Becoming Calder (A Sign of Love Novel)(92)

"Go to the far, left corner," she said.
I shook my head. "What?"
"The far, left corner," she said again. "It's the only place where you'll live."
"Live? I . . . what?"
She let go of me and went to Xander who was still snoring.
I walked outside and instead of going to the outhouse, I made a quick detour to Xander's cabin, knocking on the door once. When no one answered, I snuck inside, closing the door behind me. I didn't have to try to guess which floorboard it was. The one Xander used as his storage facility was still out of place. I kneeled down next to it and reached my hand inside. Something skittered by my wrist and I jerked my hand back, grunting in surprised disgust. "Mice. Just mice," I murmured, reaching back inside.
When I was bent in up to my shoulder, my hand hit fabric and I grabbed it and pulled it out. It was a canvas bag, secured at the top with a rope, and obviously full of what would be our getaway clothes. I didn't bother to return the floorboard to its place. Instead I ducked out of the cabin, the bag over my shoulder and walked purposefully back toward the sick tent. When I was almost there, someone grabbed my arm and I dropped the bag and spun around, ready to fight whomever it was off of me.
It was Hannah. She stood in front of me wringing her hands. It looked as if she'd been crying. "Hannah," I breathed out.
"Calder, that was awful." She let out a small cry. "Why did Xander do that? Is he okay?"
I picked up the bag and considered how to answer. "He'll be okay. I need to get back in to check on him. You go on home, all right?"
Her worried, brown eyes blinked at me. "I'm scared, Calder," she whispered. "Something's happening here, and I'm confused. My mom and dad say it's just because the great flood is drawing nearer and more is being asked of us, but . . . it scares me."
I paused, not knowing what to tell her. I cared for Hannah. I'd grown up with her. We'd played together as kids. I didn't love her though, not like that. "Hannah, listen, if anything . . . happens to me, there are, well, you have choices. You don't have to live here all your life if you don't want to."
Her eyes widened. "I want to. I want to marry you, Calder. I want to go to Elysium with you."
I let out a breath, feeling guilty. "I have to get inside. Just . . . just remember what I said, okay?"
She nodded, looking confused and I pulled her toward me, kissing the top of her head. "Okay."
When I got inside the tent, Mother Willa was already gone, but Xander's back was bandaged and he was snoring quietly.
I stuffed the bag under my own cot and lay down next to Xander to rest. I clasped my hands behind my head, dying inside because I couldn't go to Eden right now. I had to believe she was locked safely up in her room, away from Hector. In a couple days, we'd call to her and make our escape. Images swam through my head of Eden climbing out her window, Hector's hand reaching out to grab her, then Eden scaling the roof, falling, the sound of breaking bones barely muffled beneath her screams. I startled awake and looked around wildly. I'd fallen asleep without meaning to. "Just a dream," I whispered, falling back onto the cot.
But then I heard the sound that must have woken me the first time—a faraway nighthawk cry—only this one was strange and imperfect, and in the voice of a female. Eden.
Xander raised his head and looked around dazedly, still lying on his stomach where he'd fallen asleep. He fell back onto the cot, out cold. I remembered what it felt like after Mother Willa had given me the pain powder. I didn't even know my own name, coming to here and there in fits and starts, unable to move or think clearly.
I jumped off my own cot and picked Xander up as gently as I could, trying not to touch his wounded back. He mumbled out some slurred words I couldn't understand and went limp. I hoisted him over my shoulder and bent to pick up the bag of clothes I'd hidden under the bed.
Eden was giving the call that said we needed to leave. Fear surged through my body. Eden would never risk that unless there was something horribly, horribly wrong.




CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE


Eden



The spring was bathed in yellow moonlight when I broke through the brush and stood drawing in air in heavy pants, my entire body shaking. Please let Calder and Xander have heard my call.
I dropped the canvas bag I had thankfully been able to grab as I escaped, and wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing my hands up and down my goosefleshed skin.
I stood taking deep, calming breaths, trying to get my raging emotions under control. It's safe here. When I heard the footsteps coming through the brush on the other side of the rock wall, I cried out in relief, knowing it could only be Calder and Xander. No one else would be coming toward me to this secret place with such direction and purpose.