In Between

Chapter Twenty-four: Conflicting Feelings

They had all taken some time to eat and relax, but a sense of urgency eventually brought the five of them to the kitchen table. It was time to be practical and discuss the break-in with seriousness.

"This isn't going to be easy," Draven began. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some of us are captured and killed."

Apryl didn't like the certainly in his voice that made the situation seem so much more dire. She understood that the Warriors were targeting her friends but hearing Draven talk about the consequences as though they were inevitable made her want to change her mind about the whole operation. If Apryl was being honest with herself, she had wanted to call it off for quite some time, and her reluctance only became stronger when she discovered that Kieran seemed to be noticing her.

Every time that she snuck a peek at him, he was already looking at her. It was as if he'd finally realized that Apryl's interactions with him had been one-sided flirtations rather than simple platonic kindness. She wished that he would give her a clearer indication of whether or not the feeling was mutual, but she was also doubtful that it even mattered at this point. They had one more day together, and then Soren and Cain would turn eighteen and it would be time for her and Bri to leave. We have to go, Apryl reminded herself. Someone will eventually become collateral damage trying to help us. If Kieran, Draven, Mel, or one of the twins ends up getting hurt because of me, I'll never forgive myself. I need to go back to Earth.

It was right at this moment that Apryl first felt the intrusion; it was like a weight hovering at the back of her mind, and she knew instinctively that her thoughts were being violated. Is that you? she snapped at Draven. The volume of her thought was slightly louder than she'd meant it to be which caused him to jump a little in his chair.

What's your problem? I'm not doing anything! he sent back, irritated. She met his eyes across the table and knew by the confusion she saw there that he wasn't lying.

Sorry. I was just thinking about something and I felt someone listening in. You have a habit of doing that.

Hey, I promised you I wouldn't snoop anymore. I don't break my promises, he replied.

"I think we should take the carriage that my mom uses at her shop for transporting goods. The cargo hold is pretty spacious—we could easily hide five of us back there, although we might have to get little cozy," Kieran was saying.

Apryl tried to tune back into the conversation only to be distracted again by Draven asking what she'd been thinking about. It's my own business, she told him as she said aloud, "Wouldn't the Warriors search the compartments at the gates?"

"Yes, but I thought that we could hide somewhere near the gate before the carriage arrives, and then distract the Warriors and pile in after they've checked the back," Kieran explained excitedly.

Apryl didn't feel like there was much to be excited about because returning to Earth meant going back to their small apartment, demanding jobs, and overall sad existences. She and Bri hadn't exactly been the happiest little family where they'd come from. Apryl had even been too busy with work to stay in contact with her friends so most of her socializing had become limited to going to restaurants with Bri for special occasions and joining someone else's volleyball game on her afternoons off.

Okay, you need to change the look on your face if you want the others to believe that you actually want to do this, Draven sent.

Wha—I don't know what you're talking about, she answered immediately.

You didn't really think you could fool me, did you? I know that you don't want to go back to Earth, and I also know why, he revealed with a pointed look at Kieran.