The Brightest Night (Origin 3)

“I would rather be by your side, too.”

“I know.” Picking up a pair of black boots, he sat beside me. “But people out there are going to see us. It’s inevitable. If you’re recognized and the authorities are contacted, things are going to roll downhill from there.”

I’d been thinking about that. “Do you think there’s hair dye around here?”

Lacing up a boot, he looked over at me. “You thinking about dyeing your hair?”

I picked a strand. “And maybe cutting it. I’m going to have to leave here eventually, and it’s probably a good idea that I change my appearance. Coloring and cutting my hair isn’t going to make me unrecognizable, but at least it wouldn’t be as easy.”

His gaze roamed over me, and then he nodded. “It’s a good idea. I don’t know if they have any here. You can check with Zouhour. She keeps track of all the goods here, but I’ll also keep an eye out for any while I’m out there. Any color in mind?”

“I don’t know.” I dropped my hair. “Probably brown? Something easy that will look natural. I always wanted red hair, but I have a feeling that will end badly with boxed color.”

“Brown hair?” He laced up the other boot. “I think I’ll dig it.”

I grinned.

He lowered his booted foot to the floor. “You going to be okay tonight, all by your lonesome?”

“I’ll be just fine.”

“I don’t think you’ll be ‘just fine.’ You’ll probably be up all night, hugging one of my shirts close to your bosom, sobbing.”

“I’ll probably get the best sleep of my life,” I replied warily, but honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to falling asleep without him there. Strange how I could get so used to that.

He pressed his hand to his chest, fixing a wounded expression across his face. “I will be clutching one of your shirts to my chest, sobbing all night.”

Laughing under my breath, I shook my head. “Truthfully, I’ll probably spend a good portion of the night worried about you guys. Every one of you are badass and all, but anything can happen,” I admitted. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I always am, but I promise.” He touched my cheek, teasing gone from his voice. “Nothing will ever steal me away from you, Evie. Nothing.”31It was only about a half an hour after Luc had left when I heard a soft knock on the kitchen door. I hadn’t sensed anything, so I knew whoever was there was human. Hope sparked as I hurried to the door. I didn’t know anyone who’d come to the back door other than Nate.

Telling myself I shouldn’t get my hopes up, I cracked open the door and peered outside. At first, I saw no one standing on the stoop. The corners of my lips turned down, and then I caught a glimpse of orangey-copper hair peeking around the corner of the stoop. My heart about stopped. “Nate,” I whispered.

A second later, his pale face appeared in the moonlight. He looked a little less dirt-covered than he had the last time I’d seen him. “Hi,” he said, his nervous gaze darting behind me.

“No one else is here,” I told him, stepping aside so he could come in.

“I know.” He stepped out from around the corner, but didn’t come in. “I mean, I saw the others leave. Him. The guy who lives here with you. I wasn’t watching you—I mean, I kind of was so I could, you know, know when to come by.”

“It’s okay, but you can come by when he’s here. You’d like him. He has dumb jokes,” I repeated. Nate didn’t look convinced. “Do you want to come in?”

He seemed to consider that and then took a deep breath before stepping in. He’d kept a wide berth around me as I quietly closed the door. “I, um, got the food you left out for me. Thanks for that.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I was worried that a squirrel ran off with it or something.” In the glow of the gas lantern, I thought he’d looked thinner than before, his cheeks hollower.

“That would be one big, scary squirrel.”

“True.”

A faint, uneven smile appeared and then faded. “I came by once before, but there were a lot of people at the house.”

Not wanting to worry him, I nodded. “I wasn’t feeling well, but I’m okay. I’m sorry I missed you,” I added when he looked like he was about to push that. “Did you get the note I left you last time?”

He nodded. “I was going to write back, but I was afraid someone else would find it.”

I wasn’t exactly surprised to hear that. This kid didn’t trust easily. Even right now, he kept looking around the kitchen like he expected someone to jump out of a cabinet. “I’ve been worried about you.”

He blinked. “You have?”