Fables & Other Lies

“What’s the matter, afraid they’ll think you like me?”

“Who says I like you?” I raised my chin defiantly, meeting his dark expression with my own.

“No one has to say you do.” His eyes danced. “But we both know that doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

“I don’t.” I swallowed, heart pounding, and walked forward, leaving him behind as I made my way to the door.

The crowd seemed to part for me, for us, all eyes staring, no one speaking a word. I wondered what they were thinking. If they were tourists, they were probably wondering why the hell we were wearing such fancy clothes during Carnival. If they were locals, they were probably judging the hell out of me, probably thinking that they’d protested for me last night and here I was going willingly. It was that thought that made me keep my head held high as I walked outside. Yes, I was leaving with the rumored Devil again. Yes, I’d go to Dolos Island, to the Caliban Manor, but I’d do it my way. At least I hoped that was the bravado I was portraying because inside I was a ball of nerves.

Gustavo rushed ahead, but stopped and stood by the back doors when River held a hand up.

“I’ll be driving Miss Guzman myself,” he said. “It seems she wants to put on a show tonight, so I guess I’ll play along.”

Gustavo shot me a look of disdain. He obviously didn’t like the way I was treating his boss and that was just as well. It wasn’t like I’d caused a scene. I hadn’t yelled. I hadn’t stormed out. I’d just walked ahead of him and refused to hold his hand in public. How was that a scene? Every single thought that crossed my mind made me angrier than the last. River walked to the sports car parked in front of the Rolls Royce and held the passenger door open for me. I obliged, getting in the car and pulling on my seatbelt as I waited for him to get into the driver’s seat. He started driving without saying a word and I realized he wasn’t heading in the direction of Dolos Island.

“Where are we going?”

“Taking a drive.” He glanced over at me. “Do you have somewhere to be?”

“I mean, shouldn’t we be at the party?” I looked at the clock in the middle of the car. It was five-thirty and the party started at six according to Dee and Martín.

“Are you in a rush to get there?”

“Not particularly.”

“Good.”

He drove onto gravel and stopped when we reached the Devil’s Peak, which made me laugh.

“What’s so funny?” He put the car in park.

“The fact that you brought me here, of all places.” I looked from the ocean just beyond us and to him. “You know people call you the Devil, right?”

“I never had the luxury of caring what people thought of me.” He got out of the car and I followed, wobbling slightly. “This is my favorite place on your island.”

He leaned against the hood of his car and I did the same. It wasn’t that I wanted to stand close to him, but this was called the Devil’s Peak for a reason. People died here all the time. Tourists lost their lives trying to take selfies with the ocean behind them. Locals lost their footing trying to scale down the rocks. Regardless of the reason or expertise, one thing was for certain and that was that I didn’t want to venture too close to the edge and River’s car was definitely not close enough. Besides, if he tried to throw me over, I’d pull him with me.

“What do you know about the curse?”

“This again?” I groaned, throwing my head back. “I don’t believe in curses and I don’t know much about it either way. I know everyone here thinks your family worships the Devil. Some say your father made a pact with him and that’s the real reason that island you live on was torn from this one.” I met his gaze. He seemed interested in what I was saying, curious even. “I know people don’t make it out of Dolos. A lot of people have died in that ocean.” I jutted my chin toward the water below us, the waves crashing hard against the rocks as I said it, as if confirming.

“What if I told you that most of that was real?”

“I’d say I still don’t believe in curses.”

“That’s fair.” He chuckled. My heart stopped when he did that. “Tell me about The Haunt.”

“My website?” I blinked. “Have you been on it?”

“I have. I find it fascinating that there are that many people who love decaying things.” He cocked his head, “Though, maybe I shouldn’t find it that interesting. We are all decaying after all.”

“I thought nothing ever dies?”

“It decays though.” He cocked his head. “What I find more fascinating is that a woman from Pan Island, which is filled with fables and legends, would start a website like The Haunt and truly not believe in any of it.”