Tumbledown

Chapter 15

The Journey to Juvinescence was an uncomfortable one for Maddie she felt Dylan's eyes burning into her the whole time and with his virtual silence. Maddie could sense the accusations from him in the very air.

Travelling mostly by night and keeping to the back routes they made good time and not once were they challenged on their Journey.

"You have got it bad haven't you?"

It was the first time Dylan had spoken to Maddie for quite some time and his tone was not exactly pleasant.

"I don't know what you mean by that."

"Your urgent need to rescue John it can only come from the heart."

Maddie was not about to admit how she felt to someone who had threatened her life.

"I think this is the best way to get both Lissa and John back, if you have a better idea then I would love to hear it."

"You don't have to hide your desire for John from me Maddie after all I am only here for Lissa; the difference is I am willing to admit to it."

Maddie knew Dylan was telling the truth about his own motives but she was not really sure of her own.

"Yes I want to help John but there are other reasons for what we are doing."

"You are lying to yourself or perhaps just lying to me if John had not been here then you would be on your way home by now. As for having a better idea than going into Juvi I could hardly have a worse one."

"If it is such a bad idea what are you doing here?"

"Lissa will end up here anyway and I could wait until then to get her out but that could be six months from now, I cannot be without her for that long."

"What will they do with John?"

A dark smile formed around Dylan's face.

"They will question him Maddie, first my father will be pleasant but if he doesn't get the answers he wants it will get much more uncomfortable for John."

The idea that John might be tortured by these people made Maddie physically sick.

"And this amuses you how?"

"They are going to flog Lissa why should John not feel some pain also? It is his idiocy that has brought us all too where we are now."

Maddie could see that Dylan was blaming all of his present woes on John and her.

"Yes it has nothing to do with your acceptance of how things are here and your failure to persuade Lissa to stay with you."

"Be careful Maddie I am not far from turning around and bringing you back to the Capital on your knees."

"You could try but I would not recommend it Cad."

If not for Jinn returning from his watch there may have been a lot more than just threats exchanged that night.

"It is quiet out there and I could use some sleep."

"Good job Jinn I will take the next turn, the company here is not to my taste anyway."

Maddie needed to put some distance between herself and Dylan or she might just strangle him as he slept.

One thing was true though and that was that in her urgency to rescue John Maddie had given little thought to anything else. Was Dylan right, was John the only reason that she stayed in this crazy place?

The more Maddie thought of John the more she wanted him by her side and she began to realise the ache she felt deep inside was for his touch. It was nuts how could she be feeling this way for a boy that not too long ago she despised?