Page 99 of Forsaking All Others

“And try to keep the baby safe,” Thorun says quickly.

“And if possible, don’t get killed,” Sona adds.

“Right,” I sigh. “Sure.”

Sona, nodding to me, scoops up the puzzle pieces and turns to run off into the distance, calling Thorun to keep up as she goes, but I put my hand on Thorun’s arm to stop her before she can follow.

“Don’t trust Sona, Thorun.”

She frowns.

“Why?”

“Because she knew Evelyn was going to try to kill you and she didn’t warn you.”

“Oh, that can’t be true.”

“It is. Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” she answers unequivocally.

“As much as this pains me,” I sigh, “I trust you too, for the moment at least. I know you think I’m fucking Wonder Woman, but I can’t swim and fight and get puzzle pieces with the baby. I’m too exhausted, and the current is too strong. You need to take her and keep her safe. Don’t follow Sona. Make your way through the second tunnel now and head towards the finish line. Hang around in your canoe out of sight and just wait for me to show up with the solved puzzle. I’ll retrieve the child and we’ll cross the line.”

“But that’s not what we agreed. What about Sona?”

“If she doesn’t backstab me. And that’s a big IF; she’ll solve the puzzle and we’ll both meet you at the finish line. All three of us will cross together. If she double-crosses me it’ll be the last thing she does. Can you do it, Thorun? Can you get through the second tunnel with three babies? There’s a good chance someone will try to take you out on the way.”

“I can do it,” she says, nodding, as though I haven’t just asked for a fucking miracle. “I’ll do it, Cat.”

“You do realise that if someone catches you and kills the kids we’re both going to be eliminated?” I stare into her eyes, willing her to understand the magnitude of how much I’m relying upon her.

“No. Well, I mean, yes. I guess I understand it when you put it that way.”

“There’s no other way to put it. Anyone who loses their baby is eliminated. In handing her to you I’m literally trusting you with my life.”

“Then I guess it’s lucky I have four babies,” she says quietly, holding up Sona’s infant. “I’m pretty sure Sona won’t backstab us, since I have the key to her life right here.”

“I’ve got to stop underestimating you,” I mutter, shaking my head.

72

I swim fast to catch up with Cat as she heads back the way she’d come, away from the island and through the entrance cave to this small lagoon.

I’ve spent time with four contestants now: Silke, Thorun, Cherry and Miranda. All four were at various stages of the game, either still working their way through the tunnel, gaining pieces, already on the island, or consoling weeping infants and plotting ways to win.

So far I hadn’t seen anyone attempt to take the life of another contestant. They all had bigger problems, although I had seen one of the twins from Zurich floating face-down near the edge of the island. I don’t know which one it is; I’d never managed to work them out. In my head I’d called them Number Thirteen and Number Fourteen, which would have made Falcon proud, but it isn’t something I’m proud of. Flipping her over and up onto dry land I saw no evidence of violence. It seemed she’d drowned. There was no sign of either her sister or her baby.

Walking the island I’d come across no one else until I saw Sona running through a stand of bamboo, Thorun swimming towards the exit tunnel, and Cat by the shoreline. I knew others wouldn’t be far away because I could hear shouts from the cave and snatches of conversation from the other side of the island. Many lamented the fact that they had no idea how to solve the puzzle because they hadn’t collected enough clues. I imagine that although there’d been no violence in the caves, that will change when more people reach the island and pieces are the hottest currency. Taking them from others, or colluding with others, is the only option as far as I can see.

Although, naturally, someone else has come up with an alternative.

Cat.

As she reaches the entrance and begins fighting the current, I join her, dodging out of the way as Aditi hurtles out of the cave, her baby in its basket barely missing my head.

“Cat, what are you doing?”

“I didn’t get enough puzzle pieces,” she scowls, spitting out water and fighting hard to make headway. “We can’t solve it without more.”