Free The Scent of Lilac: An Arrow's Flight Novella by Casey Hays

at him, I step in, squeeze his hands. “Do you trust me?”
                He tilts
his head, and after a long, silent few seconds, he nods.
                “Then
come with me, just for a few minutes.”
                I tug on
his hand, a deep desire riffling to the top of my emotions. It’s an odd
sensation, but it’s very real, and it makes me feel as if Chad is drowning and completely unaware of it.   And before it’s too late—before the Council gets around to shutting up
all the gates—he has to taste his freedom, and I have to bask in it with him,
even temporarily.
                I see his
mind working, the breath easing in and out of his chest the only sound.
                “Just
outside?” he finally asks.
                I nod, a
hope rising. Another long pause as he stares at the gate. But after a moment, he
shakes his head again and takes another backward step, tugging free from my
grip.
                “I can’t.”
                This time
his tone is filled with finality. I sink inside. Behind me, the gate rattles
with the wind. Chad climbs back onto his mat and pulls the blankets up to his chin.
    *
                I stay
with Chad every
night after this, always making sure to leave the cave long before the sun
rises. I’m determined to do so for as long as I can, and my leaving is more
difficult each time, marked with finality. It creeps in on me like a horrid,
old hag waiting for her chance to snatch me away forever with her nasty claws. I
haven’t the heart to tell him that very soon I will not return, and that
someone else will come in my place. Instead, I press myself up solidly against
his side, delight in the feel of his embrace, and try not to think.
                When the
Council decides to utilize some of the guards, placing them on watch in the Pit
as a precaution until the gates are repaired, I’m fully aware of the added
danger. Breeders don’t sleep in the Pit, and I’m terrified of being caught. And
so, I take care to learn the routines of both guards and jailers alike. I map
out the best route to Chad ’s
cave. I memorize every shadow that will keep me hidden, and I sigh in relief
once I’m in his arms.
                It’s still
partially unsettling, my sudden attachment to Chad …
one that could bring trouble on my head. But tucked in his arms, I understand
why I risk it. His touch… it’s more important to me now than ever.
                We still mate,
and this too has become important. Because with the absence of a need for it,
I’ve come to see how beautiful it is—that in its own right, there is most
definitely a need for it beyond conception. Often, I think… this must be what
Meg felt for her mate. And it must have felt this right.
                It scares
me. It thrills me.
                It makes
me very mindful of Meg’s end.
                Overnight,
I have become a rebel. A shiver runs down my spine.
                Tonight,
I lie against Chad ’s
chest. The moon is full, the cave is brightly illuminated, and his fingers
brush slowly back and forth over my bare back. It feels nice, and I’m just on
the edge of sleep when he speaks.
                “I’m
ready now.”
                I raise
my lids, sleepily. “For what?”
                “To go
outside the gate. I’m ready.”
                Surprised,
I pull up to look into his eyes.
                “I’ve
been thinking,” he continues. “And I would like to know what it’s like on the
outside.”
                Our eyes
stay hooked together in a brave moment of realization until my skin races with
goosebumps. On impulse, I excitedly lean in and kiss his lips… for the second
time despite my promise to never do it again. He responds hungrily, pulling me
to him until I’m encompassed in his strong