X’s last words landed in silence. Then, yet again, the shriveled apple felt compelled to speak.
“I seen that meself!” he said. “I seen that very fing!”
The stout guard turned.
“Liar,” he said wearily.
“All right, fair enough,” said the apple. “Howevva, I ’ave many a time seen their lordships strain and tug at them gol’ bands, as if they was a nuisance.”
In the cell next door, Ripper stopped carrying on and surprised the party by interjecting.
“Mr. Ugly has struck upon a truth,” she said. “Those gold bands are not signs of power—or, rather, not just signs of power. They are chains.”
“Well stated,” said the apple. “Bein’ called Mr. Ugly hurts a person’s feelin’s, but I will let it pass, as you are a well-known loony.”
Before Ripper could respond, Banger warned them of movement on the plain below. Regent was pacing on the rocky ledge. X could not make out his features, but his agitation was clear.
“Right,” said the chief of the guards. “We betta be off, then. Come along, Mr. Ugly.”
X stared down at the plain as the squad lumbered off. Regent was brooding and pacing in such a tight loop that it looked as if he might wear a groove into the rock. X knew he would come to him—and soon. Yet he could not imagine what news he would bring.
The dark feeling in his heart told him it would not be good.
At last, Regent stopped pacing. He turned to the vast black rock of cells and leaped toward X, landing in front of his cell with a tremendous thump and a blast of air. He motioned X toward the bars.
“I have been commissioned to tell you that you must bring the Lowlands one more soul,” he said. “If you fail to locate this final bounty, if you grow sentimental and release him, as you released Stan—or if you waste a single instant chasing your newfound love—you will never leave the Lowlands again. You will never even leave this cell.”
“And if I do precisely as I am instructed?” said X. “If I bring the soul back on his knees? Then I can remain a bounty hunter?”
“No,” said Regent. He took a pause that seemed endless, before continuing. “Then you can be free.”
It took X a long moment to find his voice.
“Free?” said X. “Forever? I have never heard of such a thing.”
“Nor have I,” said Regent. “But you are innocent, and the son of a lord. You were never meant for a cage. Perhaps this is the Lowlands’ attempt at justice.”
“I do not mean to appear ungrateful, for you have been a great ally to me,” said X. “But I fear this is a trap.”
“Then pray it is not,” said Regent. “And I will pray with you.”
The lord made sure no one was watching, then slipped his hand through the bars and shook X’s firmly.
“What I am about to reveal to you, you must never breathe to another soul,” he said. “Do I have your word?”
“You do,” said X. “Of course you do. I owe you the world.”
“Very well,” said Regent. “My true name is Tariq.”
part three
Promises to Keep
twelve
Zoe tried sleeping in a dozen positions, as if she were inventing an alphabet with her body. Outside, the trees rustled peacefully, and a breeze brushed the window. The world was returning to normal, as if the word “normal” still meant something.
Whole days had slipped by since X had left. There would be school tomorrow. School! How absurd was that? Whenever Zoe felt a wave of sadness about to hit, she remembered how she’d stood in her socks in the driveway—how X had put his coat around her shoulders, how he’d pulled her body toward him. His mouth had been so warm it had made her lips glow like the ring on a stove.
At midnight, her door creaked open, and Jonah crept in, along with a cone of yellow light from the hall.
Zoe pretended to be asleep. Dealing with her brother was not on her list of priorities.
She let out a loud snore.
“I know you’re awake,” said Jonah. “Duh.”
Zoe snored louder.
“Faker,” said Jonah. After a moment, he added, “Where’s X? Why isn’t he back? I liked it when he was here.”
Zoe groaned, and sat up in bed.
“He had to leave,” she said. “You know that, bug.”
“But, like, leave leave?” said Jonah. “Forever leave?”
His voice faltered.
The reality of the situation flooded through Zoe, too. Maybe she’d never see X again. Maybe their kiss had been so engulfing, so singular, because it would be the only one.
“I don’t know about forever,” she said. “All I know is that he wants to come back and that he’s stubborn, like us.”
Jonah seemed to accept this. He approached the foot of Zoe’s bed and prepared to burrow under the blankets.
“No, bug,” she said. “You can’t sleep here. Not tonight.”
He didn’t think she was serious. He lifted the covers.
“No, bug,” she said, snatching away the sheet and blanket.
Jonah left the room without a word, trailing a cloud of hurt. Zoe fell back onto the bed. Through the wall, she could hear Jonah push open their mother’s door and say, “Zoe is the worst. Can I snuggle with you?”
Zoe changed positions yet again. She missed X—there was a lake of pain where her heart should have been—and now she felt guilty, too. Up on the roof, a clump of snow broke apart. It slid down the shingles, dropped past the windows like a body falling, and landed in the snow with a thunk.