Page 43 of Enter if you Dare: Part One

Noa perches on the edge of the bed, careful of my legs. He sits with me as I cry, and though I hate to feel vulnerable, I need to let it out. I have tried to protect my siblings for so long, but something has to give—I can’t keep risking my life for the shit show my brother created. He needs to face this alone.

I must fall asleep, because when I open my eyes, Cave is staring down at me. It’s the weirdest feeling to have him watching over me, and I blink slowly, letting my brain wake up. He reaches down and presses his palm against my forehead. His hand is warm and rough.

“I’m okay,” I whisper. “I feel a lot better.”

He nods once and pulls it away.

“You’re awake,” Noa says. “I was so bored and Cipher said I wasn’t allowed to wake you.”

“We should get dinner,” Cipher says. “We haven’t fed you in hours.”

“I’m not hungry,” I reply, but my stomach chooses that moment to growl.

Noa smirks. “Liar.”

“Fine, I’m starving, but I feel bad making you get me food.”

“You’re not. They can go, while I stay here and entertain you.”

Cipher stands up and scowls at Noa. “Keep her in bed.”

Cave actually laughs.

“Even if she tries to fight me, I will keep her in the bed,” Noa declares, getting into the bed with me and rolling onto his side.

“If you actually force me to lie here the entire time, I will bite you,” I warn, chomping my teeth as Cipher and Cave leave the shed.

“Oh, kinky. I like the sound of that. And I was going to see if you wanted to talk about your call with Rowan earlier. I know it must be hard.”

I’ve never had anyone offer to talk about my problems before. I’m sure Leni would, but I hide everything from her, and I don’t have friends—I don’t have time for them. “Is he going to die because of me, because I wasn’t at home?” I whisper.

“If he dies, it’s because of his choices. They led him to that. You are not responsible for your brother’s failures,” Noa’s firm voice reassures me.

As much as it sucks, I know he is right. Deep down, I held on to Rowan because he is my brother, one of the last pieces of my father left besides Leni.

He cradles me in his arms, and I must drift off to sleep again because Noa’s phone buzzing startles me awake.

“We are dying of starvation over here,” he says with a laugh that dies off suddenly.

“Cipher,” he says, sitting up. “Rowan is here? On the island?”

My blood goes cold.

“Jesus Christ, get him out of there. He’s Valli’s brother. What do you mean Cave has taken Rowan to the cornfield?!” Noa shouts.

Oh god. Rowan is an idiot; he has no idea what he has walked into. I jump out of bed, still in one of Noa’s oversized shirts, and race toward the door.

“Valli!” Noa calls out.

“We have to go, he can’t . . .” I don’t finish that sentence because I don’t know what Cave will do. I haven’t seen the side to him that everyone talks about, but I’m not willing to unleash him on my brother. If Steedy gets him, I have to live with that. But all I know is that I can’t let my brother die, even if I hate him.

Noa doesn’t hesitate. He runs toward me and grabs my hand, then we both run toward the cornfield. I don’t know what Rowan is doing here, or how he even knew where I was.

My lungs burn as I run, cursing my stupid, desperate brother who’s going to get himself killed.

“We’re almost there, just stay close!” Noa shouts.

We burst through to the path, and as we get near the perimeter of the cornfield, Noa slows down while I charge ahead.