Page 23 of The Souls Harvest
Galen bends forward a little, his arms holding me tighter, “Someone’s leaked the video of a soul turning Red—”
“Nonsense,” Popplewish interrupts him.
“You’d better put together your best team, Eve, because the video has already been shared among junior and senior students. July caught Lucretia watching it. That put a massive target on Lucretia’s back, making herourproblem now. You know Roden has eyes everywhere.”
“And ears! Have you gone mad? It’s not safe here…” Popplewish hisses.
My body shifts position as Galen tugs me closer to his face, his breath warm on my cheek. His fingers stretch across my face, reaching for his neck. “Relax.” I hear him saying, before something jingles next to my ear.
“That thing can be dangerous in the wrong hands; take it back…How long ago?” Popplewish mutters, and a thud tells me she’s hit something, perhaps the steering wheel, in frustration.
“About a week ago.” Galen grabs me tighter and pulls back slightly. “What are you going to do with her?”
A long sigh. “Don’t be silly. Just put her in the back seat.” Nothing happens, nothing moves. But then, “I said, leave her with me. I can take it from here.” Exasperation is something I never thought Miss Popplewish would be familiar with.
The car door opens. Galen steps back a little more, and my stomach turns.
“I’m coming with you, and I will keep an eye on her. Don’t worry. She’ll sleep for hours—”
“You don’t need to explain why…I can smell the reason…” Popplewish replies, igniting the engines. "Did you use extra?” she adds, louder over the noise of her car. I would never imagine Miss P. driving such a powerful thing—it roars like a beast.
Galen’s body tenses. Something is rumbling in his chest, like an animal growling before the attack. “Do you thinkIdrugged her? Are you out of your mind?”
Another sigh. No. A gasp.
“Fuck. We need to go now—”
Crouching on the back seat, Galen’s attentive hands adjust my floppy body. From behind my half-closed eyelids, I can’t make out the expression on his face, and when he slides something soft under my head to make me comfortable, a knot stops in my throat. As far as I understood, we’re in a hurry, but he takes the time toensure I’m comfortable.
Something light, like a butterfly’s wings, grazes my lips. For a second, I swear, our eyes lock when he quickly kisses me.
When he speaks again, as he sits next to me, adjusting my legs over his, there is gravity in his voice. “How did they get there before me? How did they know?”
He shifts on the seat. His hand brushes my leg as he searches for something in his pocket, the brief touch confirming that I’m still alive, awake, and not dreaming.
“Here, you can have it back. I would never use it on her anyway. Besides, since when does the Chapter become so comfortable using drugs on students?”
What?
The back seat shakes under his weight when he leans forward. My right arm is dangling lifeless on the side of the leather seat, and Galen gingerly folds it back over my chest.
The hissing sound of a seat belt being slid across my body precedes Galen's voice. “You’re safe. I’m here…” he repeats a couple of times.
A safe and comfortable hostage?
His voice almost lulls me to sleep. Until he stops and the leather seat screeches under his angry grip. “You didn’t answer my question.” This rage doesn’t belong to him.
What’s happening? I don’t want to associate this voice with his face…
“Because I don’t have to.” The engines roar, but Popplewish's voice reaches the back of the car as if she’s sitting next to me. “Allyou need to know is that July will recover soon. Remind me, please, how long have you been part of the Chapter?”
“Long enough to regret the day I said yes.”
“Not enough time to remember that we walk on a thin, weak edge ready to crack at any point.” Popplewish has lowered her voice, but Galen’s body twitches against mine. “Don’t forget why you were allowed in the Chapter and how quicklywecan revoke your role.”
He leans closer to the driver’s seat, holding my legs on his so I don’t fall over. “I can’t keep doing my job without at least some explanations. July will wake up completely oblivious tomorrow morning, but I am the one who will need to deal with her nightmares and flashbacks—again. I believe the Chapter owes me this. Unless they’re willing to gamble also withmyignorance and the mistakes it could cause—”
Nothing of what they’re talking about makes sense to me, but I’m the one who’s been served shrimp with a side of freaking drugs.
