Across The Divide (5 page)

“Babies and animals. You like when they don’t have a voice and can’t stand up and fight against what you are doing to them.” Anger tossed the words from my mouth before I could stop them. I knew I went too far.

Rapava’s back stiffened, his eyes stared at me, lids narrowing. “I don’t think you
understand
the true severity of the situation. This is for our survival. The human race is in jeopardy, Zoey. Our world is being stolen from us. Whatever it takes, we need to learn how to survive and fight against them.” His critical blue eyes roamed over me. “I thought
you
of all people would understand the most. You were held captive by them for almost four months and saw what they are capable of doing.”

I held his gaze, my nails digging into my palms as opposing words came out of my mouth. “No. You’re right. We need to do whatever it takes.”

He watched me, trying to decipher the truth in my words. I forced myself not to swallow back the knot in my esophagus. Sweat beaded at the base of my neck. Finally he nodded. “I hoped you felt that way. You are strong, Zoey, and will be a skillful warrior. Even though the fae took your body, I hoped it hadn’t taken your soul.”

I forced liquid to brim at my lids. “He tried, sir. But no matter what he did or said, I knew the truth deep down.”

Pride curved his mouth up. “Your dedication and knowledge to our cause is crucial to us. You are fundamental to our survival.” I used to strive for his praise, to crave it. To get any recognition out of him was a feat. Now I was finally bestowed with his approval, and I felt sick to my stomach. All I saw was a demented man, high on his own self-importance and superiority.

Time only enhanced his narcissism, paranoia, and god complex, narrowing his mind to see only what he wanted. He no longer saw fae as anything more than meat or subjects to be used. Even humans were not important to him compared to his vision. He would sacrifice us all if he felt it would fulfill his theories. It was hard to imagine him a small boy, weeping over his mother’s dead body or crying when his father struck him. It was almost impossible to feel
he
was human anymore.

“Thank you.” I turned away, no longer able to look at him. “I will do what I can for you.”

“Yes, you will.”

My nails dug deeper into my palms. We stayed silent for a few moments before I spoke. I needed to be careful. This was a high-wire act from which I could easily fall.

“Sir.” I cleared my throat and nodded to the sleeping figure on the bed. “Would you consider leaving this specimen in my care?”

Rapava turned; his frame always so stiff it appeared to move as one unit.

“He knows me, sir.” I rushed to continue before he stopped me. “He grew an attachment to me. He listens to me, follows me. At first it bothered me, but now I see it could be useful.” I shifted my gaze to the doctor and kept my voice in a questioning tone.

Rapava inspected me, his mouth clamped in a solid line. I felt heat swirl up my spine, and my heart thumped a little faster.

A slow, cruel smile arched his mouth.

I went too far. He sees through me.

“I had not thought of that.”

“Of what, sir?” I gulped.

“Both animal and sub fae seek a master, someone to command them…” He drifted off, lost in his own thoughts.

Hell
. That wasn’t where I was going with this, and by Dr. Rapava’s expression, his mind was going nowhere good. But right then all I could worry about was getting Sprig.

“I will allow you to supervise him. It will be an interesting case study.”

Whatever idea existed in his mind frightened me, but it allowed access to Sprig. It was the only important thing right now.

Rigid and terrified I walked toward Sprig’s prison. Muscles along my shoulders and back constricted under Rapava’s gaze. He was egotistical but incredibly smart and extremely manipulative. Every moment was a test. And failure probably meant death.

Please don’t wake up
, I chanted in my head. If Sprig woke and saw me, I knew he would give away our true relationship in a matter of seconds. The sprite didn’t have a filter in his body. Food, feelings, thoughts—he held nothing back.

I walked to the bed where he slept. The metal box they kept him last time sat on the table next to the bed, as if it were threatening him to behave.

He stirred, smacking his lips, his hands tugging his tail in tighter. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I bit down to keep them back. My best friend was here in this hell, but he was all right. My muscles strained against the need to grab for him.

My fingers brushed his soft brown fur as I scooted my hands gently underneath him, picking him up. Highly aware of Dr. Rapava on the other side of the window, his watchful eyes felt like they were drilling holes through the glass.

“Deal, chipmunk,” Sprig mumbled, wiggling restlessly in my palms. I froze.

Shit.

“No. No. The troll has to strip…that’s the rules,” Sprig yelled, his lids fluttering open. He glanced around, then twisted his head to peer at me and blinked. I could see recognition setting in. My stomach sank, breath catching in my throat. I dropped him back on the bed.

“
Bhean?
” His eyes widened into saucers, filling with joy.

What I had to do now was going to destroy me, but with Rapava watching my every nuance, it was the only thing I could. Even if Sprig didn’t know it, I was keeping him safe.

“
Bhe
—”

“Shut up, sprite,” I snapped. “I told you not to call me that.”

Sprig’s mouth opened then shut.

“For so long I had to pretend I was sympathetic to you. I’m finally back where I can be myself again.”

“What?” He sat up, frowning at me.

“You heard me. I don’t have to suffer any more crap from you, fae. I only pretended to care, so I could get away.” The lies crossing my lips felt like battery acid.

Hurt filled Sprig’s gaze, stabbing my heart.

“Now if you want those
banana chips
I know you like so much, you will do what I say.”

“Banana chips?” Sprig frowned. “You know—”

“Yes, banana chips.” I cut him off.
Please understand
. Sprig hated bananas. I was hoping he’d get I was acting.

“What the hell,
Bhean
? Are you drunk?”

I grabbed him and thrust him into the cage, slamming the lid closed. The bang of the metal was like putting my heart in a panini presser.

He will understand
, I told myself. 
He will forgive you
.

Sprig, for everything he had been put through, had the biggest, most sincere heart. He didn’t love in halves. He wasn’t capable of cruelty or manipulation. He was himself. A genuine, pure, open heart. And mouth. The verbal diarrhea off Sprig’s tongue was what I was deathly afraid of at the moment.

“It would be wise to stay silent. I have a short temper for your antics today.” I latched the cage and picked it up.

A brown eye appeared in one of the holes, watching me. “Crumpet munchers. This is
bad
.”

“What did I just say?”

“You are in desperate need of food and a certain Viking club?” Sprig replied. “Oh sorry, that’s what I heard.”

Fear was running too high in my system to find his response funny, as true as it might have been.

Rapava shifted and clicked his tongue from the doorway behind me, expressing that his patience was running thin.

“Not another word,” I ordered and pivoted toward the door, following Rapava, and taking Sprig with me. Sprig thankfully did as I instructed and stayed quiet.

The walk back to my room felt like an endless tunnel of doom, where at any moment a trap door would open and plummet us to the dungeon below. Every square tile was either safe or a snare. And Sprig’s mouth was the trigger.

Rapava deposited me back in my room. At the sound of the lock on my door clicking, barring me in, I ran to the table by my cot, setting the cage down.

My fingers fumbled at the latch, my eyes studying the room for any hidden surveillance.

“Oh god, Sprig. I’m so sorry,” I whispered as I lifted the cover off the crate. He sat in the corner, his fingers wrapped around his tail, stroking the end, soothing himself.

I would have taken a thousand needles to the heart than see the hurt and pain etched on his face.

“Sprig, I had to say those things. I didn’t mean any of it,” I whispered hoarsely.

He stayed silent.

“Please, talk to me,” I pleaded. “Tell me you’re not talking to me. I don’t care. Something.”

“
Obviously
, I’m not talking to you,” he huffed. “Thought by
not
talking it was evident.”

I let out a relieved chuckle. “I’ve been worried about you.” He shifted, peering over his shoulder at me. “I hate that you’re here, but damn it’s good to see you. I’ve missed you like crazy.”

“Like how crazy?”

I grinned. “Like honey-dipped-in-sugar-rolled-in-honey-and-fried-in-honey kind of crazy.”

Sprig’s eyes widened, fully turning to me. “Fried honey?” He licked his lips. “Sounds crazy good.”

I nodded. “I missed you that much.”

A smile lighted his eyes. “I missed you too,
Bhean
.”

I felt the impulse from both of us to reach out for each other. I wanted nothing more than to hug the little bugger. “We need to be careful, Sprig. Delaney told me the cameras don’t work in the rooms, but we need to be careful. I need to keep you protected. Rapava can’t know the truth of our friendship, okay? If he does, he will separate us. I can’t handle it. Not again.”

Sprig nodded. He still clung to his tail like a security blanket.

“Are you okay? They haven’t hurt you, have they?” I asked. A cold fury roared through me at the thought of someone hurting him. I clenched my teeth.

“They took Pam from me.” His expression filled with sorrow.

“Buddy, I’m sorry.” Pam was a tiny stuffed goat I had bought Daniel as a funny birthday present, teasing him about his Capricorn sign. Sprig found it when we were investigating Daniel’s apartment and claimed the goat as his own. It became his companion and security. Pam, the goat, had been through a lot with us. It reminded me how I felt seeing my boots again. It was an anchor, a connection and comfort.

“If they’ve done anything to her,” he huffed, “I swear I will go apeshit.” His eyebrow lifted up and down.

I snickered. “Good to see you haven’t lost your bad puns.”

“Bad as in badass, right?”

“Right.”

“So, do you know where the Viking is?” Sprig asked.

“No.” I shook my head. “But most likely Vadik has him.” My lids squeezed shut with images of Ryker being tortured and beaten. Like Rapava, Vadik had no limit as to what he would do to get what he wanted.

Vadik wanted the stone. For some reason though, I felt it was more than that. He seemed to want Ryker almost as much.

“After I passed out, did you see or hear anything else?”

Sprig wobbled his head back and forth. “No. They knocked me out right after you. Woke up here.”

“Yeah,” I sighed.

I didn’t doubt they had been treating him like a walking pincushion as well. We both seemed to be the foundation for all experiments here.

“Lots of needles and no honey. It’s inhumane.”

“The lack of honey, not the needles?” I winked.

“Well, yeah, of course.” He stomped his foot. “It’s cruel. I’d like to file a complaint.”

“Yeah. Me too,” I snorted. “Let me know how it goes for you.”

“We need to do something,
Bhean
. I can’t live in these conditions. They don’t even let me have those granola bars. The nurse laughed at me when I mentioned I’d settle for churros.”

A grin settled on my mouth. It was so good to have Sprig back, to smile and laugh again. A happiness I hadn’t felt for a month filled me with light. He brought me a peace only a friend and loved one could give.

“You’re right. We have to come up with a plan.” My smile slipped, the seriousness of our situation returning. “Do you remember the girl, Sera? She was the other seer and Collector?”

“The one I threw a brick at on the rooftop?”

“Yes, her.”

“I should have thrown poo.”

Sprig had helped Ryker and me escape from a building where we’d been hiding when the Collectors hunted me. That night felt long ago.

“She’s dying.”

“Oh. Does that mean no poo?”

“No poo,” I confirmed. “I need to sneak into her room tonight. When I saw her today, she was trying to tell me something, I could feel it. I have to see her.”

“Oh, a night full of danger, mystery, intrigue, action.” Sprig inched forward, excitement glowing on his face. “And food.”

“When did food become part of our evening?”

“Because I only do the other stuff if food is involved.”

That was true.

“Who knows, maybe there’s a drive-through on our way.”

“Really?”

I tilted my head to the side, lifting an eyebrow.

“What did I tell you about teasing and food?” He folded his arms.

“I should never tease about food.”

“And what did you just do?” he scolded.

“Teased about food.”

“See. I get grumpy.”

“Sorry. I promise I won’t do it again.”

“Not talking to you right now.” He stuck his tongue out at me. I knew from the many times before, this would only last about thirty seconds. I needed to use the silence to think of a plan.

I drifted from the table, trying to figure out how to get to Sera. I sat on my cot and lay back, my gaze going to the ceiling. We were locked in, and probably deadbolted. No lock picking there.

I popped back up instantly. The panels along the top were in perfect squares. All made of a foam, cardboard type of material, and all moveable. It was how Sprig and I escaped this place before. The vents. Rapava said they secured all the escapes out of the building. But I wasn’t trying to escape. I was only trying to get to another room—a room on the same level as mine. It was a couple corridors over and a few lefts and rights, and the vents went to every room.

“What?” Sprig jumped on the top edge of the cage, watching me.

Twenty seconds.

It was too early for me to check things out; the lights in my room still blazed brightly. Until this place shut down for the night, I wouldn’t feel safe to check out my idea. Sprig’s size, sensitivity to fae magic, love of danger, and agility made him the perfect candidate.