The Book Eaters(101)
He rested his chin on a fist. “The cure is here, if we can get it.”
“We can, I think. I’ve been talking to Mani, the human man who does a lot of the grunt work for Killock. He’s going to help us out, in exchange for coming with us.”
“Oh yes, that man,” Cai said. “Okay. What’s the solution for this … thing inside me?” He was holding his abdomen again, fingers splayed against his shirt.
“A friend has been working on that.”
“Since when do you have friends?”
She swatted at him. “A man called Jarrow, who is helping me escape. The Game Boy you own belonged to him. He gave it to me, and I to you.”
“I see,” he said, and she wondered if he really did. “Where is he?”
“Traveling up from London. I’m scheduled to meet him tomorrow morning in person. Before we escape.”
“Will everyone here die, after we escape?” Cai actually squeezed her hand. “You’ll tell me the truth, right? If you think lots of people will die, you won’t lie?”
“No more lies between us. I promised.” She squeezed back. “I don’t know if everyone will die. If my plan works out, we’ll have enough time to leave, and then give the Ravenscars some warning so they can clear off if they wish.” If they believed her warning and could get organized in time.
“What about Hester?”
“I’ve told her the truth, before coming to see you,” she said, embarrassed all over again that her son was the last person to find out. “She’s thinking about it. I’m not sure she’s convinced, though.”
Cai pulled at his bottom lip. “All our options are dangerous and hurtful.”
“I’m afraid so.” She caught herself on the edge of apologizing.
“No matter what choice we take, someone will always suffer in some way,” he said, a little sadly. “I gave a sermon on that once.”
She couldn’t let that slide. “Not you. The vicar did.”
“Is there a difference? If you eat something and then go for a hike, do you say my food hiked up a mountain today or is it just a part of you?”
“You’ve lost me, love.”
“Never mind.” He sighed. “Is there really no other way, Devon?”
“If there is,” she said, “then I’ve not thought of one, even after all these months.”
“And now we’re out of time,” he said, looking at the clock, then at the sky visible through their bedroom window. “No more lies, but it’s too late for me to make choices. The only way is your way now.” He paused. “Do I even want to go with you, when you leave?”
The question hurt; she tried not to let it show. Tried to focus on the right words to say.
“No, Cai, you do not have to come with me. I’m going to help you escape from here, with enough Redemption to live on, but you’re not a child the way other children are. If you wish to be free of me as well, then I won’t stop you going, once I’ve got you out.”
She would never keep him bound, the way the Family had kept her. Devon had strong feelings on that one.
He looked at her sidelong. “Wouldn’t you hate me if I left you?”
“No. Never. No matter what you did.”
“Really? Even if I betrayed you?” He was studying her intently now, scalpel-sharp. “Even if I ran and told Killock everything and then I lived here with him and we ate people together like brothers, for the rest of our lives?”
“I’d think you were making a mistake, but yes, even then.”
He mulled that over, still fiddling with her phone, and she felt like a prisoner awaiting their sentence: resigned, almost at peace.
Into the breathy silence between them, Cai held out the phone to her and said, “I want to stay with you. Even though you lied about so many things.”
She couldn’t not ask. “Why?”
“Because you’re a monster. Like that man said, the night I ate Matley.” He scooted over and gave her a hug, thin arms circling her waist; a surprise. “A mean, tall, angry monster who looks out for me.”
“Oh. Is that a compliment, then?” Devon said, a little faintly, and indulged herself by hugging him back.
“I know what Matley thought of me. Everyone is scared of me, even the other mind eaters here. You’re not scared of me because you’re an even bigger, meaner monster than me,” Cai said, face muffled against the join of her shoulder. “You’d eat the whole world to help me out and I think I’d do that for you, too. You’re my monster and I’m yours, and even though I’m sad you lied to me and I’m sorry that we have to hurt more people, we must go together because we are a monster family.”
Only pride kept her tears at bay. “I’m glad,” she said, trying and failing to not sound choked. “Understatement of the year, but—I’m glad.”
“I do have one condition,” said Cai, twisting his face up toward hers. “I want to come meet your friend, when you see him tomorrow. You know, Mr. Game Boy guy. Can you tell me more about him?”
30
HAPPILY NEVER AFTER
TEN MONTHS AGO
The prince heard a voice and thought it was familiar. He advanced toward it, and as he approached, Rapunzel recognized him, and crying, threw her arms around his neck.