She races to the lapto
p, pushing me out of the way to look at it.
“What’s happening? Is Kai alerting us?” I ask.
“She hasn’t pressed the button to send for us, but her heart rate is up. Dangerously up. Two-hundred and climbing.”
“It could be from exercise. You said Felix took you out to exercise twice a day,” Langston says, trying to calm us.
“He wouldn’t do that for Kai. Milo wouldn’t want her strong to be able to defeat me. He would want her weak. And she hasn’t gotten to exercise in the weeks she’s been there,” I answer.
“People’s heart rate goes up for a variety of reasons, it doesn’t mean she’s in distress,” Liesel says.
But Yolie’s look tells me she is on the same page as me. Kai’s heart rate never goes up. She’s calm, too calm sometimes. This isn’t exercise. This isn’t a nightmare she’s dreaming about. This isn’t simple distress at overhearing a conversation or anxiety from being trapped in a cage. This is different. This is life or death. Which means our time is up.
“What do you want to do?” Yolie asks.
“I want to go rescue the woman I love.”
23
Kai
I run for an hour before my feet fail me.
Each step was painful. I haven’t been wearing the sling around my arm and running that hard, and that fast through unstable terrain has left my shoulder throbbing.
My still-healing leg burned with every step, barely keeping up.
But worst of all was the worry in my chest. I tried to stay calm, knowing Enzo would notice the rise in my heartbeat, and any change would cause him to run to my aid.
So with each step, I kept my breathing slow. I focused on the beauty of the ground, instead of the heavy panting growing closer behind me. And my heartbeat held.
With every moment that passed, the urge to press my earring and alert Enzo to come grew stronger. I need his help. I won’t survive without Enzo coming for me.
But we can’t trust Felix. It could be a trap.
I considered trying to type out a message as I run, but that would have slow me down too much. Milo would have caught me.
I’m surprised he didn't catch me quickly. But then again, Milo probably liked the chase.
But then my broken shin hit a rock. I didn’t lift my leg high enough to step over it. And I tumbled down to the ground.
Now I lay eyes closed on the hard earth with Milo standing over me.
I just lost the biggest battle of my life.
I can feel the darkness consuming me already. He’s only standing near me, but my brain is working overtime imagining all the things he will do to me. All the ways he will break me. All the ways he will ruin me.
Press the button. Tell Enzo. Come save me.
But I would never want Enzo to risk his life to save mine. I love you, Enzo. Hopefully, my love for you will get you through the pain that will await you when you do finally find me.
I open my eyes when I’m ready to face the darkness.
Milo has crouched down and is staring at my face.
“I once loved as you do. But that love was taken from me in the worst possible way. Because of that, I no longer have a heart. And I make it my mission to destroy anyone else who I see loves like I used to. You shouldn’t love as strongly as you do. Love shouldn’t consume you. It will take everything from you.”