Keeper(72)

“Let’s do it.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX


“There’s still time to back out, you know,” I yelled over the din of laughter and childish shrieks.

Ty leaned forward and gripped the wheel of his electric-blue bumper car. “I never back down from a fight.” I got a brief flash of smirk before a loud bell jangled and the cars went live.

I yanked my wheel and sped down the shiny linoleum track, trailing Ty’s car by a few feet. Just when I was close enough to ram the bumper, a yellow car driven by a kid in a Minions shirt t-boned me and sent me spinning into the middle of the track. The kid’s gleeful giggle echoed in my ear as I maneuvered my car back into the flow of traffic, scanning the sea of color for electric blue.

I heard his shout before I felt the impact that sent my car spinning. Squealing, I tried my best to control my car, but I was laughing too hard to make a real go of it. Ty rammed me again, knocked my car off the main course and into a small corner. I was trapped. I held my hands up, feigning defeat.

“Do you yield?” Ty joked, as if we were in the middle of a duel. He held out his arm like a sword and pointed at me. I tried to maneuver around him, but he had me pinned. He grinned smugly at me.

“Never!” I yelled, abandoning all attempts of going around him and stepping on the gas pedal instead, ramming my car into his. The impact knocked his car to the side just enough for me to squeeze through. The expression on his face made me burst out in another fit of giggles. The wind whipped my hair around my face as I raced toward the opposite side of the track, his laughter booming behind me.

By the time the bell jangled again, I was doubled over in my seat, laughing so hard my stomach ached. Ty’s car was parallel to mine, his own shoulders shaking nearly as much.

It took several minutes, but he finally stood up and managed to pull me to my feet. I was out of breath and the muscles in my face hurt from smiling so much, but I couldn’t stop the stupid grin I knew was plastered on my face.

“How about now?” he said, trailing a hand down my arm. “You yield?” His eyes were bright and sparkling.

The touch of his skin on mine sent a wave of heat

through me.

“Never,” I whispered. Every fiber of my being began to sing as he reached out and ran his fingers lightly over my cheek. My breath hitched in my throat as he leaned forward to kiss me.

“Um . . . excuse me.”

We both jumped. Ty took a step backward, and we both looked down at a kid wearing a baseball hat staring at us with crossed arms. “Blue’s my favorite color,” he said, looking pointedly at the car Ty had exited, the one our bodies were currently blocking.

“Oh,” I said, moving out of the way. “Sorry about that.” I tried to smile at the kid, but disappointment was coursing through me. I think I grimaced instead. The little kid gave me a weird look before hopping into the car.

Ty chuckled and reached for my hand. “Come on, Road Slayer. Let’s go get some lemonade.”

I let him lead me back outside where the night air was cool against my flushed skin. I’d expected him to drop my hand once we were outside, but he didn’t. His warm hand was still wrapped firmly around mine. I gave his fingers a gentle squeeze, and when he looked down at me, I swear my heart dropped right out of my chest.

I was so busy enjoying the gushiness of my emotions that when Ty stopped abruptly, I didn’t notice. I tripped as the tether of his arm yanked me backward. It was then that I saw the tight set of his shoulders, his rigid posture.

“Ty?”

When he looked at me, golden light ringed his irises.

“What’s wrong?”

He scanned the area, ignoring my question. Whipping his head back and forth, he pulled me toward the food vendors, tension pulsating down his arm.

“Ty, what is it?” He was walking briskly, and I did my best to keep up. I looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary. “Ty!” I yanked on his arm and pulled him to a stop. “What’s going on?”

He was breathing easier now, and the golden light had faded slightly from his eyes. “I don’t know,” he said, focusing on my face. “Something’s not right.”

“Praetorian senses?” I asked, pointing to his eyes.

He nodded. “I think maybe we should get out of here.”

The look on his face made me swallow hard. “Is it the Scavengers?”

“I’m not sure, but whatever it is, it’s not friendly.”

That was good enough for me. “Okay, we have to find Maggie first. I don’t want to leave without her.”

Ty nodded, and we moved through the crowd, both of us alert. We were near the back corner of the grounds, the one adjacent to the corn maze, when I heard someone call my name.

“Styles! Styles, up here!”

I looked up, and Maggie was waving from one of the passenger pods on top of the Ferris wheel. Next to her, Lily Owens also gave a cheerful wave.

“Shit,” I muttered. Maggie’s pod was at the very top of the wheel.

She waved again, but her smile faded when she saw the serious look Ty and I were sharing. She disappeared from over the side of the pod, and a few seconds later, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

What’s wrong? Scavengers?

Maggie was lightning-fast when it came to texting.