But all they saw was beautiful art, throngs of tourists, and gorgeous murals. There was nothing to indicate that the place was anything other than a holy and sacred space.
They found the boys and Ahramin waiting for them outside, with no news either. It was the end of the day and the pack was exhausted. After stopping for pizza al taglio, they went back to the hostel.
Ahramin changed for bed in what was becoming her usual striptease, but both Lawson and Edon seemed to be making a special effort not to pay attention, which clearly annoyed her. Bliss was determined not to give Lawson another chance to laugh at her, so she pretended she was alone in the room and changed as quickly as she could. But not before she glanced at Lawson, who quickly looked away.
So he’d been watching her, then. Not Ahramin, but her. She suppressed a smile.
The thought of it made her skin tingle, but it wasn’t quite enough to keep her awake, given how tired she was. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
It wasn’t long before she wished she hadn’t, though. The nightmare started right away. She was in a dark place, underground somewhere, as best as she could tell, but it was strange—she could also see herself as if from outside her own body.
Wait—not her own body. Somebody else’s. Someone familiar but not known to her.
Allegra? Was it her mother running through the maze?
Whoever it was, she was scared out of her mind. Bliss felt her fear, the sweat on her forehead, the pumping of her heart. Terror. Utter terror. Bliss felt the menacing presence draw closer, and she knew something awful was about to happen. Both of her perspectives seemed to be closing in on one another; it wouldn’t be long before they would connect somehow, and maybe then she could figure out what was going on.…
But before it could happen, she woke up.
She must have gasped, or made some sort of noise, because she’d barely sat up in bed before Lawson rushed over to her. “What is it?” he whispered. “Are you okay?”
“Just a nightmare,” she whispered back. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not—you’re shaking,” he said.
It was true—she was cold all of a sudden, and she couldn’t stop shivering.
“Lift the blanket,” Lawson said, and crawled in beside her. “Here, lie down.”
His body was warm and comforting against hers. She buried her head in his chest. “I was so scared,” she said. “It was like I was in two places at once, and something disastrous was going to happen. And I couldn’t stop it, and part of me might have even been responsible. I was so confused,” she said, and then tears came to her eyes. She could still feel the horror in her body. She had never felt so frightened. Who was that girl? What was happening to her? Was it Allegra? If so, what was she running from?
“It’s okay,” Lawson said. “It’s all going to be okay.” He kissed the top of her head and put his arms around her. They were lying together so that his chin rested on her forehead, and he began to kiss her gently at first, and then more passionately, as if not only to comfort her but to let her know, finally, how sorry he was about the way he’d left her back in New York.
Lawson moved his body against hers. His hands were entangled in her hair, and her legs were wrapped around his torso, and it was wonderful, he was so wonderful, and she lost herself in the sensation of their being together again, until the blanket slipped and she remembered they were in a room with four other people.
“Not here,” she whispered. “We can’t.”
Lawson said nothing, but he was already moving away. He must have known she was right, though she would have liked him to protest a little harder.
“Our timing is bad,” she told him.
He kissed her one more time before going back to his own bed. “Sleep well.”
As if.
THIRTY
Schuyler
chuyler texted Oliver when she left Decca’s house. Need you. Come back? I can’t do this alone.
Oliver returned to Los Angeles on the next available flight. Whatever duties he had to the Repository, his duties as her Conduit and friend always came first. Schuyler met him outside the airport and jumped into his arms as soon as he came out the door.
“Oh, hey,” he said. “I missed you too.” But she noticed he returned her hug rather awkwardly.
“I’m sorry…” She felt a little embarrassed at being so enthusiastic to see him, especially after everything that had happened between them.
“It’s okay.” He patted her back and stepped away from her, just the tiniest bit, and Schuyler understood that, while they were still friends, things had changed, and she couldn’t take him for granted anymore. Whatever had happened with that witch in the East Village had really worked. He was his own man now.