Cold Fire [SAMPLE]

[31]

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

When my mother returns with Sarah and Caden, we enter into a lengthy discussion about what needs to be done and how we should go about doing it.

Sarah is set on finding the lady who helped dull her effects of being swapped so that I won’t have to go through heat attacks anymore. Her mother is convinced it’d be a waste of time. Caden wants nothing more than to talk with Patrick to see if he really is traitorous liar. I warn him against it. My mother thinks Sarah should meet her real father, just to make things fair. Sarah doesn’t think it’s a good idea. And secretly, neither do I. In order for him to meet his real daughter, I’d have to tell him the truth, and I doubt he is emotionally ready for that kind of information.

We eventually reach a stalemate, at which point, my mother offers to let Caden and I stay for dinner. We accept.

“So tomorrow,” my mum says when we’re finishing off our meals, “do you all agree to keep silent about the Patrick issue?” She’s speaking to all of us, but her eyes are locked onto Caden’s.

I nod. Sarah nods. Caden sighs, then nods.

“Good. But I’ll talk to him about it. If he admits it, then we can consider taking the matter to the council. But even then, I don’t think we should.”

“As if he’ll admit it,” Sarah says, snorting. “He’s been lying for God-knows-how-long. What makes you think he’ll stop now?”

My mother shrugs. “You never know.”

“And if he doesn’t?” I ask. “My visions are always right – isn’t that evidence enough to expose him?”

“Sure,” my mum says, “but I seriously think we should keep this under wraps. We have a better chance of catching him out or getting him to lead us to this nameless group if no one else knows. And an even better chance if he thinks that we don’t know either.”

“Oh, trust me,” I say. “He does.”

“What makes you say that?” Caden asks.

I roll my eyes. “Surely you didn’t notice the way he was acting towards me yesterday? He knew that I was freaked out by him. Plus, I think I made it pretty obvious that I didn’t trust him the first time we met.”

“Well he doesn’t know that I know,” Caden says.

I nearly laugh at him. “That’s because you don’t want to know.”

He shrugs. “Same, same.” But he’s smiling – and the smile is laughing.

And, even though he’s being annoying as hell, I allow my smile to slip onto my face as well, and this time, it doesn’t feel nearly as uncomfortable as it did earlier today.

We eventually get up to leave and say our goodbyes. My mother reaches in for a hug. I don’t object. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she says to me.

“See you then,” I reply, not wanting to let go. And when I do, it’s because Sarah’s watching, and I’ve stolen enough from her already.

“Bye, Sarah,” I say and then I follow Caden out of the house, the front door clicking softly shut behind us.

I walk with Caden to the car, and even though the air is still tonight and it’s stopped snowing, I can tell that it must be cold, because Caden walks quickly, his hands in his pockets, white steam billowing from his mouth with every breath. I try to make steam with my mouth – it doesn’t work.

When we reach the car, Caden quickly slips into the driver’s seat, shutting the door immediately behind him. I take a bit longer, enjoying the fresh air. After closing my door, I ask, “Have you driven at night before?”