Page 5 of Cross’s Reckoning

"Then ride faster."

"And when we get him?"

My father looks down at the patch before lifting his eyes. "Just bring him back."

Nobody asks what happens after that. They don't need to. Cross won't survive being brought back. The knowledge settles cold inside me while Raze starts calling names. Men move because Cyrus gave an order, but there's none of the usual energy before trouble. Nobody grins or argues. They grab helmets and head outside.

Raze pauses in front of me. "Which way?"

"What?"

"You were outside. Which way did he go?"

He knows I'm about to lie. I see it immediately in his face. "North," I say. "Toward the county line."

Raze holds my gaze for a long moment before nodding. "North road."

He sends the men out and I don't move until the first engines start outside. Raze is the last one through the door, and he doesn't look back or tell my father what I've done.

I have no idea why, and I also have no intention of waiting around to find out. I pull out my phone and walk toward the hallway before calling Cross. He answers on the fourth ring with a curt, "Yes?"

I nearly hang up purely because of his tone and then there's a beat of silence. "Lola?"

"Raze has men heading north. Cyrus ordered them to bring you back."

"I figured he would."

"Where are you?"

"Not telling you. Better you don't know."

"Fine. Stay off Route Thirty-Two. They'll cover it as soon as they realize I sent them the wrong way."

The silence on the other end changes.

"You did what?"

"Don't make me repeat myself. Take the river road south."

He knows the route. Everybody around here does. He also knows exactly what I've just risked for him.

"Why, Lola?"

I close my eyes. "I don't know."

It's the first completely honest thing I've said all night.

He says my name again, quieter this time, but I don't want to hear whatever comes next. "I have to go."

"Wait."

He ends the call. My hand shakes as I shove the phone into my pocket. I hate Cross for putting me in this position and my father for making the consequences of leaving so obvious. Mostly, I hate that nobody forced me to do anything. I knew what my father intended and made my decision before I had time to dress it up as something else. When I turn around, Raze is standing at the far end of the hallway. Cold moves through me. He's supposed to be gone, but he's leaning against the wall, careful of his damaged ribs, watching me with an expression I can't read.

He heard enough or maybe all of it. I can't tell.

Neither of us speaks for several seconds before he reaches into his pocket and takes out his keys. "You weren't here when I came back."

I stare at him. "What?"