Sparks

Chapter 66

"I heard voices. I felt the fields of those friends of yours. They're here." Jamie grips my shoulders tightly, a bit of panic in her eyes. "We have to leave right the hell now."

"I don't hear anything..." I raise an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"I am completely positive. We have to get you out of here, they'll hurt you or use you against me or something."

I frown at her. "I'm not that useless."

"Of course you aren't. But the fact remains that they're stronger than you, and I'm stronger than any of them, and I care about you, so they'll use you against me, and we have to go." She glances around nervously.

"Alright, alright. Which direction?"

"Shoot, they're by the gate. We'll have to hop the fence. Come on." Jamie leads me to the chest-height fence separating the 'park' from the rest of the town. "I'll lift you over."

"How will you -" Before I can say anything else, Jamie wraps her hands around my waist and lifts me effortlessly onto the ground on the other side, with just a little help from me swinging my legs over. She then does a flip over the fence, holding on to the top. I snicker.

"So you're showing off now?"

She shrugs, unabashed. "Sure." The smile fades when she glances back over her shoulder. "I, we have to go, right now. They're right there."

"I think you're overreacting."

"Won't you please just listen to me? Those people are dangerous. I can't even count the times you've come to talk to me sporting bruises or cuts or rugburns. They'll hurt you, they'll kill you."

"They wouldn't kill me," I interject. "I'm still useful to them."

"You're a traitor, Aryn! You're dat- well, you accepted the, uh, romantic preposition of an enemy. That makes you a traitor. It makes you a target, it puts you in danger, I'm putting you in danger, please let me help you!"

I sigh and gaze directly into Jamie's eyes. The brown one is brimming with tears, but the silver one is unaffected. Must be a result of the injury.

"I'll be okay. There's no need to panic over this." I calmly put my hand to her cheek. "We'll be alright. They aren't going to kill me."

Suddenly, before I can react, Jamie pulls me into a tight hug. "I do have to worry about you. Who else is going to? You're in over your head, Aryn. I don't know how you could possibly be this calm."

"I guess I'm just used to them. I'm used to that sort of threat. They haven't killed me even when they threatened to, so why would they now?"

Jamie stiffens and then pulls away, keeping her hands on my shoulders. "I have half a mind to just... kidnap you. Run away with you, or maybe put you somewhere safe and kill them right now." I shake my head quickly.

"That isn't the right choice, for now. We need to be calm, alright?" I glance up at the position of the sun and check my watch. "Actually, I forgot I was supposed to go home early today. So there's really no way Jacob and Carrie were here, because they are always at home when I get back. Why would they change that now?"

She shakes her head violently. "They were here. I remember their energy signature, Jacob basically burnt it into me when you captured me the first time." I wince.

"Point taken. It's okay though. I do actually have to go, but I'll definitely see you tomorrow!" As soon as I turn to leave I'm pulled back against Jamie's chest.

"You aren't leaving, it isn't safe. Please believe me. I'm just trying to keep you safe."

I struggle in her stronger grip. "Jamie, you're acting really weird."