Expiration Date (Books 1 and 2)

57 Can I Really Leave?

My suitcase still lies open on my bed. Nothing new has been added to it since this morning. I don't know how I can be expected to pack when the rebels have the Expired Preeminence.

The rebels were my family. I know them. I know their hatred for the Order, and that in their eyes, Jonas is their perfect punching bag . . . until they go too far and kill him. They wouldn't even intend for it to happen.

They'd celebrate anyway.

Colton has been below the Estate questioning the rebels. He alleges he hasn't gotten to the torturing part of his interrogation, but I have a feeling we have different opinions on what constitutes torture.

Whenever I offer the Society my help, I'm turned away. They only want what I can tell them about the rebels, but since I don't know where their base is, the Society deems me useless. I pick up a shirt from the pile on my bed, intending to force myself to fold it when there's a knock on my door.

"Iris? It's Abella and Alix," the princess's voice says. "May we come in?"

Royalty visiting me . . . any other day I would find it remarkable, but today I can't bring myself to care that they have fancy titles.

I open the door. "Hi. Yes, please come in."

"Merci," Alix says as they walk past me, their heads turning toward my suitcase.

I shut the door. "What can I do for you?"

Abella frowns, looking at her brother. "With everything that's happening, we've decided we need to return to France early."

Alix again glances at my suitcase. "Tonight. Can you be ready?"

It's like I've been punched in the stomach, the air knocked out of me. "Tonight?"

Abella grimaces, threading her hands together. "I know it's rather abrupt, but our father is not in the best of health. As his heirs, the situation here has escalated too much for us to remain. We do not have Expiration Dates as you do to keep us alive."

"Believe me," the prince says, "we wish we could remain and help. Jonas is our friend. It kills us not to be able to, but we have to think of our own country."

I press the side of my hand against my mouth, feeling the world shrink even as it expands.

I've been set on France, mentally preparing myself for a life outside of Elleany, studying French well into the night.

Staying in Elleany means constantly living with the fear that an Amoris will discover I'm Expired. Jonas assured me there'd be no future for the two of us even if I stayed. Originally, I'd have to watch him marry an Amoris, have children, live his own life. And so France was my target. How could it not be?

I could live with seeing Jonas happy with someone else.

I could live in fear of an Amoris discovering my secret.

What I couldn't live with is leaving Jonas in the hands of the rebels.

How could I ever allow myself forgiveness if I did that?

I have to save him.

And then maybe I can go to France. If that's still an option.

But all that matters right now is bringing him home. Alive.

"I'm sorry, but I can't come with you. Thank you for everything though."

Frowning, Abella nods. "I understand. Find him. They don't know how lucky he is