tricks of time ― grayson hawthorne [the inheritance games]

012. PRETTY WHEN I CRY

A  breath  caught  in  my  throat.  I  forced  it  out  and  kept  working on my homework, because  I  didn't  want  him  to  know  how  much  I'd  heard  in  his  tone.

Emily mattered to all of them. She wasn't a girl. She was their family.

"I'm sorry," I said— sorry for bringing it up and sorry she was gone.

He shrugs blankly again. "Like I said before, she's not my story to tell. But, word of advice, don't go around asking people about Emily. She's a sore topic here."

I nod, because it was late, and I didn't trust myself not to say something else I might regret. I guess Thea hadn't been lying when she'd said that there was a girl or that she'd died.

___

"I need to visit the Black Wood."

Oren's eyes go wide. "Hell no. It's almost sundown. What's wrong with you?"

I shrug as I hold up a piece of paper. "School project. Maybe you should ask the preppy school you've sent me to what's wrong with them," I say sarcastically.

He doesn't laugh. Or show any sign of amusement. In fact, he almost looks sterner than before.

"Well, you need to go with somebody."

At the very same moment, Grayson steps out of the hallway and into the room, wearing similar black swimming trunks. Wet hair dripping down his shirtless body. I avert my eyes.

He rubs his eyes. "I'll take her."

Dread fills my whole body.

I can't even voice my opinion before Oren speaks. "Perfect." He meet my eyes. "Well, I won't keep you here. You have a good day, kid."

I nod. "Will do," I reply with a tight smile as he nods.

I'm halfway out the door, nails pressed tightly into my palms definetely creating crescents when Oren speaks again.

"Oh, and Grayson?" We both turn simultaneously.

"You remember what I told you before. You protect her first."

Grayson nods curtly, and I feel my body go cold and I shiver. Grayson would never protect me first.

"Oh, and put a god-damn shirt on." Grayson rolls his eyes but he does.

I make sure nobody can see us as we exit the House.

I block his way, eyes narrowing into a warning glare. His lips curl back in distaste, peering down at me in disgust as he tries to cut through.

"What do you want, Leah?"

I cross my arms. "Why are you here with me?"

He scoffs. "Because I want to. Can't I do something of my free will? Or do you own me?"

I roll my eyes. "Why do you want to? I hate you, you hate me. Why would you want to be here?"

His lips are still curled back. "Because I have to do the same project too, precious. Now get out of the way."

I swallow as I bite the inside of my cheek. I feel stupid.

___

"Now I know why they call it the Black Wood," I say finally, breaking the everlasting silence. I can feel it growing darker as the sun sets. We're walking into the trees at an alarming rate, and the only reminiscence I could see of the House were lit windows.

I glance at him, but he doesn't say anything. After a few more seconds, I grow tired. "Oh for fucks sake, at least say something to make this less awkward than it already is."

That makes him talk. "There's no need for that. Just..." he trails off, "stay close."

"God," I say. "Why do you always have to make everything so difficult?"

His jaw clenches.

"Like seriously," I continue, enjoying the annoyance that is practically pouring out of him, "would it kill you to be a decent guy for once in your life?"

"When it comes to you, yes," he retorts, gaze still fixated straight ahead. "Maybe you should try being sweet once in a while, like the fake show you put on for everyone else."

"Be better and I'll consider it," I say as I snap a picture of a mushroom with my phone.

And then I hear a crack. A deafening echo followed, and I swear the world exploded. Bark flying. I felt my body being thrown backward.

Grayson realized sooner than I did, and my vision was blurring, but I could see him somewhat. At least 20 feet away. "Get down!" Except it was too late.

He was barely intelligible to me. What I was hearing, what had just transpired, was too much for my brain to grasp. I'm bleeding. White, all encompassing pain filled my body. I hear another shot or two, and I can hear Grayson shuffling. I don't think he's hurt, because he's running towards me. Grayson grabbed me and the next thing I knew, his body was over mine and the sound of a another gunshot rang out. I was about to resist his grasp, but I could barely move.

Gun. Someone's shooting at us. There was a stabbing pain in my chest. I've been shot. I heard footsteps beating against the forest floor, and Grayson leaves my side.

I blink furiously a few times to clear my vision, and it does somewhat. I'm gasping for air, and I feel Grayson kicking the man a few times on his side. He sputters for breath, but Grayson is too strong for him as he pins him to the ground and I freeze when I see a knife on the ground. It's inches away from the man's hand, but Grayson can't grab it.

In the scuffle for the knife, I feel him flip, now pinning Grayson over on the ground. And I realize I need to help him in any way I can. I'm crawling silently on the ground, because the stabbing pain in my chest isn't letting me move any farther. I can make out the back of the man, but he's unrecognizable. He's not attempting to reach the knife, which is smart because doing so would result in Grayson pinning him down once more.

And I freeze, stifle a gasp because I realize he's choking him. As soon as I realize this, I crawl faster and faster, and I'm using all the energy I'm getting from the short gasps of air I'm taking.

I finally reach the knife, but the man must've heard me, because he turns around, letting go of Grayson.

I stab him in the shoulder, and I finally see his face.

And I freeze. "Dad?" I whisper softly.

A grin illuminates his face in a way that would make someone uncomfortable.

"Hi, Sugarpeach."

It's the last thing I hear before the world goes black.

authors note

GRAYSON IS SO HOT ACTUALLY OH MY DAYS.

word count: 1664 words