Across The Divide by Stacey Marie Brown Read Free Book Online Page A

will be an interesting case study.”
    Whatever idea existed in his mind frightened me, but it allowed access to Sprig. It was the only important thing right now.

CHAPTER SIX
     

     
    Rigid and terrified I walked toward Sprig’s prison. Muscles along my shoulders and back constricted under Rapava’s gaze. He was egotistical but incredibly smart and extremely manipulative. Every moment was a test. And failure probably meant death.
    Please don’t wake up , I chanted in my head. If Sprig woke and saw me, I knew he would give away our true relationship in a matter of seconds. The sprite didn’t have a filter in his body. Food, feelings, thoughts—he held nothing back.
    I walked to the bed where he slept. The metal box they kept him last time sat on the table next to the bed, as if it were threatening him to behave.
    He stirred, smacking his lips, his hands tugging his tail in tighter. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I bit down to keep them back. My best friend was here in this hell, but he was all right. My muscles strained against the need to grab for him.
    My fingers brushed his soft brown fur as I scooted my hands gently underneath him, picking him up. Highly aware of Dr. Rapava on the other side of the window, his watchful eyes felt like they were drilling holes through the glass.
    “Deal, chipmunk,” Sprig mumbled, wiggling restlessly in my palms. I froze.
    Shit.
    “No. No. The troll has to strip…that’s the rules,” Sprig yelled, his lids fluttering open. He glanced around, then twisted his head to peer at me and blinked. I could see recognition setting in. My stomach sank, breath catching in my throat. I dropped him back on the bed.
    “ Bhean? ” His eyes widened into saucers, filling with joy.
    What I had to do now was going to destroy me, but with Rapava watching my every nuance, it was the only thing I could. Even if Sprig didn’t know it, I was keeping him safe.
    “ Bhe —”
    “Shut up, sprite,” I snapped. “I told you not to call me that.”
    Sprig’s mouth opened then shut.
    “For so long I had to pretend I was sympathetic to you. I’m finally back where I can be myself again.”
    “What?” He sat up, frowning at me.
    “You heard me. I don’t have to suffer any more crap from you, fae. I only pretended to care, so I could get away.” The lies crossing my lips felt like battery acid.
    Hurt filled Sprig’s gaze, stabbing my heart.
    “Now if you want those banana chips I know you like so much, you will do what I say.”
    “Banana chips?” Sprig frowned. “You know—”
    “Yes, banana chips.” I cut him off. Please understand . Sprig hated bananas. I was hoping he’d get I was acting.
    “What the hell, Bhean ? Are you drunk?”
    I grabbed him and thrust him into the cage, slamming the lid closed. The bang of the metal was like putting my heart in a panini presser.
    He will understand , I told myself.  He will forgive you .
    Sprig, for everything he had been put through, had the biggest, most sincere heart. He didn’t love in halves. He wasn’t capable of cruelty or manipulation. He was himself. A genuine, pure, open heart. And mouth. The verbal diarrhea off Sprig’s tongue was what I was deathly afraid of at the moment.
    “It would be wise to stay silent. I have a short temper for your antics today.” I latched the cage and picked it up.
    A brown eye appeared in one of the holes, watching me. “Crumpet munchers. This is bad .”
    “What did I just say?”
    “You are in desperate need of food and a certain Viking club?” Sprig replied. “Oh sorry, that’s what I heard.”
    Fear was running too high in my system to find his response funny, as true as it might have been.
    Rapava shifted and clicked his tongue from the doorway behind me, expressing that his patience was running thin.
    “Not another word,” I ordered and pivoted toward the door, following Rapava, and taking Sprig with me. Sprig thankfully did as I instructed and stayed quiet.
    The walk back to my room felt