Annihilation

Rift

Yoongi explained that we needed to seize the time we had, that waiting would only increase our risk. I snuck back over to Shelby's room, giving her every detail of the plan and making sure she had it memorized. The unfortunate truth was that it didn't matter how much time we thought we had or how prepared we were. It was impossible for it to be executed without a hitch.

Abigail asked about the bags under my eyes when she greeted me with tea and breakfast the next morning. They were from staring up at the ceiling through the night and watching the sunrise from my window without a second of sleep. I blamed it on still getting adjusted to sleeping in an actual house and bed again.

Despite the lack of sleep I was tingling with energy, sucking down the piping tea too quickly while I ripped long slivers of fabric from the bottoms of three dresses. I tied loops around the handles of two shanks so that they easily pulled through the material before knotting one around my upper arm in a bow with the other around my thigh. With my dress the one strapped to my leg would be less accessible, but I needed backups just in case.

I carried the last so that it was hidden within the pleats of my skirt, pausing in front of Shelby's door when I heard a deep cackle from the other side. She squealed with laughter a moment after, my pulse quickening at realizing Gideon must have returned.

I glanced down at the two weapons in my hand, debating the consequence of barging in to kill him immediately. I'd just slipped the dull end of the shiv between my cleavage when the stairs creaked from behind.

Emmanuel appeared next to me, towering above with a satisfied grin on his thin lips. "When did you get back?" I asked. It felt more difficult to put on an act in front of him.

"We just did." He leaned against the wall next to the door casually while I held back the sigh building in my throat so that I could face him. "We managed to get a family of deer and made an exchange with a farmer for a hog. Tonight's cookout will be the best in a long time. Traveling further south for resources has been good for us."

Before he could continue, Gideon opened the door, his mouth pressed into a hard line before it turned up into a smile. "I thought I heard voices. I'm guessing Emmanuel here was sharing our good fortune. We should celebrate over breakfast!" He beamed. I could see Shelby over his shoulder, eyes wide with alarm for the second they met mine.

She easily transitioned into her usual calm demeanor, stepping closer to the door from the other side of the bed. "Lena and I have already had breakfast, plus we should get started on preparations for this evening." She placed a hand on Gideon's arm and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "You should get some rest."

He looked to his friend and inferior, Emmanuel. "The plights of women!" He chortled. "Of course, plan the party. Don't work too hard. You need to delegate, my love." His patronizing tone wasn't negated by the pet name he cooed.

She giggled, running her hand down his arm in affection before moving through the doorway. Emmanuel gave us both a small nod, Shelby's footsteps a pace quicker than usual and letting me know she was panicking.

I followed behind her, returning the nods directed toward us by staff with a curt smile. Shelby didn't speak until we were a fair distance from the house, in the small lull of grassy areas before the town would become busier with residents.

Her voice was so low that I had to ask her to slow down, reaching her side when she decreased speed. She still spoke as quietly as a mouse. "The plan is ruined."

I grabbed her arm to stop her from walking, giving a cover from any watchful eyes as I stepped behind her, pretending to fix her dress. "Relax, we can figure this out. The ending is still the same. We get out." I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as I retook my position next to her to continue our walk to Franklin Street.