Free The Villain Keeper by Laurie McKay Page B

significant?”
    Tito’s expression became defeated, his lopsided face more asymmetrical. “I don’t really believe magic brought you here or that Mr. Rathis is evil.”
    Caden peered out the window. It wasn’t too far a climb to the ground. “You have no other leads,” he said, and opened the window. “I’m right and I can prove it.”
    Maybe Caden’s quest hadn’t stalled the moment he found himself in Asheville. Maybe it was gaining meaning, gaining momentum.
    They climbed out the window on the left of the room, the one with the sturdy-looking drainpipe near to it. The night was dark sky and bright half-moon. The drainpipe was cold in Caden’s grasp and groaned under his and Tito’s combined weights. Full water bottles hung at Caden’s hip, poor Ashevillian “plastic” replacements for his sword.
    â€œWe should’ve snuck out through the house,” Tito whispered.
    â€œNo, this is more challenging.” Caden tapped the pipe. It dinged like a bell.
    â€œShhh!” Tito said. “If Rosa finds out about this, she’llflip. I’m supposed to be helping you adjust, not feeding your delusions.”
    â€œYou risk banishment to save your friend,” Caden said. “That’s honorable.”
    Tito’s huff fogged the air. “Or stupid,” he said. “I don’t want to get sent away.” Then more quietly, “I like it here.”
    Caden slid down the pipe. Tito careened into him a second later. They tumbled into the grass, side by side, dirt and stray brown blades of grass stuck to their arms and faces. Again, the drainpipe groaned. Then there was a pop, pop, pop—like arrows hitting a wall. The pipe tipped like a downed tree and hit the earth between them with a muted squish.
    Caden stared at the pipe. Tito stared at the pipe. Around them, the night was quiet.
    â€œI never should have agreed to this,” Tito muttered.
    Caden stood and reached across to help Tito to his feet. “I doubt we’ve been compromised. It didn’t make much noise.”
    Brown leaves nested in Tito’s hair. He toed the pipe with his foot. “We get caught, you’re taking the blame.”
    Caden had no choice—not when Tito said it like that—but he cared not. He pulled a piece of wet brown grass from his cheek. “Follow me,” he said.
    As they hiked up the dark trail, Caden pointed out the large hoofprints near where the forest began. “He runs with the winds. He’ll return soon enough.” Caden thenexplained about his horse, the quest his father had sent him on, and the mischief that had trapped him there.
    â€œSo you have to slay a dragon?” Tito said.
    â€œYes,” said Caden.
    â€œThere are no dragons, bro.”
    Caden peered at the dark woods around him. “Not here, no.”
    â€œNot any where.”
    Caden had no time to argue the obvious. “There’s another thing,” he said.
    â€œThere’s more?”
    It was a risk to trust Tito with this information, but they did share a common goal—to find out what had happened to Jane. And a room. The social workers had proclaimed them brothers, even. “Brynne cursed me. With compliance.”
    Tito shone his flashlight at Caden’s face. “Brynne. The magical girl who comes out of nowhere and can’t be trusted. Right.”
    Caden frowned. “For two days,” he explained, “I must follow any order given to me.”
    Tito cocked his head. “Anything?”
    â€œThat’s right,” Caden said.
    â€œSo if I ordered you to be my personal slave you’d do it?”
    â€œNot if you want to survive once the curse breaks.”
    Tito was far too quiet for a moment. “Bark like a dog.”
    Caden was going to throttle him. He opened his mouthto say as much and a deep-throated growl emerged, followed by a high-pitched “woof, woof” that echoed in