Running With the Wave

Chapter 46

Hunter:

I drag Era into the janitor's closet. Placing her gently on the ground, I grab a rag from the shelf and quickly rap it around her leg. The blood already begins to seep through, but it's the best I can do given the circumstances. I smooth back her hair and stare down at her gorgeous face.

"I promise I'll come back for you, love."

I kiss her forehead than fly out of the door.

Three Keepers stalk up and down the hallway where the door to Father's office is, guarding it. They're more serious and focused than the ones that guarded the entrance to the Ward, but I doubt Father would have told them either. I look around, trying to fgure out how to go through with this when I see two higher ranked Keepers. My eyes narrow, and I slither closer to hear their conversation.

"Have they arrived?" The first one asks coldly.

"No, sir." The other replies.

"And the girl?"

"The boy helped her escape, sir."

"Hunter?"

"Yes, sir."

The first Keeper curses.

"It won't be long until the whole prison knows the head Keeper's secret now." He mutters, pacing back and forth.

The other man stands there stiffly, unsure of what to say.

"We just have to hope that Darh and the rest of the Authorities get here soon and fix everything before it's too late."

"The odds of that happening, sir?"

The first man sighs and looks up.

"Very slim."

I turn back around, not wanting to hear anymore. Feeling slightly naucious, I close my eyes and try to ease my panic. The men are my Father's personal Keepers, the ones that follow him everywhere except home to ensure his safety. They would know, of course, and according to the first man everyone would know soon. Shit, this is bad. I open my eyes and look around at the situation before me another time. I have to get in, that I know. But how... I step out of hiding and stride purposefully towards the door. All the Keepers stop in teir tracks and I feel their eyes burning a hole in my back but I refuse to back down. The other Keepers don't know that I'm a fugitive, only my Father's personal Keepers do and they can't come get me because then everyone will know. Not my best choice, but it's the only one I've got.

"And what do you think you're doing, Hunter?"

The first man looks straight into my eye, waiting for my response. Daring me to go through with my plan.

"Visiting my Father." I reply quietly, "That is, of course, allowed?"

He glares at me.

"Yes, it is."

"Let me in, then."

He looks like he'd rather do anything but let me through, but after a while he steps aside stiffly.

"Thank you. Have a good day, Keeper." I nod briskly.

Before he can answer I step through the door.

The room is familiar, as I've spent many hours in here with Father lecturing me. I've even been beaten by him here, though usually he does that in his office at home. Father is sitting in a chair at the center of the room in front of his desk, facing away from me. I try to stop myself from trembling, then step forwards. The door clangs shut behind me.

"Hello?" Father's deep voice booms through the room.

"Don't worry," I hiss, "it's only me, Father."

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The two men who talk in the beginning are the ones having the anonymous conversations in the past chapters, by the way.