Inversion [Camp NaNoWriMo July 2021]

day 25

d a y   2 5

"If it isn't Cian Sampson," someone croons from behind us as we leave Melissa's in the late afternoon.

Cian stiffens a split second before recognition sends dread slithering down my spine. We turn slowly to find Kelly standing in the shadow of a side alley. She looks so smug that I want to go up and slap the expression off her face.

"Kelly," Cian says icily. He tugs me closer to his side, sliding an arm around my waist. Kelly observes him with cool amusement.

"You didn't mention that Cian was the friend you were visiting, Lyra," she continues lightly, her eyes shifting to me. Something flickers across her face, an emotion I don't catch before it's replaced by that distant levity. "Or more than friends, from the look of it." A pointed glance at his hand on my waist.

"What do you want, Kelly?" Cian's tone is aloof. "You're a long way from home."

The small smile disappears. "I want to talk to Lyra," she replies plainly. "Alone."

"That's not happening."

"I think that's for Lyra to decide." Kelly's eyes never leave mine.

"Isn't it enough that you said no, Kelly?" I have to nudge Cian to remind him to keep his voice down. He doesn't acknowledge me, but his next words are quieter, if no less harsh. "Are you so callous that you're willing to rip that choice away from Lyra?"

This time, I recognize the emotion that ripples across Kelly's face. Guilt, I realize. I look down at her hands, and she hides them in the folds of her skirt, but I catch the curl of her fingers, the manicured nails digging into her palms.

"Did it ever occur to you," she snarls, dropping all pretense of nicety and turning glacial eyes to Cian, "that not everyone would be so willing to believe a stranger claiming to work for Death? Did it ever occur to you that some people don't have the luxury of taking that leap of faith and accepting whatever consequences may arise from such naivety?"

I step in front of Cian before he can respond, placing a hand on his chest and waiting until he looks at me.

"It's okay," I murmur. He opens his mouth, no doubt to argue, but I don't give him the chance to speak. "Let me talk to her. Go back to the apartment. I'll be back when we're done."

"Are you serious?" Cian asks incredulously. "Do you—"

"Go," I insist, pushing him back a step. I catch the anger in his eyes as he glares first at me and then at Kelly. His hand tightens on my hip, his grip almost bruising, but I ignore it. "This is between me and Kelly. I'm not going to keep running from this."

"You sure as hell should," he growls, leaning forward. He lowers his voice so only I can hear. "There are three days left. Lock yourself in the apartment if you have to. But you are not having this conversation."

"Unless you plan on locking me up," I snap, and his mouth twists as if he wants to say he's thinking about doing exactly that, "I can damn well choose to have this conversation if I want to."

"And Jeremy?" He breathes, lips brushing the tip of my ear. Under my hand, I feel his body practically thrumming with fury. "Is this conversation worth the risk?"

Before I can stop myself, I place both hands on his chest and shove. Hard. He stumbles back, hand slipping from my hip, his expression torn between shock and anger.

I close the distance between us, jabbing a finger at his chest. "You have no right," I snarl. "Don't you dare suggest that I don't care. Don't you dare, for one minute, think that I would do anything to jeopardize this." I cross my arms over my chest. "Just go, Cian."