Free The Keep: The Watchers by Verónica Wolff Page B

I’d prefer it if you survived, aye?”
    “My guard is just fine.” I couldn’t help it—the fight with Yas had been too disturbing—and there was an edge to my voice that didn’t usually come out when I was with Carden. “In case you haven’t noticed, you vampires are a little on the stealthy side.”
    Vampires, and Yasuo was becoming one of them. I put a hand to my throat, feeling the ghost of his arm constricting around my neck. It was like he was still choking me. All those fragile bones ready to snap. And even worse than the physical sensation was the betrayal. That was what strangled me now. My loneliness, suffocating me.
    “Have you been hurt?” He sounded ready to throttle someone. “Are you unwell? Speak to me.”
    I resumed walking, and Carden fell into step. “It’s just…” I reminded myself I wasn’t as alone as I felt. He’d sensed my distress and come to me at once. It should’ve been enough to improve my mood, and yet it was so hard to wrap my mind around. I still didn’t completely trust the feelings between Carden and me. I mean, the guy was a
vampire
. I dared not tell him my concerns about Yasuo. I still held out hope that Yas and I could mend our friendship, and I didn’t want him to be the one Carden throttled. “Let’s just say the suck factor is particularly high today.”
    Carden was quiet for a moment, then said, “As you wish.” He knew I was holding something back, and to his credit, he didn’t push me on it.
    Though…
    Why
didn’t
he push me on it? Only someone who had theirown secrets wouldn’t demand the full story.
As you wish.
And didn’t that just sum him up? Carden did as he wished.
    I gave a shake to my head. I couldn’t let myself spin out like this. What I needed was a refuge. A place where I could be safe, just for a little while. “Where do you stay?” I asked abruptly.
    “Close by your side?” He raised a questioning brow, that jaunty grin of his firmly in place. Ever the smooth-talking flirt.
    It was a great way to avoid the question.
    For once, I didn’t take the bait. “No, I mean when you sleep.”
    “I don’t sleep.”
    “Okay,
rest
. Where do you stay
at night
?” Was it in the keep? Did he know the secret horrors of the island? Was he behind it, with the other vampires? The rapid-fire thoughts had me freaking out.
    “It’s no secret, dove.” His features grew quiet, like he only now realized he was dealing with little miss crazypants. And how I hated the feeling that I was pulling the clichéd psycho girlfriend thing. But he tipped his head, looking off to the right, and gently said, “Northeast of here, there’s an old hunting bothy. I use it when I need to come in from the light.”
    “Will you take me there?”
    He paused. “Not tonight. But soon. Soon I will show you.”
    “Why don’t you stay in the keep with the other vampires?”
    “I avoid Hugo’s lair at all costs, and I’d have you do the same.”
    “What goes on in there?” I needed to know the secret of that castle.
    “Why the sudden interest?”
    I couldn’t stop now. Carden and I were close. If he truly cared about me, he wouldn’t keep secrets. “If Emma was alive whenthey took her to the castle, what would’ve happened to her there?”
    “This, I don’t know.” For once, he looked taken aback. This hadn’t been the direction he’d expected our little chat to take.
    “You don’t know,” I repeated flatly. But there was something in his eyes. Something distracted that told me he might have some idea. “You must know something. If not about Emma, then how about the other girls. You know, the ones who disappear
all the time
. You’re a vampire. You say you’re not one of
them
—”
    “I’m not one of Alcántara’s lackeys,” he interrupted with a growl.
    “Fine. Still, you must have some clue.”
    A heavy silence hung between us for a moment. “Your anger is misdirected. Trust me on this. Trust me, too, when I say I cannot tell you what