YOUR FUTURE EX

Chapter2

“Run.”

Adrian’s voice snapped through the silence before I could read the expression on the face of the woman at the doorway.

His hand closed around my wrist and this time, I didn’t fight him.

The woman watched us with the patience of someone who already knew how the night would end.

“Miss Vale,” she called after me. “We’ll finish this conversation soon.”

A chill crawled down my spine.

Behind us the woman never shouted for help or even ran and that terrified me more than anything else.

“Slow down,” I gasped.

“We can’t.” He said not slowing down

“You haven’t answered a single question.” I responded struggling to keep up.

“I know.”

“You know my real name.” I said again

“Yes.” He responded

“You know my brother.” I said without thinking much of it.

“Yes.” He replied casually.

I froze because I don’t know what I was expecting but it’s definitely not yes.

He almost lost his balance because of how sudden it was.

Hope flared inside me before I could stop it. “Then tell me where he is.”

His silence stretched between us.

“You promised you’d answer.” I said expectantly

“I promised I’d tell you the truth.” He replied like it was different from what I said.

“Then do it.” I said

“I don’t know where he is.” He responded

I searched his face for a lie but all I found was exhaustion.

“You knew him?” I asked

He nodded once. “We studied together.”

My throat tightened. “What was he like?”

A sad smile touched his lips. “Stubborn.”

I almost laughed. “That sounds like Leo.”

“He talked about you constantly.”

The words stole the air from my lungs. “He did?”

Adrian finally looked at me. “He said you’d never stop looking for him.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The night suddenly felt much quieter then a beam of light swept across the hedge behind us.

Adrian grabbed my arm again. “They found the courtyard.”

We started running again.

Branches scraped my sleeves as we ran deeper into the maze.

Every turn looked identical. Tall hedges blocked the academy from view until I had no idea where we were.

“You know this place too well,” I said between breaths.

“I’ve had practice.” He said simply

“Running?” I asked

“Hiding.” He replied

The answer unsettled me. “From who?”

“The same people chasing us.” He said casually

Another light flashed behind us and it was closer .

Adrian pointed toward a narrow opening hidden in the hedge. “In there.”

We squeezed through and came out to an abandoned glass house

For several seconds, we waited and listened but there was nothing.

Only the wind tapping broken glass.

I folded my arms.“Start talking.”

He leaned against a rusted table.“I met Leo four years ago.”

Everything inside me went still.

“He wasn’t investigating Blackthorne when he arrived.” He said

“What was he doing?” I asked

“He was looking for someone.” He said

“Who?” I asked

Adrian hesitated then he shook his head. “I can’t tell you yet.”

I glared at him. “You’re doing it again.”

“I know.” He said

“No.” I responded hoping it does something

I stepped closer until only the table separated us.“You said you’d tell me the truth.”

“I am.” He said sounding honest

“Then tell me everything.” I begged

He looked down at the envelope still clutched in my hand. “I can’t.”

“Why?” I asked

His voice dropped to a whisper. “Because the last person who learned everything disappeared.”

I opened my mouth to answer but a floorboard creaked behind us.

Neither of us had moved.

Slowly, I turned toward the sound and that was when I realized that something else was inside the glasshouse.

The creek came again then I heard breathing. Not mine or Adrian.

Someone else.

Adrian reached into his jacket.

“What are you doing?” I whispered.

He pulled out a small flashlight but instead of switching it on, he pressed it into my hand. “If we get separated, head east till you reach the chapel.”

“I’m not leaving without answers.” I said

“Then stay close.” He said

“I know you’re in there.” A woman’s voice suddenly echoed, stopping us in our tracks.

“Adrian.” The voice repeated.

I looked at him. “You know her.”

He nodded once. “Unfortunately.”

“Open the door,” she called calmly, “We only want to talk.”

I almost laughed.

“If that’s true, why chase us through underground tunnels?” Adrian asked

Her reply came instantly.

“Because Miss Vale keeps walking into places that don’t belong to her.”

Adrian braced both hands against the hatch and pulled harder.

The metal groaned but still nothing

Another knock.

“You’re making this difficult.” The voice said.

“I’ve had worse conversations,” Adrian called back.

The woman sighed. “I was hoping you hadn’t told her.”

“Told me what?” I asked.

Neither of them answered.

My patience snapped.

“Will somebody stop speaking in riddles?”

The room fell silent again then the woman spoke “Ask him when he first met your brother.”

I looked at Adrian.

He avoided my eyes.

“When?”

He swallowed.

“Answer me.”

“It wasn’t four years ago.”

The words barely reached me. “What?”

“I lied.”

My pulse hammered against my ribs.

“You said you studied together.”

“I did.”

“When?”

His voice cracked.

“Six years ago.”

I stared at him.

“That’s impossible.”

Leo had disappeared three years ago.

Six years ago, he hadn’t even applied to Blackthorne.

“You’re lying again.”

“I wish I was.”

Another loud c***k echoed through the room.

The old wooden door splintered.

Someone was forcing it open.

Adrian finally wrenched the hatch free.

Cold air rushed out from the darkness below.

He looked at me. “You have to trust me.”

I thought about the lies.

About the letters.

About Leo.

About the woman waiting outside.

“I don’t.”

His shoulders sagged.

“I know.”

The door burst inward.

Dark figures poured into the glasshouse.

Without another word, Adrian jumped into the tunnel.