Page 46 of Hysteria Rises (Dark Falls Hollow #1)

THIRTY-THREE

ARROW

I hazard a glance back toward the main room of the women’s quarters as I slowly approach Twenty-three’s door.

Today is the first time I’ve felt physically able to move around without pain sending me to my knees.

I dread the return to my dailies … and the idea of a sprint through the woods for the Hunting in just shy of a day’s time?

Well, I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say it might kill me.

I haven’t been down here since my correction, but I really, really need to see my siren.

I’ve been agonizing over when I’d be able to see her again.

If anyone knew I was down here, it’d lead to certain disaster.

I pivot on my heel, quickly checking one more time to make sure no one is watching my actions before I draw the key to Twenty-three’s room from my pocket and fit it into the lock.

Once I’m inside her darker-than-sin room, I close the door and lean back against it.

Searching blindly for the object of my obsession, I blink until my eyes finally acclimate.

She’s right where she should be, curled up on the bed under her blanket.

My heart hammers relentlessly in my chest, picking up speed.

I haven’t seen her in days, and now the proximity is reeling me in.

And she’s so close but so far. I need to be right there with her, want to climb into the bed behind her and—

I jerk myself free of those thoughts. The last time I listened to the dangerous desires flowing through my bloodstream, look where it got us.

Dragging in a cautious breath, I ease farther into the room, only stopping when I reach her bedside.

On my knees, my eyes skim over her hardly distinguishable features.

It doesn’t matter that I can’t see her very well.

I know she’s there, and it makes my need for her intensify like a thousand suns beating down on me.

“What are you doing?” Her sleep-heavy voice reaches right inside the aching cavern of my chest and twists. I freeze, hovering close at her bedside. “Is it morning?”

My lips part, and I ease closer. Close enough that I can see the faint glitter of her blue eyes. Close enough that her warm breath reaches me. I shudder with the intense longing that races through my veins. “No. It’s not.”

She shifts away, and it’s as vicious as a slap.

Blinking in the dark, I can just make out her frown. “I don’t—” Rubbing a hand over my jaw, I sigh. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“You shouldn’t be here.” Anxious eyes flick toward the door.

Thud. Thud. Thud. The heavy beating in my chest would send me to my knees if I wasn’t already there. “I couldn’t help myself. I needed to see you.” I shake my head.

“Why would you risk it?” She works her jaw to the side. “Tell me I’m wrong. You either haven’t been down here like the others have because of what they did to you or because they told you not to.” She pauses, scanning my face. “Which is it?”

Slowly, I roll over her question in my head. “I don’t care about my pain. I deserved it.”

The gasp of dismay that leaves her sweet lips warms my insides the way nothing much has lately.

I lift a hand, glad for the darkness so that hopefully she misses the way it shakes.

I cup her cheek, and she flinches at first, but I manage to rasp, “That wasn’t the worst of what they did to me.

The worst was hurting you, keeping me from you. ”

Curious lines form on her forehead as her brow furrows and her lips part to respond, but she’s cut off as her expression morphs into pure terror. Cocking my head, I hear what’s caught her attention. Creeping footsteps faintly sound on the stone stairwell down the hall.

My heart clenches hard in my chest. If I cause her more pain, if I make things more difficult for her, I don’t know if I’ll recover from it.

I’ve spent the last many, many hours while locked inside my misery thinking of her and her alone.

I stroke my thumb over her cheek. “I had to tell you thank you.” When she wets her lips, shaking her head, I rush on, “For kicking the bottle under the bed. Why’d you do that? ”

“I don’t know.” Her breath hitches. “I should hate you.” She wrenches her gaze from mine.

But it’s not her action or her words that punch me right in the solar plexus, stealing my breath. It’s because she feels something for me.

We’re motionless, staring at each other when finally my better sense kicks in.

Drawing in a breath, I quickly murmur, “We’re running out of time.

” For whatever reason, she gives me the barest of nods, and I rush on, “The first time I came to you, I told you to remain silent. I was trying to help. I need you to listen to me now. At the Hunting. You need to run fast. Hide as best you can.”

I’ve only gotten out those words and backed away from her when the door swings open with a grating creak.

“Arrow. Fuck. You shouldn’t be down here.” Hayze hurries into the room, shaking his head in disbelief. “We have to go. Your father is awake upstairs.”

My siren’s eyes widen as she shifts farther from me, her gaze rushing back and forth between us.

Hayze is already at my side, giving me a hand up as pain shrieks along every nerve ending, though it’s not nearly as bad as it once was.

“Twenty-three, you should sleep. Follow instructions today. Trust me when I say you’ll need the rest,” Hayze demands as he all but drags me from the room and snaps the door shut with a quiet click.

“Key?” he grits out, the muscle in the back of his jaw twitching. He’s mad. I get it.

Sighing, I slap it into his hand without a word. What is there to say? What I’ve done was beyond stupid. If I’d been caught by anyone other than him … Well, I don’t want to think about how that would have played out. My body shudders involuntarily.

Gripping my shoulder with one hand, he shoots me a look that reads You poor, obsessed, lunatic as he locks up behind us. “Go.” He gestures toward the stairs. “Now. Before Henry realizes where you’ve been.”