"Molly, don't get so grim. You'll look back on this in a couple of years and laugh. Or maybe throw up. But it's not forever. It's really kind of pathetic of him if you think about it. Sending your butt-kissing uncle out into the woods to bring him a dinner date at gunpoint."
"That's the first thing I'll tell him," Molly said, beaming at the thought.
"Come back and work the farm. And just because my plan won't work right now doesn't mean it won't three years from now. Some night a team of Wolves will show up at your back door. We'll get your whole family out."
"If my dad will go. He's pretty committed to smuggling people out of here."
"Well, I owe your family a very big favor. You're going to collect on it. I'll come for you someday in the fall, if I can."
She looked into his eyes. "I think three years from now, you'll have more important things to worry about. Be careful with promises. You know that saying, "Tomorrow is promised to no one," right? That's like the law of the Kurian lands."
"You've got five years promised to you and your family."
"We'll see, David. That bond might be as worthless as the ring he tossed into the audience. Just go tonight, okay? But can you tell me one thing, David? Was I your first time... you know... lovemaking?"
Valentine owed her the truth. "Yes. I hope you liked it. I've never been very... lucky with women."
"Good. You'll remember me, then."
"I'll remember you as the Wisconsin beauty who was re-ally good at pointing out the obvious," he said, giving her nose a gentle tweak.
They embraced, kissed, and touched each other's faces as if trying to record memories with their fingertips.
"Believe it or not, I'll come for you. It's a promise, Molly." He read hurt disbelief in her eyes. "No, not a promise: a vow." Now only the hurt remained.
"Don't," she said, unable to look at him. "A lot can happen in three years."
"A lot can happen in three days. Like falling in love, Melissa."
"David, stop. You're just making this hard, making it painful. This is an end. I don't want you to talk like it's a beginning."
He kissed her, trying to win a concession through sheer sensual power.
"No," she said, lowering her eyes from his. "I can't. Not when I have to... go like this."
She turned and fled.
At dinner that night, Valentine and Gonzalez decided to leave with the first light of dawn. A morning departure, with a quick good-bye to the Breitlings, would seem less suspicious than a midnight escape.
After a final farewell talk with the Carlsons, Gonzalez and Valentine lay in the basement, their guns and packs stored for the last night in the secret room. Gonzalez hid his anxiety about his injured arm well, but Valentine knew the worry dragged at his scout. Gonzalez worked best when the only thing worrying him was what might be around the next bend or over the next hill, so he talked frankly about how they would accommodate his injury on the trip home. The rest of the household had long since retired, and they burned only a foul-smelling tallow dip for light.
"You'll ride," Valentine said after rolling his maps back up into their tube. "I wish we could hang around longer, but it might be months before your arm is totally healed."
"You think it will get better?"
"Of course, Gonzo. Nerve tissue just takes forever to heal."
Gonzalez moved two painful fingers. "I don't know about that. Might never grow back."
"Well, you can move your hand a little. I think that's a good sign. In fact... Hey, an engine."
Both Wolves used their hard ears. It sounded like a truck engine. Perhaps one of the semi drivers was passing through with another foundling. But it stopped in the road, idling with thick coughs of exhaust.
Valentine and Gonzlalez exchanged looks. Without another word, they got up and moved to the secret door. They carried the tallow lamp behind the false wall with them and shut the panel behind. They ignored their packs, grabbing knives and guns. A crash sounded from above through the air vent, the house-shaking sound of a door being kicked in.
A whisper came from the other side of the secret door.
"Guys, are you in there?" Frat whispered.