though, knew she had to leave and seeing him would not change that, only make it harder.
Midnight was still a long way off, which meant she had a good few hours to kill. With no appetite for it, she picked a few beans from her little garden, as well as carrots, and a squash.
In a short space of time, she had a plateful of food in front of her that she forced herself to eat. Collecting her bag of clothes from upstairs, she decided that she would rather be on the move. She added the food provisions to her duffel bag and left, ignoring the pinch of regret as she walked away from her life.
She made herself keep a slow pace as she headed to the bell tower. It rang out as she arrived. She was an hour early. Sitting down, she leaned her back against the stone wall and closed her eyes. A million things ran through her mind.
Footsteps approached from around the corner. She smiled. He was early. She stood and waited for him to reach her. The footsteps stopped. She frowned, and walked to the corner, peering round. No one. A chill ran down her spine. “Merrit?”
No answer.
I must be more tired than I realised . She sat back down, leaning her head back, but keeping her eyes open. With only a crescent moon, there was not much light to see by. A few lanterns lit a small area in the square opposite her, but these were dim and only served to stop her eyes from adjusting to the murky night.
From just beyond the lit area, voices rose and fell. Was that Merrit? Who was he with? She squinted through the dark, but it was no good. She couldn’t see. The voices were approaching.
“Merrit?” she called.
The voices cut off. The ensuing silence seemed to roar in her ears. What was going on? Was she finally losing her mind? She jumped when the clock chimed midnight behind her. She gave a nervous giggle and smoothed down her skirt.
Merrit would be there any minute now. Her stomach gave a flutter at the thought. Not because she would be seeing Merrit, but the moment of leaving everything behind her was almost upon her.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Derrin sat some distance away from Khaya, the night’s shadows cloaking him. He wasn’t sure what was frightening her, but he was sure there was no immediate danger. She was putting herself at risk by being out in the open in the middle of the night and on her own, no less. This woman had more courage than was good for her.
He didn’t know in what form the Order’s attack on her would come. He still doubted that they would do her physical harm, but he wouldn’t put abduction past them. He looked up at the clock for the umpteenth time. It was past midnight. Merrit had better not make him sit out here the whole night. He resisted the urge to pace.
When he could stand the wait no longer, he Leapt to Merrit’s house. If he’d lost his courage, Derrin would convince him that his house was no longer a safe place to be.
There was no sign of light through any of the windows and the door was ajar. He walked in. It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Chapter Nine
Stranger Things
Khaya was getting a bad feeling. She knew Merrit always arrived late for work, but she was sure that was because he didn’t like work. Surely, he wouldn’t let her wait this long out here. Something must have gone wrong.
The night air carried a chill and she pulled her coat on. She buttoned it up and pushed her hands into her pockets. She frowned, pulling a note from her pocket. She squinted to see the scrawled words. ‘Change of plans, meet me at the Orange Tree inn. M’
She dropped the note as though it had burnt her. How could he possibly have put the note in her coat pocket? She spun round, knowing there was no way he could have sneaked past her. That wouldn’t make sense anyway, she chided herself. He probably went to her house while she was still at work and slipped the note in. Her coat was after all, by her packed bag.
She grimaced. She didn’t particularly like the idea of Merrit in her house without her
Midnight was still a long way off, which meant she had a good few hours to kill. With no appetite for it, she picked a few beans from her little garden, as well as carrots, and a squash.
In a short space of time, she had a plateful of food in front of her that she forced herself to eat. Collecting her bag of clothes from upstairs, she decided that she would rather be on the move. She added the food provisions to her duffel bag and left, ignoring the pinch of regret as she walked away from her life.
She made herself keep a slow pace as she headed to the bell tower. It rang out as she arrived. She was an hour early. Sitting down, she leaned her back against the stone wall and closed her eyes. A million things ran through her mind.
Footsteps approached from around the corner. She smiled. He was early. She stood and waited for him to reach her. The footsteps stopped. She frowned, and walked to the corner, peering round. No one. A chill ran down her spine. “Merrit?”
No answer.
I must be more tired than I realised . She sat back down, leaning her head back, but keeping her eyes open. With only a crescent moon, there was not much light to see by. A few lanterns lit a small area in the square opposite her, but these were dim and only served to stop her eyes from adjusting to the murky night.
From just beyond the lit area, voices rose and fell. Was that Merrit? Who was he with? She squinted through the dark, but it was no good. She couldn’t see. The voices were approaching.
“Merrit?” she called.
The voices cut off. The ensuing silence seemed to roar in her ears. What was going on? Was she finally losing her mind? She jumped when the clock chimed midnight behind her. She gave a nervous giggle and smoothed down her skirt.
Merrit would be there any minute now. Her stomach gave a flutter at the thought. Not because she would be seeing Merrit, but the moment of leaving everything behind her was almost upon her.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Derrin sat some distance away from Khaya, the night’s shadows cloaking him. He wasn’t sure what was frightening her, but he was sure there was no immediate danger. She was putting herself at risk by being out in the open in the middle of the night and on her own, no less. This woman had more courage than was good for her.
He didn’t know in what form the Order’s attack on her would come. He still doubted that they would do her physical harm, but he wouldn’t put abduction past them. He looked up at the clock for the umpteenth time. It was past midnight. Merrit had better not make him sit out here the whole night. He resisted the urge to pace.
When he could stand the wait no longer, he Leapt to Merrit’s house. If he’d lost his courage, Derrin would convince him that his house was no longer a safe place to be.
There was no sign of light through any of the windows and the door was ajar. He walked in. It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Chapter Nine
Stranger Things
Khaya was getting a bad feeling. She knew Merrit always arrived late for work, but she was sure that was because he didn’t like work. Surely, he wouldn’t let her wait this long out here. Something must have gone wrong.
The night air carried a chill and she pulled her coat on. She buttoned it up and pushed her hands into her pockets. She frowned, pulling a note from her pocket. She squinted to see the scrawled words. ‘Change of plans, meet me at the Orange Tree inn. M’
She dropped the note as though it had burnt her. How could he possibly have put the note in her coat pocket? She spun round, knowing there was no way he could have sneaked past her. That wouldn’t make sense anyway, she chided herself. He probably went to her house while she was still at work and slipped the note in. Her coat was after all, by her packed bag.
She grimaced. She didn’t particularly like the idea of Merrit in her house without her
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