Queen (The Blackcoat Rebellion #3)(77)

“What? Who?” I stood and headed toward the cottage, brushing the dirt off my pants. The metal cuff was cold against the cartilage of my ear. But while Greyson didn’t use his, and I hadn’t heard a word from Knox since I’d last visited his hospital room the day I’d left D.C., I couldn’t bring myself to take it off.

“Benjy. He’s on the monitor.”

Hannah held the door open for me, and I stepped into the warm cottage. It was small, with only a living room, a tiny kitchen, two small bedrooms, and a bathroom we shared, but it was all the space Hannah and I needed. At firstwe’d tiptoed around one another, not entirely sure what to do or say, but as the days passed, we slowly grew more comfortable with one another. I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to call her Mom, and it was undoubtedly difficult for her to think of me as the baby she’d been forced to give up all those years ago, but we were working on it. And that was the important part.

“I set a mug of hot chocolate on the desk for you,” said Hannah as she helped me out of my coat and hung it near the crackling fire to warm it for the next time I decided to go outside—which, admittedly, would probably be as soon as my call with Benjy ended. After spending so many months trapped in one way or another, I loved the freedom of the lakeshore. The cottage was inviting, and I never felt like an intruder, but it also didn’t quite feel like home yet.

“Thanks,” I said, flashing her a grateful smile. I headed to the desk, where Benjy’s face appeared on the monitor as he waited for me.

“Took you long enough,” he said. “What were you doing?”

“I was outside,” I said. “What’s going on? Did something happen?”

“What, I’m not allowed to call twice in one day?” said Benjy.

“I—” I eyed him and picked up my hot chocolate. “You’re sure nothing’s going on?”

“Positive. My dinner plans fell through, and I just thought you’d like me to read to you for a while.”

This had become our daily ritual: Benjy would call after the morning council meeting had ended, and once he updated me on everything they had discussed, he would read to me. It wasn’t the same as it had been before, but it wasenough for now. “As long as the story isn’t boring,” I said. It never was.

“Can’t say for sure—I bought a few new books today, and I thought we could read them together.” Benjy held up an orange-and-turquoise cover I couldn’t read, and his smile grew goofy and huge. “The girl at the bookstore said this was a good one.”

“The girl at the bookstore?” I leaned toward the monitor. “Do tell me more, Benjamin.”

He turned red. “It’s not like that—”

“Uh-huh. I know that look on your face. That’s how you looked at me for ten years.”

“I’m looking at you now, aren’t I?” he said.

“That’s not the expression you wore when this call started. Spill, Doe.”

At last Benjy caved. “Okay, fine—she’s cute. Brunette. Glasses. We talked about books for a while.”

“Did you ask her out?” I said, and he nodded.

“This weekend. To talk about this book.”

I laughed. “So that’s why you want to read it to me,” I said, and he shrugged sheepishly.

“We can read something else, if you want.”

“No, no. I insist on this one.” I curled up in my seat, cupping my hot chocolate. “She better not be a better kisser than me.”

“I’ll let you know.” Benjy waggled his eyebrows and opened the book. “Chapter one.”

He read to me for the next twenty minutes, and Hannah joined us, standing behind me. She ran her fingers through my hair, her fingertips accidentally brushing against the X scarred into my neck, but neither of us said a word about it. Soon enough, it wouldn’t matter.

A knock sounded on the door in the middle of chapter two, and I looked up. “Benjy, hold on, someone’s here.” Greyson had visited twice so far, but he was usually good about telling us when he was coming.

“Oh, I sent you a present,” he said, and I stood.

“A present?” While Hannah tended to the stew that was beginning to bubble over, I headed toward the door.

“Yeah, thought you could use it,” he said mischievously, and I opened the door.

“What—”

I stopped. Knox stood on the porch, his arm in a sling and a bag hoisted over his good shoulder. He wore a thick woolen coat and at least three days’ worth of stubble, but he looked healthier than I had seen him in a long time.

“Hi,” he said, his smile growing as he looked at me. “I hope I’m not intruding.”

His voice sparked something deep inside me, warming me from the inside out. He looked happy, too. Happier than I’d ever seen him before. And suddenly I couldn’t help but feel exactly the same.

“No, never,” I said, moving aside to let him in. As he stepped into the cottage to join us, his hand brushed mine, and our eyes met. And I knew, without question, that I was home.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from PAWN by Aimée Carter.





Don’t miss the first two installments of The Blackcoat Rebellion by Aimee Carter!