At first, Will thought he'd misheard Onyx.We're going? Go where?The order was so ... absurd and out of the blue that it tore him loose from the inexplicable fear that had clamped around his vertebrae like an icy hand.
"I don't understand what's happening," Will said in a small voice. One moment they were kissing and then the ground began to shake and his mirror emitted an eerie glow.
"I'll explain it to you later. We have to get out of here. It's dangerous here."
Will's stomach clenched. Yes, he'd sensed that danger intimately. "But my mother, my brother, El..."
"They are all in danger as long as you're here."
Will took a deep breath. Although that notion should have frightened him, he felt some kind of resignation descending over him right now. He nodded gravely and went into his room. There was still a strange chill in the room; a chill that reminded him ofthat place.
Another shiver swept through him and grew more intense with every step he took. Halfway through the room, he stopped. Could he go with Onyx? What—what was this all about anyway? He swallowed and squeezed his fingers together.
Was Onyx here with ulterior motives after all?
Suddenly it was as if he was carrying kilos of stones on his shoulders.Of course he is. Come on Will, why else would a tough guy like him spend time with a pathetic kid like you?
Frantically, Will blinked away the tears. He thought of the distrust of his mother, of the others.
"Will." Onyx's sharp voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Hurry up."
Will turned around. His legs felt so weak he almost collapsed. "I can't—I can't leave. I barely know you."
"Details," Onyx muttered. He grabbed him by the arm and pushed him toward the window.
"What —"
Onyx threw open the window. "Climb through."
"What?" Will turned on his heels.
Onyx growled something unintelligible before raising his voice again. "Quit stalling! Now, get through it. The longer you trot here, the easier it will be for him to track you down."
"The longer who—."
His sentence was cut short when Onyx lifted him and threw him through the window. Will screamed, fear clawing its way through his body.
He tumbled down, no hecrasheddown. He was going to die.
And how—why—whatwasthis?
His incomprehension threatened to shatter along with his body against the floor, but suddenly two arms slipped under his armpits. With a jolt, he hung still, about three feet above the ground.
He looked over his shoulder.
Onyx was holding him. His eyes were bright red—but that was not what made Will gasp. It was the leather-like bat wings that flapped slowly back and forth.
A weak scream left Will's lips.
I'm going crazy!
He couldn't breathe, his vision blurred.
Vaguely, he was aware of being lifted higher into the air, but his brain... his brain couldn't process it all and shut down like a computer that needed a reboot.=