I stayed still. Ezra was the last person I wanted to see.
In seconds he was in front of me, crouching down, his gaze taking me in.
‘Eva, what’s wrong?’
I started to laugh then, and it was tinged with madness.
‘Are you sick?’ he said, leaning in and touching my forehead.
I slapped his hand away. ‘Don’t touch me.’
Ezra sat back, his red-rimmed eyes wide. ‘What my dad did, it was inexcusable.’
‘What your dad did? What about you, you son of a bitch?’
‘Eva? What’s…going on with you?’
‘Your dad takes my family away, and then you, you break my heart…again – and you apologise for your father.’
Ezra rubbed his bloodshot eyes. His voice broke when he spoke. ‘I’m so sorry, Eva – for everything.’
‘You know what, it doesn’t matter anymore. The only thing that matters is getting my family away from here. So, tell me, where are they?’
‘Come on, we need to get you inside. It’s not safe here. The coastguard are having a break, but they’ll be back on the waters soon.’
I began to shiver, but I met Ezra’s gaze when I spoke. ‘Don’t you remember?
We are not together anymore. So you don’t get to tell me what to do – not now, not ever!’
Ezra sat back as though I’d shoved him, his gaze flitting all over me as though he was looking for someone.
‘I love you, Eva. That will never change.’
My heart burned, and I spat out my words. ‘Just not enough to be with me when I needed you the most.’
He gasped and I turned from him.
‘Where are my family?’ I said, wiping the sweat that dripped down my face.
‘You’re sick. Please, I beg you, let me get you inside.’
I tried to stand, but my legs gave way. Ezra stepped forward and held me upright.
I pushed him away and started to sway towards the water, but he scooped me up into his arms.
‘Christ, Eva. You’re burning up.’
I tried to talk back, to stand on my own two feet, but the world around me was fading in and out.
Then I heard it, the motor of another boat.
Ezra swore and ran, two steps at a time, up the stairs and into the boathouse, where he placed me on the bed. As he returned to lock the door, he cursed loudly.
‘Where is she?’ asked Jet, striding into the room. His piping-hot gaze found me, and he said, ‘Christ, Eva!’ He came to me and placed his hand on my forehead.
‘What are you doing here?’ said Ezra, who stood next to the bed, glaring at Jet.
‘Doing what you clearly couldn’t do – looking after Eva.’
‘Get your hands off her,’ said Ezra, nudging Jet so that he lost his balance.
Quick as a flash, Jet was back on his feet and in front of Ezra, whom he shoved hard. They were of a similar height and build, but Jet had been living outside and he appeared bigger and stronger.
‘Stop it!’ I managed to get out before the world around me flashed white.
Both of them turned towards me, the looks on their faces identical.
‘What’s happened to you?’ asked Ezra.
I remembered the night before when the dead creatures had thrown themselves on me, their poison piercing my skin.
‘The dark forces attacked her last night, after she left you,’ said Jet.
Ezra looked as if the weight of the world had fallen onto his shoulders.
‘Where are my parents, Ezra?’ I whispered.
‘They’re being held in a cell under the town hall,’ he said.
‘Are they…okay?’ I rasped. ‘Can we go there now?’
‘Enough is enough, Eva,’ said Jet, scooping me up in his arms and starting to walk towards the door. I struggled against him, but it was futile.
‘Tell me,’ I growled.
Jet stood still and turned towards Ezra.
Ezra said, ‘They’re being…questioned, but they’re okay. Their trial will be held in two weeks, on the night of the darkest moon when Dad thinks their powers will be at their weakest.’
I pictured my family as Orpheus declared the verdict that would take their lives.
‘And then Orpheus will hang them,’ I said.
Ezra’s eyes filled with tears. ‘I want to help get them out.’
‘We may hold you to that,’ said Jet, on the move again.
We had made it to the stairs when Ezra was back in our faces. ‘Eva can stay here. I’ll look after her.’
‘I think you’ve done enough,’ said Jet, who pushed past him and continued down the stairs.
‘She’s sick – how will you take care of her?’
‘Unlike you, moron, I know how to take care of her.’
‘Well, why did she leave you tonight to come and see me?’
Jet’s body stiffened against mine.
‘I didn’t want to see you,’ I whispered as the world around me flashed in and out of view. ‘I came back to help my family.’
Ezra winced as though my words had stung him.
Jet placed me gently in the bow of the boat, then wrapped me in a blanket before tying our boats together. Ezra watched on, his face flashing with emotions.
‘We have no chance of getting them out before the trial,’ said Ezra. ‘Dad’s security is too tight. The best chance we have is on the night of their trial, while they’re being moved.’
‘We’ll come back then to get them out,’ said Jet.
‘Meet me here after sunset on the night of their trial, in two weeks’ time. I’ll find out everything I can and have a plan.’
‘Keep my parents safe,’ I said, my voice unsteady.
‘I will…do whatever I can,’ said Ezra. ‘Please, Jet, take good care of her. Make her well.’
Jet grunted and climbed back into the boat. He was about to start the engine when I heard the unmistakable sound of Pearl’s meow.
‘Pearl!’ I said, sitting up as she sidled over to the side of the boat. ‘Why is she here?’
‘I found her in your house this morning. I went to check on your and Violet’s houses and found her tucked up on the end of your bed. I brought her here to keep an eye on her.’
I picked up my cat and
