Running with Rogues

CHAPTER 51 - BACK WE GO

He closed his eyes, but not before he'd got an eyeful of my worried face.

"Whoops," I said. "Guess I'm dead now."

Rhodri swore at me - an impressive collection of words which only served to make me grin. If he was swearing, then he must have been feeling better. His eyes were still closed, though - he was too stubborn to give up so easily.

I let my hand fall, and then redeployed it. "If I was imaginary, would I do this?"

"Do what?"

"Open your eyes and you'll see."

"I'm not stupid," Rhodri said. "You're just flipping me off."

"Am I, though?"

"Yeah."

I shrugged carelessly. "Well, there's only one way to find out."

Rhodri growled at me. He sat there for a moment, torn and indecisive, and then he opened his eyes for an exclusive view of my middle finger.

"Knew it," he mumbled, but the damage was done.

I just shrugged again. Now that he was looking at me, it was much easier to see how miserable he was. It wasn't just the pain, I reckoned. It was waking up to find that his body didn't work properly anymore.

"That's better," I said, managing a tiny smile. "Can I go and get Liam now? He thinks you're angry at him or some shit."

"Nah, wait a minute," Rhodri said quickly, before I could move. "You can get him, but just ... wait, yeah?"

He sounded very serious, all of a sudden, and I sat up a little straighter. "What is it?"

Rhodri looked around us, as if to check we were alone. "You talked to Joel, right? Did he tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Um. I'm guessing not, then," he said, looking uncomfortable. "This ... I mean ... I don't know how to say it. And I don't know if it's true or not. He could have been lying. I don't even know how old he was..."

I'd frozen - physically, if not mentally. Joel was older than I was. I knew that much. The more I thought about it, the more I felt sick. I reckoned I already knew what Rhodri was going to say, and I didn't want to hear it.

"He told me, when we were in the cells, that you-"

"Joel's a liar," I cut in viciously. "And what he told you is bullshit."

"Okay," Rhodri said, slow and wary. He was eyeing me like a wounded animal, and I got the sense that he wasn't stupid enough to push the subject. "Okay, he was lying. I figured he might be."

I stood up. I wanted to get out of the tent, even if just for a moment.

"Is that it?" I asked him.

He nodded, biting back all the things he so clearly wanted to say. I hadn't convinced him. Suddenly, the idea of going back to Silver Lake was starting to appeal to me. I could avoid a repeat of this conversation for weeks.

I took my time fetching Liam, giving myself time to slow my racing heart and swallow the taste of bile in the back of my throat. I was a lot calmer by the time I ducked back through the entrance with Liam at my heels. I'd explained as best I could, but he was still wary of Rhodri. He stopped in the entrance and waited there, those big dark eyes tugging at my heartstrings, as usual.

I sat down heavily in the same chair as before, picking at my fingernails while the boys eyed each other. For once, I wasn't worried that they were going to start fighting - Rhodri couldn't even stand.