Don't Let Go (Third Book to the Other Side)

Chapter Six

"What's wrong, Alexander? Scared?" Eliza asked, nudging my side in a way that could only be playful and friendly.

"Yes, actually," I returned. "I am. I really don't think this is such a good idea."

"Can you two keep it down?" Lafayette hissed, the loudest he had been in the past half an hour or so. Whatever he was working on was eating up all of his focus. And his patience.

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my anger as the only wall between me and a level of insurmountable fear that was sure to reduce me to a gross mess if I couldn't keep it under control.

I stared ahead at the looming labyrinth. My heartbeats were frantic; the memories of this place were still too fresh in my mind and still hurt so much, but I'd give anything to go back to them. To live in those moments for the rest of my life, even if it meant watching Thomas's blood spill onto the grass over and over again. Because back then, he was still alive. Ripped away from me, yes. But I still was able to feel the gentle beating of his heart, and I didn't have to let go.

I swallowed down those thoughts, but dismissing them only did so much good. They would undoubtedly be back to haunt my every  nightmare later that night, keeping me away from the sanctuary of sleep. But at least, with Eliza by my side, it got easier to escape them.

"Don't be scared," Eliza said with a grin, nudging me again. And it was impossible to do anything other than match her jovial glow, her friendly smile. She was amazing, and I hate how it took the death of somebody else for me to realize it.

I didn't mention his name anymore. Nobody did. We were far too afraid of what we might summon if the syllables escaped our mouths.

It was for the better, anyway.

"How far are you?" I asked Lafayette in a hushed murmur.

"I am almost there," he returned, his accent thick just as it always was when frustrated. "You have got to give me a second."

"Sorry." I tried not to tap my foot against the cobblestone path, but it was proving impossible. Whatever difficulties Lafayette was having trouble with as he tried to cast his mind out through the stone (Eliza explained it to me and it still makes no sense), he was having a tough time defeating. But it was taking far too long, and the longer I stood in this one place, the more my mind wandered. And Divinity's children, the things I think about are truly horrible.

Eliza placed a hand on my shoulder, and I gripped her fingers with my own. It felt wrong, especially so close to Lafayette, but then there was the thrill that always came with hiding something, a secret you couldn't let anybody find out. There's something slightly freeing about it. Almost as if you don't feel trapped, even if it's only for a moment while the rush dies out again.

Maybe it's her that makes me feel so free.

"Got it," Lafayette snapped suddenly, spinning around just slow enough for me to let go of Eliza's hand.

"What did you see?"

"Nothing!" he exclaimed, brighter than he should have been.

"What?"

"That is good. It means that whatever the King is keeping in there, he wants it to remain a secret. I finally managed to get through to his protection spells, which are denser than they have ever been before. Which means that the sooner we find it, the sooner we destroy it, and that bastard is left without whatever tool he has added to his arsenal."

Lafayette had become considerably colder since...well, since the funeral. I don't know if it was just Angelica or the combination of both of them, but whatever it is, Lafayette doesn't laugh any more. And he rarely smiles. Just bent in the utter destruction of the wearer of the crown.