The Gate Guardian's Daughter (The Gate Trilogy Prequel)

Chapter 3

For the last week, Elisabeth had snuck out whenever she could to meet Liam. She'd never had a friend before, and the prospect was thrilling. After years of seeing other people her age bond, Elisabeth wanted just one friend for herself. It wasn't that she didn't love Tiss or Milo—she did—but they weren't interested in playing with her.

"Why don't we play a game?" Liam asked, as he lay on his back on the wall.

Elisabeth looked up from the book she was reading to him. "What kind of game?"

"Hide and seek," Liam said, going up on his elbows to see her better. "I'm the best seeker on Holly Street."

Elisabeth bit her lip. She wasn't supposed to leave. It was one thing to have a friend and quite another to leave the safety of her home. Even in their original home, Asilla, she had never left without Milo accompanying her.

She heaved a sigh. "I can't."

"Why not?" Liam demanded, "I want you to come and play. We never leave this place. You won't let me in, and you won't come out. I don't know why we are even friends!"

Elisabeth had never seen Liam like that—she was dumbfounded. Tears spilled over her cheeks and plopped onto the book in her lap. The ink ran as she sniffled and cried. After she regained her composure, she returned to the house and went to bed without dinner that night. Though Tess tried to get Elisabeth to tell her what was wrong, the snake demon couldn't pry a peep out of her. They both went to bed angry, and Malthael and Milo were left scratching their heads once more.

*~*

Despite her heavy heart, she returned to the wall the next day at their regular time. As she kicked at the grass, disheartened, it took her a moment to realize that Liam was there, standing on the wall beyond the safety of the tree's shade. Surprised and startled, she rushed toward him, worried that Malthael or Milo would see him.

"Move back," Elisabeth called as loud as she dared while waving her arms.

Liam saw her and waved. "I was afraid you wouldn't come."

Elisabeth started to climb as Liam moved back behind the tree. When she started across the branch that led to the wall, he helped her across. She was both elated and angry at him.

"Why were you so mean?" she demanded.

Liam sighed as he sat down with his legs crossed. "I'm sorry. My father was laid off." He sagged forward. "He was drinking again."

"Are you all right?" Elisabeth asked, feeling her earlier anger slip away.

"I'm hungry, the money is running out, and I don't know what we're going to do. The longer this goes on, the more my dad drinks," Liam said with a strained smile. "I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

Elisabeth touched his arm. "I'm sorry. That must be very hard."

"I'll likely have to work at a factory to help, so I won't be able to come anymore." Liam patted her hand, his face morose.

Crestfallen, Elisabeth felt tears fill her eyes. Until she remembered, "I have money."

He looked up at that. "I can't take your money," he insisted. "We're friends."

"We don't need it as badly as you do," Elisabeth replied eagerly. "We are friends and friends help each other."

"Do you mean it?" Liam asked, and Elisabeth felt, more than heard, the hope in his voice.

"Yes!" She insisted, "I'll go get it now."

"Wait," Liam said, catching her arm. "Why don't you bring it to me tonight?"

Elisabeth froze. "At night?" she asked.

Liam nodded. "Just so your father won't find out."

"Not too late?" Elisabeth asked.

"Just after the sun goes down," Liam said.

"I can do that," Elisabeth said before hugging Liam. "It's going to be all right."

Liam helped her back onto the tree. "Thank you," he called after her as she hurried back to the house.

*~*

Her papa didn't hide the money in the house. Most of it was kept safe in his study, in jars on the bookshelf. The rest of it was behind the secret stone doorway Elisabeth wasn't supposed to know about, though she knew it went to the gate. It was easy for her to wait for Malthael to go to bed before sneaking into the study.

The heat of the room washed over her as she picked up a dark teal jar from one of the bookshelves and set it on the floor. Inside were at least a hundred gold coins. They glittered as she took them out in handfuls and put them into the drawstring bag on her waist. Once it sagged and the seams strained from the weight, she carefully returned the container back to the shelf.

She stuck to the walls as she slipped through the tranquil house and crept toward the patio door. It would make for a longer walk around the grounds, but she wouldn't walk by Malthael's or Milo's rooms. Tiss was down the hall and was a heavy sleeper—her snoring made Elisabeth giggle as she snuck by. Slipping out onto the patio, Elisabeth ran the entire way to their tree. The moon wasn't fully out yet as dusk turned into night. A lightning bug zipped by her nose. Her shadow stretched long as the sun set. Emboldened by her own daring, Elisabeth threw up her arms so that her shadow looked like a monster that the children from weeks ago had imagined lived there.

When she reached the tree she called up. "Liam?"

"Here!" he called back, leaning over the side.

With a foolish grin, Elisabeth climbed the tree. When she reached the top, Liam reached for her hand as she walked across the branch. Beyond him she could see the smoke and steam rising from chimneys all across the city of Malpre. Liam reached for her hand and helped her to cross onto the top of the wall.

"Do you have it?" he asked as she stepped onto the stone.

She untied the bag and held it out to him. He opened it up and then jumped up in joy. Throwing his arms around Elisabeth, he twirled her around once. They were both laughing as he set her back down.

"Now everything is going to end happily," Elisabeth said proudly.

"I have everything I need," Liam agreed. No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he pushed her off the wall and out into the street.