“I just want to be normal,” she snapped.
He smiled faintly. “Alina, your life from the start has never been normal.” He opened the door for her and followed her outside.
The darkness made her anxious. Why must Gerard take her in the evening? The homes they passed revealed families watching the monitor, eating dessert and washing dishes, unaware of the danger surrounding them. She swallowed a lump in her throat, surprised by how sad she was to leave.
As they passed Wheaton Drive, she stretched her neck to see Oliver’s house and caught a light from his bedroom window. He didn’t mention it, but she knew he planned to see her off in the morning.
“Baylor,” she said, “we have some extra time, don’t we? Can we stop by Oliver’s house so I can explain everything to him?”
He shook his head. “Not a good idea. You can’t tell him why you’re leaving. Only the town officials know of the danger we’re in. We don’t want to cause a panic.”
“You should’ve held the meeting at a more private place, then. Nicole heard the whole thing. Tomorrow everyone will know.”
“By then you’ll have already left, and the town will be safe. You tell Oliver now, and he’ll do something drastic and foolish to protect you. Boys overreact when it comes to saving their girlfriends.”
“We’re just friends!”
Baylor coughed. “Right.”
“I won’t tell him why I’m leaving,” she pressed. “I’ll just say goodbye.”
“He’ll be able to tell something is wrong. Can you keep it from him?”
She sighed. “Probably not.”
“You’ll see him again,” Baylor said.
“He asked me if he could come with us to Jaden. He wants to join the fight against Sampson. Do you think there will be something for him?”
“I’m sure of it. We’re at war now, and we’ll need every able person to fight in order to win. And then—” he paused. “I hope it’s enough.”
They approached the front gate. Two guards stood at the entrance, peering through a slit in the door. They turned to Baylor and Alina as they arrived.
“You brought her,” said one of them. “Is this what was decided?”
“Yes, it’s our only option. But I have a plan I hope will keep her safe until we come for her,” said Baylor in a low voice. “I must speak to Gerard. Alina will come with me.”
The guard nodded. He opened the gate and led them outside, twenty feet from the wall.
“Gerard!” Baylor called out. “I’m here with Alina. I want to speak with you. Alone.” Alina stiffened as a dark figure approached them from the forest.
“Thank you, Hans,” Baylor whispered. “Please watch us from the gate.” Hans nodded and returned to his post.
“I won’t pretend I’m happy to see you, but I’m not surprised,” Baylor said as the figure drew near.
Gerard chuckled darkly. “I’ll always be around, whether you like to see me or not.”
Baylor spoke in a steady voice. “I’ll hand Alina over on one condition.”
Gerard’s rough features looked ghastly in the moonlight. “And what’s that?” he sneered.
“You let me speak with Sampson.”
Gerard threw back his head, his laugh echoing through the woods. Then he glowered at Baylor. “You’ve got a lotta gall, you know. Just like your father.”
Baylor’s nostrils flared. “Let me speak with Sampson, or I’m not handing her over. Go right ahead and attack this town. She’d have a chance to run, and you know how fast she is. The people of Millflower would gladly give their lives for her.”
Alina thought of the spiteful girls and how wrong Baylor’s statement was, but she squared her shoulders and looked Gerard straight in the eye.
Gerard glared at her, then turned back to Baylor. “Fine. But just you. She stays here.”
“She stays with me, or she goes back inside the gate with the guard,” Baylor demanded.
“Call the guard, then,” Gerard snapped.
As Hans came to get her, Alina clutched Baylor’s arm. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” she whispered.
“I’ll be fine,” he whispered back. “I know what I’m doing.”
He walked into the forest with Gerard. Hans took her arm gently and led her back to the gate.
“Let’s stay here,” Alina begged. “I’m worried about him.”
Hans drew his gun from its holster. “If anything happens, I want you to run to Jaden as fast as you can.” He pointed down the dirt road leading into the forest. “But I think he’s safe. You’re not in Gerard’s hands yet, so he won’t want to hurt Baylor.”
Alina relaxed a little, and after several long minutes, Baylor appeared, striding back to the gate. Gerard marched after him, cursing from behind.
Baylor’s voice carried through the trees. “I’m sorry you don’t like this arrangement. But you have Alina, so we expect you to be on your way and no longer threaten this town.” He reached Alina and Hans, and turned to face Gerard, who flashed him a rude gesture.
“Come with me,” Gerard growled at Alina. “No running this time, or this hole of a town will be flattened the second we notice you’re gone.” He seized her arm. She looked desperately at Baylor.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “You’ll be well treated.”
“Wait,” she cried, reaching for him. She had questions now. How would she get away if her escape threatened Millflower? What should she do?
“NO!” Gerard screamed. “No talking!” He yanked her away with him, clenching her wrists tighter as she tried to break free.
“Go, Alina,” Baylor assured her. The calm in his voice surprised her. Then he put the light to his chin and moved his lips. He repeated the name twice before she caught it.
“Stan,” he mouthed.
Gerard yanked Alina into the trees, and one by one his men came out, leering at her. She scanned the group for Stan but didn’t see him.
Although the men terrified her, the real fright came from the people standing in the darkness behind them. They carried lights, which cast shadows on their demonic features. Their eyes looked like dark holes and their skin shriveled on their cheekbones. Ratted hair hung from their heads, some touching the ground.
“Listen up,”
