Chapter 119 Every second counts
DAISY
The bell rings, but the echo bounces off the hallways like it belongs somewhere else entirely. My shoulders ache from the long class, my notebook heavy in my arms. I just want a quiet corner, maybe a bathroom stall where I can sit and breathe without anyone noticing how exhausted I am.
And then I see him.
Kelvin.
He’s walking toward me, but it’s not the usual calm, measured pace he always has. His brow is furrowed, jaw tight, eyes darting over the students as if they’re all predators. My stomach twists. Something is wrong.
“Kelvin?” I call, trying to keep my voice steady, though I feel it wobble. “What’s wrong?”
His eyes flick to me, wide and tense, and then he looks around again. “We… we can’t talk here,” he says, his voice low, urgent.
“Why not?” My chest tightens. “Kelvin, come on, tell me. You look like you’ve just seen a ghost. What’s wrong?”
He shakes his head, almost imperceptibly. “Too many ears. We need privacy.”
I take a deep breath. “Okay. Fine. But we’re going somewhere, then. I’m not leaving until I know what’s going on.”
There’s a hesitation in his eyes, a flicker of worry that makes my stomach churn. “Trust me,” he mutters. “Just follow me.”
I follow him, weaving through the crowded hallways, students talking, laughing, oblivious to the storm brewing behind us. My pulse is a steady drum in my ears. Something about the way he moves is so tense, so careful and sets every single nerve on edge.
Finally, we reach a side corridor by the old gym. The place smells faintly of dust and old wood, sunlight streaming in through high windows. Nobody ever comes here. He stops and turns to me. His face is pale, lips pressed into a thin line.
“Iris is at the Haven,” he whispers.
“What?” My voice bursts out before I can stop it. The words taste like bile. “How… how did she get there?”
Kelvin glances around, then leans closer. “Her grandfather… he… he drugged her.” His voice is almost a growl. “Brought her there in exchange for his pardon.”
I stumble back a step, gripping my backpack strap like it’s a lifeline. My knees feel weak. “What?!” My voice shakes. “He… he would never… She’s his grandchild! What the fuck!?”
“I know.” Kelvin’s voice is low, steady, but lined with tension. “I didn’t believe it at first either. But it’s true. She’s alive, yes. But she’s scared. Hurt. And she doesn’t know if anyone will come for her.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to push down the panic. My fists clench at my sides. “And Darian?” I manage to get out, throat tight. “Where is he?”
Kelvin hesitates. I feel my pulse hammer in my ears, counting every second. “Away,” he says finally. “Pack duties. He doesn’t know yet.”
Of course. He’s always tied up. But he has to know. He needs to know.
“We need to alert him as soon as possible,” I say, voice firmer than I feel. “We can’t wait. We can’t just…” My voice falters. I swallow. “We have to tell him.”
Kelvin nods, his jaw tightening. “I know. I wanted to come straight away. But… I didn’t know if you were ready for this.”
“Ready?” I snap. “Kelvin, this isn’t about being ready. This is life or death. Iris could be-” I stop myself. The thought is too much, and my chest tightens painfully.
He lays a hand on my shoulder, firm but not rough. “She’s strong. She’ll survive if we act fast. But we have to be smart. And we need Darian.”
I take a deep breath, trying to force my racing heart to slow. I can barely process his words, yet I feel the gears turning in my mind. Her grandfather… the Haven… Iris… Darian… everything is colliding at once, and I feel dizzy from it.
“Kelvin… why didn’t anyone stop him?” I whisper, though I already know the answer. Fear, greed, the desire for control, it runs in my family. I should be used to it by now, but the thought of Iris. helpless, alone, and betrayed makes my stomach twist.
Kelvin shakes his head. “There was no time. No one expected him to act so… decisively. And Adrian tried to get in the way.” He pauses, closing his eyes shortly as if he remembered something. “But he was beat up and is currently locked up.”
“What?” I gasp, holding my hands over my mouth.
Kelvin nods.
I swallow hard. “We have to move. Now. Darian can’t wait. If Iris is in danger, every second counts.”
He nods, taking a step back to look at me fully. “I know. That’s why I came to you. I need your help. We can’t do this alone.”
My stomach twists. “I don’t care. I just… I just want her safe. And Darian, he has to know. He will be able to do something.”
Kelvin glances down the corridor, then back at me. “I can take you to him. But we need to be careful. If anyone sees us, if word leaks, my father could make it worse.”
“I don’t care.” My voice is quiet but hard, and I feel a fire ignite in my chest. “We have to go. I need to see him. I need him to know now.”
Kelvin hesitates again, his eyes searching mine. Finally, he nods. “Then we move. Quickly. And silently.”
I glance down the corridor, then back at him. Every instinct screams at me that this is dangerous, that the world is closing in, and yet… I have to do this. For Iris. For Darian.
I glance at Kelvin, who’s watching me intently. “Do you know where Darian is?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, but my heart feels like it’s trying to leap out of my chest.
“Yes.” Kelvin nods.
“Take me there.”