All The Pretty Ghosts (The Never Series Book 1) Jamie Campbell (best life changing books .TXT) 📖

his eyebrows as he waited for me. “I want to speak with the adults first.”

“Not going to happen.”

“How do I know you’ll keep your end of the deal?”

He let out a laugh. “We shook on it. I don’t go back on my word. And you have my word.”

There was nothing about Jet that I trusted.

Not one thing.

Especially not his word.

But I didn’t really have a choice. If he didn’t take me down there, I would run away from him. I would take my chances in the tunnels and find the adults myself.

I would do it.

“Someone left the rags loose,” I started. “One of your lackeys didn’t do his job well enough. I managed to get out of them and then I ran like hell.”

“Loose bindings? I don’t believe you.”

“Well, it’s the truth anyway.” I wasn’t going to mention Oliver’s part in it all. “It wasn’t easy if that makes you feel any better.”

Jet’s black eyes studied every part of my face. I refused to look away and his features eventually relaxed. A smile spread over his lips. “Who would have thought something so inane could have led to your freedom? And here I thought you were a master escape artist. A contortionist, even.”

I didn’t share in his laughter.

“Where is your group now, anyway?” I asked. I hadn’t seen any of them in amongst the mole people. I knew that for a fact – their faces were seared into my memory.

“I’m looking after them, don’t you worry.”

“Are they living down here?”

“No. They have no place down here,” Jet replied seriously. I wasn’t sure what that meant but I believed him anyway.

We were wasting time. “Now can you please take me to the adults?”

Jet pushed himself off the bed. “Okay, princess. I’ll take you to the land of Oz.”

Chapter Fourteen

Seeing the adults up close was like getting too near the animals at the zoo. I was in awe of their existence. Adults should not exist in our world anymore. Not since the Event.

To have them here, so close I could touch them, feel their warmth, and hear their voices.

It was a miracle.

A living, breathing, miracle.

Jet stood by the cavern wall, refusing to join me in my mission. He had stayed good on our deal but he wasn’t happy about it. The grim set to his jaw and his crossed arms screamed his displeasure at the situation.

I didn’t know what his problem was.

And I didn’t really care.

I sat around the small fire they had burning. There were two that had joined me. A male and female, both looked to be in their forties. Jet had introduced them as Francine and Adrian.

Considering Jet probably wouldn’t allow me much time with them, I wanted to dive right in and ask the questions burning in my mouth. But it wasn’t polite and everyone knew you didn’t catch bees with vinegar.

“It’s lovely and warm down here, huh?” I started. They didn’t say anything. “I was surprised to see you when Jet first showed me down here.”

Francine’s eyes shot to mine. “The winged bird doesn’t know what direction to fly. There are no rainbows, only clouds.”

Okay.

“So, I was wondering if you’d thought about going above ground? You know, to see all the kids?” I prompted. They were both staring into the fire like they could see all the answers dancing in the flames.

“The pixies wouldn’t agree to that,” Adrian started, not looking at me. “Our hands toil with their work. But it is not light, nor are they. Darkness surrounds them.”

“That’s… whatever,” I said. “The kids could really use your help. We’re all struggling up in the city. We need guidance, some help. Do you think you’d be able to help?”

“Sentinels wait at night,” Francine replied. Whatever she said must have been funny because both she and Adrian erupted into laughter. They cackled together, almost falling off the rocks with their uncontrollable movements.

I tried talking to them for ages until Jet finally strode over to stand at my side. Frustrated wasn’t even the word for it. It went beyond frustration trying to get the pair to make sense.

I stood, facing Jet with anger I could barely control myself. “You set me up. Where are the others? They can’t all be like this.”

Jet grabbed my arm and pulled me away from the couple, dragging me into a tunnel just outside the cavern. Lights from the fire flickered on the walls.

“I told you there was no point in talking to them,” Jet said. At least he had the decency to not look as amused as he usually did with my actions.

I crossed my arms over my chest, having to yank my hand free from his grip first. “I want to speak with the others. There were more here the other day. Take me to them.”

“They’re all the same.”

“You’re lying.”

Jet took a breath, relaxing his shoulders before speaking to me again. “I guarantee you, princess, they are all the same. All. The. Same.”

I silently challenged him, staring into Jet’s eyes and wishing I had a direct line into his brain. I wanted the truth but there was no way to know whether he was giving it to me.

Others had deceived me before.

“Stop looking at me like that,” Jet said, still not breaking eye contact.

“Like how? Like you’re a liar?”

“No, like you want to kill me. I’m not the enemy here, Everly. When are you going to realize that?” His gaze went to the floor, breaking our standoff. “I’m not taking you to the others. You won’t get any sense out of them either.”

He started walking down the tunnel, his shoulders slumped. All the fight was gone from his stance. If anything, he looked… disappointed.

I knew how he felt.