Page 54 of Outcast’s Return

“Me.”

Even though the nightclub’s music throbs, it feels like there’s total silence in the air between us three girls as the word drops.

And then...

“Oh,” Elise mouths.

“Yeah,” I reply.

“A week?” Sylvie asks. “What does that mean?”

“The Castaways organized a penthouse for us to stay at,” I explain, “and by the end of this week, he has to sleep with me.”

“Jeez,” Sylvie replies. “Disgusting.”

“I’m so sorry,” Elise says. “Are you okay?”

I nod.

“Yeah, I am. As much as I can be. I told you this was wild. Fabien, on the other hand, is not taking it too well.”

“That is certainly wild,” Elise says. “I’m not surprised he’s not taking it well. It must hurt like hell. For both of you.”

“Remember,” Sylvie tells me. “He’s not the boy you once knew. Fabien’s grown up. I know him, and I know what he’s capable of. He’s obsessive and capable of destroying people who threaten him. He’s a man now, a very dangerous man.”

“I’ve realized that.”

“So, what are you going to do, Jolie?” Elise asks.

I shrug.

“Survive. Like I always do. Get through it. Do this for Father. Come up with a way to skip that physical bit. I simply have to make it through this week, and then I get to never see him again.”

“Okay,” Sylvie says. “Wow. Sure. I mean, what else can you do? You can’t exactly leave. I understand what it’s like to have a father use my future as leverage. Man, I hate seeing them use another Castaways daughter as ritual bait.”

“I’m more than just bait,” I reply.

“You are,” Sylvie says. “You’re the strongest, nicest woman I know.”

“Tell Fabien that.”

“Ha.”

“He might hate me,” I say, “but I still want him to achieve what he always wanted, to become a member of the Castaways. This is his only chance. It might be pure insanity, but we both have to suck it up.”

“You should tell Clement this,” Elise says. “You don’t owe the Castaways anything.”

I reach out to clasp my hand around hers.

“Please don’t tell my brother,” I beg her.

“Maybe he can help you find a way around Leopold,” Elise reasons. “Maybe he’ll help you fake or defeat the test. Maybe he can do something...”

“But he’d kill us,” I whisper to her. “I know my brother. You know him.”

Elise nods.

“He would, wouldn’t he?”