The Hidden - Jessica Verday [18]
The food, as it turned out, was tasty.
Cacey barreled her way through her tamale while Uri demolished his burrito. “Wow,” I said, only halfway through mine. “You guys were hungry.”
“We’ve just come to appreciate fine food,” Uri replied.
Cacey sighed in happiness as she drained the last of her Coke and reached for Uri’s. “Sleepy Hollow doesn’t have any place like this,” she said. He patiently nudged his glass over to her.
I cleared the rest of my plate as they discussed ordering something to go. Ultimately they decided against it, and the waiter came back with our check. Luckily, I’d pocketed some money before I’d gone to the doctor’s that morning, and I pulled a ten from my back pocket.
“Don’t worry about it,” Uri said. “We’ve got it covered.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind. Really, I—”
“You can give me the ten if you want, Abbey,” Cacey interrupted. “But I’d keep it if I were you. If Uri said he’s gonna cover it, he’s gonna cover it.”
“Are you sure?” I lowered my voice. “I didn’t know if you guys had any money.”
Uri pulled out a wallet and opened it, flashing a billfold stuffed full of hundreds.
“Oh,” I said meekly. “Sorry,”
“No big.” He left enough money on the table to cover the tab, and we headed outside.
We climbed into the car and pulled out of the parking lot. Cacey talked the whole way home about more weird stuff that they’d found in their circus mobile, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was some important question I needed to be asking, or something I should know the answer to.
I just couldn’t figure out what it was.
Chapter Five
REGRETS
… he had various ways of rendering himself both useful and agreeable.
—“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”
There were precious few days of summer vacation left, but Caspian and I settled into a routine that consisted of drawing lessons for me, perfume lessons for him (well, more like perfume watching sessions, where I made the scents and he told me stories from his childhood), and nights under the stars. It was an easy rhythm. Comfortable, and safe.
The little things were what surprised me the most. Like how awkward I thought it would be having him around all the time. How uncomfortable getting undressed every evening, or using the shower every morning with him in the next room, would be. But … it wasn’t. He was a perfect gentleman.
And a surprisingly good roommate.
“You don’t have to keep doing this, you know,” I said, turning back the covers to get ready for bed one evening, and finding a pair of socks tucked by my pillow.
I told him he didn’t have to do it, but a shiver of happiness went through me that he had.
“Your feet get cold at night. You’re always getting up to go get another pair.” He brought over an extra blanket, too, and placed it at the foot of the bed.
“You’re going to spoil me,” I said. “But while you’re at it, could you turn off the overhead light?” I climbed into bed and pulled the sheets up over me.
He obliged, and flicked the light off. A second later the bed dipped slightly under him as he came to sit next to me.
“I still don’t know how you can stay here with me when I fall asleep,” I murmured, trying to get comfortable. “Don’t you get bored?”
“Time passes quickly for me, remember?”
I closed my eyes and nodded, snuggling deeper into the pillows. “If you’re sure.”
“Don’t you want me to stay? I can always leave—”
“Don’t.” I yawned. “Don’t leave. I like it when you stay with me.”
“Then, that’s enough for me,” he said. “Sweet dreams, Astrid.”
And that was the last thing I heard before I drifted down into the dream.
Around me glass crunched, and sharp edges bit into my hands. I was on the floor, kneeling among the bits and pieces of my life. Scattered dreams surrounded me.
“Pay attention, Abbey. This might just save your life.” Vincent Drake leered down at me, and I felt sick.
“No … Don’t …”
He grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet. My knees screamed as glass slivers ground deeper and deeper into my open skin.
I reached for a piece. Slid my fingers around that cool, sharp edge and held on. Then