"Yes, I'm fine," I said quickly, trying to smooth out my blood-soaked uniform. "I'm just a little, um, shaken up." I blinked several times in a row, trying to hold back the tears.
"Of course, you are." Amory whispered soothingly, patting the hand that he held.
"Can I go home, Amory?" I asked meekly, wanting nothing more.
"Of course, you can," he paused for a moment, "Actually, I have a better idea." Amory sat up straight, letting go of my hand and reaching the cell phone sitting on his desk. "I think it's best if maybe you leave for a little bit. The news of the broken engagement will travel fast and if there are more out there that want you dead, this might quicken their plans." I was speechless. I watched silently as Amory's mind worked quickly, deciding on the course of action he would take. "I think it's best if you get out of town for a while."
"Out of town, but what if-" I started, thinking about Lucan's reaction if Kiran wanted to find me and couldn't.
"I'll deal with them, we have to think of your safety first," Amory sat back in the chair and started dialing a number. "I am sending Jericho on a mission. He was going to leave this afternoon."
"Jericho?" I asked, putting the pieces together.
"Yes, Jericho. I think it's best if you go with him," Amory didn't wait for my reply; he pushed send on the phone and was explaining the details of the day to Jericho before I could object.
Sure, my safety came first, but I was pretty sure leaving town with a boy that was not Kiran was just as dangerous. I was maybe only days away from becoming engaged to the Crown Prince and Amory wanted to send me away, alone with a boy that not only had feelings for me but was in a Rebellion completely in opposition to the Monarchy.
Oh, boy.
Chapter Thiry-Seven
Jericho pulled up to the school in a black Escalade with severely tinted windows and no license plates, screeching to a stop right in front of me. I jumped into the passenger seat quickly, Jericho barely waiting for my door to be closed before taking off again.
"In a hurry?" I asked sarcastically.
"Obviously," he replied curtly.
"Hey, thanks for picking me up and you know, taking me with you," I tried to break the tension with thankfulness, but Jericho wasn't having it.
"Yep. Didn't really have a choice though," he mumbled, staring straight ahead through dark aviator sunglasses.
"No, really," I wasn't going to give up. "Seraphina was seriously trying to kill me. She had like this spinning weapon thing made out of broken glass. It was crazy."
"Your clothes are in the back seat," he replied, ignoring me. "You should change; I don't want blood on the seats."
"Ok...." I didn't know what to make of Jericho's attitude. He had picked me up, and not even questioned Amory about taking me with; but ever since the news of Kiran's broken engagement had been announced at our house yesterday, he had avoided me at all costs.
I pulled the duffle bag that Lilly had packed for me from the back seat and unzipped it. All of the shirts inside were warm and black and she had packed a couple pairs of dark, washed jeans and some black yoga pants.
I looked over at Jericho, who was wearing a black long sleeve shirt and dark washed jeans and figured out this must be the uniform of the Resistance spy. I laughed out loud; apparently this was my first real mission.
"How long are we going to be driving for?" I asked, realizing it would affect what I would wear.
"A long time," Jericho replied snidely.
"Ok...." I pulled out my yoga pants and an oversized thin black sweatshirt that hung off one shoulder. I usually wore this outfit to workout in, but a long car trip required comfort. I took off my shoes and unbuttoned my skirt, hoping Jericho knew what he was doing by demanding that I change.
"Not up here," he snapped at me. "Seriously, Eden, go to the back."
"Oh, sorry," I mumbled, tossing my duffle bag to the back seat and crawling awkwardly over the center console.
"And do something with your hair," he called from the front seat.
"Why?" I asked innocently, fingering my long, tangled curls.
"Because," he answered crossly.
"Because why?" I pressed, hoping to irritate him. I didn't appreciate his rudeness.
"Because it's...." I watched his aviator sunglasses tilt towards me in the rear view mirror. "Because it's everywhere."
That wasn't really an answer, but I obeyed anyway. I pulled a hair-tie off of my wrist and wrapped my hair into a messy bun on the top of my head. I slipped down to the floor, below the range of the rear view mirror and changed into the comfortable black sportswear that would be road-trip appropriate.
"That's better," I sighed, sliding back into the front passenger seat.
I watched Jericho glance at me for a moment before clenching his jaw and turning his attention back to the road. He let out a snicker that was actually hurtful.
"Is there a problem?" I asked carefully, sounding more sensitive than I would have liked.
"Yes, there's a problem," Jericho snapped at me again, and I flinched. This trip was going to be miserable.
"What did I do to make you so mad?" I whispered, not really expecting him to answer.
He turned to look at me full on for the first time since I had gotten in the car. I couldn't see his eyes behind his dark tinted sunglasses, so I had no idea what to make of him, and that bothered me.
"You didn't do anything," Jericho conceded, and his rigid shoulders slumped. He pressed down on the gas even harder and we accelerated past all acceptable speed limits. "It's just that.... Well, I was looking forward to taking this trip alone."