Chapter Twenty-Three

Juno

Juno paced across the small wood floor of her shack, back and forth with eight short steps, impatient. It was already noon, and she was antsy to get out of here. She wanted to get to the bridge to meet Maddox.

She just needed to wait for Pillar to get back. Then she’d be free again. Then maybe the knot of anxiety in her stomach would loosen.

When she spotted Pillar walking to her shack, she bounced anxiously on her toes. She wasn’t coming from the boathouse—it looked like she’d come from over by the garden. Maybe the meeting hall?

“Come in,” Juno said, waving her friend into the small building.

Pillar stopped at the doorway and didn’t come in any farther. There was barely room for another person inside, let alone two plus the bags Juno had packed for her escape to the bridge.

“What happened?” Juno asked. “Was he still in the boathouse?”

“No, they moved him to the meeting hall.”

“Is everything okay?”

Pillar grimaced. “I think so? I don’t know. They didn’t hurt him anymore, so that was good. I told them our idea, too, but I said it was just my idea so my parents would listen. Sorry.”

Juno shook her head. “Don’t apologize. It makes sense.”

“I told them that they should make a trade,” Pillar continued, rubbing her hand on her cheek. “I guess the guy wouldn’t talk anymore, so they weren’t making any progress anyway. I told them they should get the other side to give us all their rope to replace the nets. And if they did, they could have their guy back.”

“And?” Juno was practically grabbing Pillar to get her to talk faster. “Then what?”

“They said that wouldn’t be enough,” she said.

“But…I thought you said it was okay.”

Pillar nodded. “Then Cam suggested they give us supplies. Enough to make up for the week we had to go without nets. Their supplies in exchange for the life of their man. He said he knows the leaders of the community and— What? What’s wrong?”

Juno felt the blood drain from her face. Their supplies? But…Maddox had said their supplies were missing. Did his family and the rest of the community know that yet? Or would this get him into even more trouble?

“Oh, no,” she whispered.

“What’s wrong?” Pillar asked again. “Everyone thought that was a good exchange. Cam was already sent to the border to make the deal. I—”

“No. I mean—I don’t know if that will work,” Juno said, checking to make sure her knife was at her belt. She bent to tie her shoelace, the whole time thinking she had to warn Maddox. Just in case.

“Juno? What’s wrong? We might have saved his life!”

Juno swallowed and stood. “I know. But—it might be bad for Maddox. Or—”

She wasn’t sure. She’d almost forgotten about the supplies. But if Maddox’s community didn’t know, that meant they were going to figure it out soon, and she had to expect it wasn’t going to be good.

“I have to go,” she told Pillar. “I have to go now—to find Maddox.”

“But—”

“I don’t have time.” She eyed the bags on the floor. She was supposed to be leaving for good. But she hadn’t even told Pillar yet.

No time. Not right now. She’d come back for her stuff later, and to tell Pillar face-to-face that she was leaving for good.

“Be careful,” she warned Pillar. “Stay close to your parents. Be safe.”

“Juno—” Pillar caught her arm when she was halfway out the door. “You, too.”

She gave Pillar a quick hug and then dashed out the door. Juno practically ran the entire way to the bridge, making sure she stayed on her side until it was safe. No sense in causing more problems with what was already going on.

By the time she got there, she wished she’d brought water. Her throat was so dry she stopped at the buildings across the bridge to cough while her eyes sought out Maddox.

If he wasn’t here, she didn’t know what she’d do. She’d have to try to meet him at the pole or even… No, she couldn’t cross the border again. It was too dangerous.

When Juno reached the bridge, she slowed and ducked under the beams. There was only one rat in a trap this time, and it squeaked when she walked by. She ignored it and searched for Maddox’s satchel.

Nothing.

Juno nearly dropped to the ground right there. Why wasn’t he here? Why hadn’t he come to see her?

Unwilling to give up, Juno heaved herself onto the beam. Maybe she could see from up here, tell if he was coming or not. She gave a low grunt when she pulled herself over the edge and rolled onto the top.

“Juno?”

She yanked in a sharp breath. “Maddox.”

She rolled over and got to her feet, so happy to see him she barely noticed that he hadn’t moved from his spot on the ground. He sat, legs crossed, eyes squinted in the sun.

She stopped halfway to him. “Are you okay?”

He glanced down at himself as if she had seen something he didn’t. “Yes. Why?”

“I thought—I thought maybe…” Juno shook her head. What had she thought? That he’d been hurt? That he’d been caught and, worse, punished?

Now he sat here looking perfectly safe and unharmed, and he wouldn’t even get up to say hello.

“I thought something happened,” she whispered, confused and aching for him to get up and come to her.

He lifted his eyebrows. “What?”

Her heart dropped when she realized everything was fine. If something had been wrong, he would have told her. He would come to her right now and kiss her and they’d figure it out.

“Never mind,” she said flatly. “I just…”

“What?” he asked again. “Can’t get enough of me?”

Something was wrong. This wasn’t right at all. This wasn’t Maddox. He wasn’t happy to see her—and he was calm.

That was almost worse. That he was acting like nothing was wrong, even though he knew how bad the situation between their sides had gotten.

“Maddox…” She glanced away before he could see the tears in her eyes.

To her shock, he leaned back and pillowed his hands behind his head. Then he started whistling.

“I don’t…” She took one small step forward, lifting her hands. “I don’t understand.”

“What’s not to understand?” he asked. “I’m relaxing. Taking a break. And…now you’re in my sun.”

She took a hasty step back and then frowned. Why was he being so cold? Something must have happened—she knew it.

“Maddox, please. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Wrong?” He grinned up at her. “Nothing’s wrong. Why would you think that?”

“Because…this isn’t like you.”

“Me?” He gave a laugh that she swore sounded a little choked. “This is exactly like me. Taking time away from the stress. But now you’re here, and there’s more stress.”

The words stabbed her right in her heart. She was causing him stress? Sure, they both had stress from sneaking around, but hadn’t he said just this morning that he wanted to see her here? He’d acted like they were in this together.

Or was that just a show for Pillar? To make it look like he was a good guy when all along, he wasn’t.

Her lip wobbled, and she backed up another step. “What’s going on with you?”

He didn’t move a muscle. Nothing changed on his face except for the smallest frown. “What’s going on is that I can’t do this with you anymore. I’m done.”

Then he closed his eyes and started whistling again.

Done.

That was it. He’d ended everything they had with one word—enough to make Juno feel like they had nothing in the first place. The whole relationship. Every kiss, every secret, every shared worry was a lie.

Juno stifled a sob and gritted her teeth as she scrambled down the side of the bridge. She almost slipped several times, but hung on tight, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her weak again.

Juno landed hard on the ground with a thud and ducked under the bridge. Her thirst was replaced with anger—sharp throbbing stabs of it straight through her body—and she’d do anything she could do to keep the misery at bay.

She kicked one of the empty rat traps then turned, tempted to take it with her. He deserved it—and so did she. She’d come all the way out here just to warn him—to help him—and he’d dismissed her.

He didn’t want to be with her.

She got as far as lifting the trap before she set it back down with a huff. No way. She wasn’t stooping to his level. He could be an asshole if he wanted, but she was going to prove to him and to herself that she was better than that.

Juno turned away from the bridge, and this time, she didn’t look back. She ran, through the buildings and along the familiar path she’d taken so many days to see Maddox. She only slowed when she reached the border. Then she wiped her cheeks and squared her shoulders. She couldn’t let anyone see her like this. Not even Pillar.

She’d pretend she was fine. She’d lie, even to herself. Enough to get through the day, until she could break down in private.

She could talk to Pillar tonight, tell her the plan, and then head out bright and early tomorrow. She’d done all she could do here, and it was time to move on.