “I’ll hit you up on that offer to hang out tonight, if you’re interested.”
“Of course.” My eyes soften. “I’m so glad you’re back, Thames. I really missed you.”
He nods. I pull away from him and walk with Cairo instead. He leads me to an empty classroom. The bell rings, but we both ignore it. Murder is obviously more important than Chemistry class.
I sit on a desk. Cairo shuts the door behind us and locks it, before running a hand through his hair nervously.
“You obviously heard what happened,” Cairo said. “Eric’s dead. I’m guessing you put the pieces together and figured out who did it?”
“I did, and it’s great news.” I swing my legs back and forth. “I owe Thames one.”
“No, Cassia. Don’t say that.” He grimaces. “You’re letting your emotions get in the way of thinking rationally. This isn’t a good thing.”
“Why not?” I shrug. “Eric was a terrible person. Now society and the rest of the world is safe from him. There’s no bad side to this.”
“I’m worried about you. You’re so cheery about all of this, like you just won the lottery or something.” Cairo crosses his arms. “Death isn’t something to celebrate.”
“His death is,” I say firmly. “He was completely evil.”
“That may be, but it wasn’t Thames’ right to take his life.”
“Do you think I’ve turned Thames into a killer?” I ask. I don’t want the blood that’s on Thames’ hands to be because of me, but now I realize, with a horrible sinking feeling, that it is.
“No!” Cairo sweeps his hand downward in a vicious slash. “No, that is not what I’m saying! Thames knew exactly what he was doing. He knew the repercussions. And yet he did it anyway. This is all on him.”
“I didn’t mean to.” My joy is slowly being suffocated under the fact that Thames murdered someone, even a terrible person, as an act of revenge for me. “If I had known he’d go this far, I wouldn’t have said anything to you. I told Thames to ask you about it. I never should’ve—”
“I told you, Cassia, this is not your fault. Don’t you think I wanted to do the same thing?” Cairo asks harshly. “Cassia, when you told me what that sick man did to you, it took every bit of self-control I had to hold myself back from going there and taking his life in the cruelest way I could think of. Believe me, the bastard deserved it.”
Cairo makes an angry noise. “Thames told me that I was too weak, that it needed to be done and it was right to take revenge, for you. He thinks that I can’t protect you well enough because of it, that my morals are more important than you are to me.”
Cairo smacks his hand against a desk. “But what Thames doesn’t understand is that I’m not God, and neither is he. And I don’t think that we should be deciding who lives and who dies.”
I touch his arm. “I understand why you didn’t,” I say softly. “But I also understand why Thames did. You two are different.”
“There are more consequences than you realize, Cassia,” Cairo says. “Thames is going to have to answer for this.”
“What?” I whisper. “How?”
“The Nephilim council. They let Thames live on the terms that he doesn’t kill a human. That’s all null and void now.” Cairo’s voice begins to shake.
“No.” I shake my head back and forth. “No. Thames can’t die for me.”
“It’s out of both our hands.” Cairo turns pale… he’s really scared for his brother. “If the council finds out, which they will, they’ll capture Thames and execute him for taking the life of a human. They don’t care what Eric was. It’s all the same to them.”
I grab the front of Cairo’s shirt. “Cairo, you have to promise me that you’ll do something,” I beg.
“I’m going to do everything I can. I can’t lose my brother.” He lets out a whoosh of breath. “I knew his recklessness would get him into major trouble someday. He just doesn’t think.”
“I’ll talk to him,” I say immediately. “After school today. Maybe there’s something that can be done.”
“I hope so. I just don’t know what.”
Cairo sighs. He looks at the clock. “Come on. We should get back to class.”
Cairo presses against me in the hallways on the way back. I’m not sure if he’s steadying me, or I’m supporting him. Most likely both. It’s almost time to change periods, so when I come to the door of my second class, we kiss and pa
rt ways.
I lean against a locker outside the classroom and think. I know Cairo is right. Individuals shouldn’t get to decide who lives and who dies. The death penalty is something that should be on society’s shoulders, on everyone’s shoulders, and shouldn’t be tasked to a single tyrant. Thames knew that the government wouldn’t do its job and take care of Eric, so he took care of the problem for them.
Thames is a murderer now. That’s something horrible that can never be changed. But is his life equal to Eric’s? Will he have to sacrifice himself now, to pay for what he did?
No way in hell. I know I’m just a little human girl, but I’m not going to let that happen. Thames isn’t going to die for me.
I’ve been preparing what I’ve been going to say to Thames all day. When we get in his truck I’m ready to talk, but he takes a wrong turn out of the school driveway.
“Where are you going? This isn’t the way to your house,” I say.
“We’re not going to my house.” Thames smiles. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“Okay.” Now I feel even more guilty about lecturing him. I bite my lip, looking for a way to start, before Thames beats me to the punch.
“I already know, Cass.” His happy expression is now somewhat glum. “You don’t need to tell me.”
I open my mouth, then shut it before opening it again, saying, “Thames, I’m super worried. Once they find out it was you who murdered Eric, the Nephilim council is going to slaughter you.”
“It’s a fair price to pay,” Thames says firmly. “When Cairo told me what he did…”
Thames makes a twisted, pained face. He grips the steering wheel, and says steadily, “I couldn’t control myself. Something had to be done. Cairo kills demons for a living, but he doesn’t understand there are monsters walking among the human race as well. Something’s got to be done about them. Maybe I’m it.”
“Thames. You can’t be an executioner for bad people,” I insist. “You can’t go around killing humans, even if they’re evil, because the Nephilim council will end you for it. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if something happened to you.”
He swallows. Then he reaches out and grabs my hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. “I know. I’m doing everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
I don’t let go of his hand. Thames drives for a half hour before he pulls into an airport, a small one with only a few planes and a tiny landing strip. Thames parks next to the hangar, and finally, I let go.
“What are we doing here?” My heart beat thumps loudly at the sight of planes. I get out of the car, and Thames rounds the truck.
“I think you know.” Thames points upward. There are screams from above. I glance upward and see the tiny outlines of people as they fall toward the earth, opening their parachutes far above the ground.
“We’re going skydiving?! No way!” I shriek. Excitement burns in my chest. I have to force myself not to dance on the spot.
“Yep. Thought it’d be pretty important for a future pilot to try once, don’t you think?” He grins.
“I can’t jump. I’m a minor,” I object.
“Isolde already signed the consent form,” he says cheerfully. “It was supposed to be a birthday surprise, but I figured now would be a better time.”
“Oh my gosh, Thames, thank you,” I say breathlessly. I’m nearly jogging to the hangar. I feel like a little kid all over again. Thames has to lengthen his strides to keep up with me.
“Have you jumped before?” I ask, glancing behind.
“Yep. Hundreds of times. In fact, you’re tandem jumping with me,” Thames says. “I’m certified. Have been since I turned eighteen a few months ago.”
Of course the bad boy crotch rocket rider loves skydiving. Inside the hangar, we meet the instructor, as well as the pilot. They run me through an hour-long crash course in skydiving before we suit up.
We board the plane. My stomach lurches as the aircraft leans backward, soaring into the sky.
It takes us about twenty minutes to ascend to ten thousand feet. As the plane climbs higher and higher, my anxiety shoots through the roof. I really have nothing to worry about. Even if both parachutes fail, Thames can either fly or teleport us back to the ground, but this is still jumping out of a plane. It’s nuts. It gets my heart pounding and my blood rushing through my veins.
“Nervous?” Thames shouts over the roar of the engine. He’s looking extremely smug right now.
“Absolutely! I’d be crazy if I wasn’t!” I cry back. Yet the thrill of what I’m about to do outweighs the fear. I literally can’t wait to do this.
Finally, the plane door opens. A blast of cold air rushes across my face. It’s insanely cold out here. Thames clips himself onto me, and we hover at the edge of the open door, ready to take the leap.
Paralyzing fear cripples my limbs. I didn’t realize how far up we were. The trees look like twigs up here, the hangar no bigger than my thumb. We’re going to fall all the way down to there? I freeze up.
“Got stage fright?” Thames laughs.
“Shut up!” My voice sounds so small and mousy.
“If you don’t jump, I’ll push you out!” he jokes, though I know he’s not all kidding.
“Just do it!” I grit my teeth, and prepare to jump.
“Okay! One… two… three!”
I scream as Thames launches us out of the plane. Wind rushes by my face, and my stomach jolts with the quick drop. I spread my arms and legs out to balance myself. We free fall through clouds, my lungs struggling to breathe through the cold atmosphere. The sudden realization that I’m actually hurtling through the air hits me. I’m free. I’m flying.
My wild screaming stops, and I look around. The world is perfect up here. Heaven seems so quaint and tiny against the mass span of the wild north that surrounds the tiny town. Small mountains cascade against the trees in the distance, and Lake Superior glistens beneath the rays of the glorious sun.
No boundaries. Absolutely no fear. My heart was born to fly.
Before my soul has a chance to settle up here, Thames pulls the chute. We’re jerked backwards, and our quick descent slows to a fairy-like drift, the parachute causing us to slowly spiral downward. I look around at the breathtaking scenery, unable to believe the world could look so grand.
Whatever I’ve been through, it doesn’t change the fact that this life is amazing.
I land clumsily, but Thames is able to save us. He stabilizes us as we come to a soft landing. Once my feet are back on the ground, I crane my neck upward at the plane. Now that’s what seems small. I can’t believe I jumped that far. All I want to do is go back up there and do it over, again and again.
“Did you like it?” Thames asks. His face is red from the thrill.
“I loved it.” I take in a big, deep breath. “Will you please promise that you’ll take me again soon?”
Thames’ smiles, but his eyes flicker. “Maybe.”
Afterwards, Thames takes me out to dinner at our favorite pizza joint. Surprisingly, my stomach isn’t all twisted up from the leap. The whole time, my mind is spinning with the extremeness of the skydive. I never experienced such a rush. I honestly think I’m in love... and maybe it’s not just with skydiving.
Thames and I don’t get back to my house until late that night. I’m still blathering on about skydiving when we get there. Thames hasn’t said much all evening, just let me talk.
“Thames, that was incredible, really.” I’m breathless even just talking about it. We climb the steps of the porch, to the front door. “We’re going to go again, right? Soon? You said we would.”
“Cass.”
“Won’t you?”
“Cass, stop.”
I pause. I turn around, and Thames is right there to greet me. He’s only inches away. He takes a deep breath. His hands plant firmly in his pockets as he says, “Cass, I have to go away for a while.”
“What?” My perfect day comes crashing down around my ears. “Why?”
/>
“You know why. The council is probably looking for me already.” Thames rubs a spot on the porch with his foot. “I have to go hide. I can’t stay in town any longer. I’ve already pushed it by being here today.”
Reality hits me, along with answers. That’s why Thames took me skydiving today, instead of on my birthday. He knew he wouldn’t be around for it.
I know he has to go. But selfishly, I don’t want him to.
“You can’t go.” Tears water up in my eyes. I bite my lip to keep it from trembling. I wrap my arms around his middle, clenching him to me.
“I won’t be gone long,” Thames says softly. “I’ll be back. I promise.”
Thames moves forward. He tilts my head upward and leans forward to kiss me. My eyes widen in shock before I relax and give into his touch.
Thames’ kiss is powerful, strong. It’s warm, tingled with fire and heated sparks. Kissing him is like kissing a smoldering flame. Long, burning and sexual.
Yet I can’t deny that when I kiss him, there’s nothing there. My insides are dull, flatline.
To make things worse, when he kisses me, all I can think about is Cairo.
Thames pulls away. His thumb brushes my cheek before he says, “Be safe, okay, Cass? Cairo will keep an eye on you while I’m gone.”
“You be safe.” I wrap my arms around myself. “I want you to come back.”
He nods. He then puts his hands back in his pockets and swaggers away.
I climb the steps to my room slowly, feeling like my shoes are weighed down with bricks. I feel guilty, and wrong, but I can’t change my emotions. I have my answer now about who I truly love. Inside, I think I always knew.
I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.
When will Thames be back? Days? Months? Years? I have absolutely no way of knowing. I cross my room to the window, to close the open shades for the night. As spectacular as skydiving was, I would’ve traded it to have one more day with Thames.
An unexpected figure below my window catches my attention. I look down and see the outline of a man. It’s too dark to see any features or make out who it could be. He’s standing directly below me.