Hurst looked just as I remembered.
Truth be told, when I had left the last time, I never thought I would return, and yet here I was.
The market bustled with vendors selling goods and people browsing the little stands and shops that lined both sides of the dirt path. It reminded me of the farmers’ markets and craft fairs I sometimes had gone to as a child with my grandma.
“Welcome to Hurst,” I whispered to Star.
She took it all in. “Wow. Just wow. It is so different than Diamond Towers.”
I snorted. “You mean it is so primitive.”
Her gaze slid to mine, her eyes wide. “I was being optimistic.”
“Good. Keep your spirits up.” I watched Star stride around admiring the shops and the little town of Hurst. The air smelled of sizzling meat and something sweet and tangy like barbeque. I ran my hand over the wooden table of a lady selling silk scarves. Star ogled a pretty soft pink one with a faint white design. I could see that she longed for the days when shopping at the mall was normal. I wished that I had the coin to buy it for her.
“How is it that each time you walk through those gates you have another pretty lady in your company?” a booming voice asked behind us as a hand landed on Dash’s shoulder.
A grin split over Dash’s lips, and the Slayer turned around to greet Cyan. Dash’s eyes flashed with a naughty gleam. “What can I say? I’m a chick magnet.”
I stepped on his foot, not sure if I felt more offended about being called a chick or that he enjoyed being seen as a ladies’ man.
Cyan laughed, a full, deep belly sound that echoed through the woods. “Welcome back, Slayer. I see you haven’t been able to get rid of the fiery redhead with rainbow eyes.”
“Trust me, I tried. She is like a lost puppy that keeps finding its way home.”
I was going to neuter him. “It’s nice to see you too.”
Cyan hadn’t changed a bit: bronze skin, obsidian hair pulled into a messy bun, larger than life personality, and in dire need of a shave. His mahogany eyes wandered to Star, who stood next to me. “Is this going to be a thing? You bringing me strays?” He crossed his arms over his expansive chest, his feet situated equally apart. “So tell me, does the little lady have a name?”
No one said anything at first. How did we explain this awkward triangle we found ourselves in? Oh, this is Star. She used to be Dash’s girlfriend before the world went belly up, but now we’re all just friends… or trying to be.
I could only imagine the look of amusement that would spring into Cyan’s expression. The man struck me as someone who found humor in his friend’s predicaments.
“This is Star,” I introduced her. “She helped me escape from Diamond Towers.”
Cyan squinted. “I don’t even want to know how you ended up there, or how the Slayer let you out of his sight,” he said, facing Dash.
“You haven’t traveled with Charlotte. Trust me. It is not easy keeping her out of trouble.”
Cyan cracked a grin. “I suppose it isn’t, not from what I’ve been hearing.”
The cocksure glint in Dash’s eyes fell. “What have you heard?”
“Nothing good, my friend.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Do you know who she is? Or why the Institute is so interested in her?” Dash asked, his gaze darkening.
“The Institute isn’t only interested in Charlotte,” Cyan replied. “They want you as well, Darhk. The two of you are in a heap of danger. Every tracker, guard, even the rebels are out looking for the pair of you.”
“I’ve been a wanted man for a year. What is the difference now?”
“Before it was only the Night’s Guard hunting you, but since Charlotte awoke, they’ve sent out notice to every man, woman, and child with an offer of a reward. Not just cash, but a home within Diamond Towers.”
“Who the hell would want that?” I asked in outrage.
“You’d be surprised, Freckles. Not everyone in the Heights has been touched by the darkness of the Institute. They do a good job of hiding what really goes on. And Diamond Towers offers what many people seek: safety, a home, a life most similar to what it once was.”
“Well, this just sucks. Are we safe here?” I asked Cyan, concerned not only for the people inside Hurst, but Dash and me.
“You have my word,” Cyan reassured us. “No one here has forgotten what the Institute did to them.”
Hurst: the place of misfits. It was where the castaways fled to.
“I hope you’re right,” Dash said. “We will only be staying a few nights, but Star won’t be leaving with us.”
Cyan gave a nod. “She is welcome. My daughter could use a friend her age.”
I choked but tried to cover it with a cough.
Star’s eyes twinkled. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
I took a shower, piled on some clothes, and headed to the little cabin I had stayed at previously, doing my very best not to think about the Institute for one night. It felt as if it had taken a lifetime to get to Hurst, and now that I was here, I wanted to sleep for a month.
Star and Dash were each in neighboring cabins to mine. I got stuck in the middle—story of my life. The cabins had only one room with a teeny bathroom, but I wasn’t complaining. It had a makeshift bed and a roof.
As I sighed blissfully and felt content for the moment, thunder rolled in. At the rumble of it, I glanced out the little window. Clouds blanketed the sky, dark and thick. The rumble became a roar that had me jumping into bed, and I laughed at myself. It is only a storm. Not the Institute or a wild beast.
Tonight was the kind of night you wanted to be snuggled inside. All I needed was a small fire and a good book, but I had neither. I pulled the covers up closer under my chin, and a bolt of lightning lanced across the sky, sizzling blue at the edges. Storms gave me a sense of comfort, but tonight I didn’t want to be alone.
Funnily enough, a night of peace was just what I had sought, but the moment I had what I thought I wanted, it no longer seemed desirable. Go figure. Lying on a pile of furs, I wrestled with the idea of disturbing Star but ultimately decided to suck it up. She had been through so much. The girl deserved a night off from me and my drama.
Wind yowled outside, rattling the window right before the door to the cabin burst open. My gaze flew across the room. Now what? I swore, if someone was going to try to kidnap me tonight, I would fight them until the death. No way was I giving up a bed for the night.
Dash stood in the doorway, soaked to the bone, his dark hair plastered to his fierce face. “What happened?”
A warm tingle danced over my skin. “Um, nothing. I was about to go to sleep. Did something happen to you?”
His eyes clashed with mine in the dark, a muscle in his jaw popping. “No. I saw the lightning and thought …”
“That I was in trouble,” I finished. I shrugged, a naughty idea forming in my head. The whole wet ensemble worked for Dash. “Don’t look at me. This one is all mother nature.”