As Ruby careened out of the driveway, my body sinking further and further into the seat, it suddenly occurred to me that I had no idea where we were going. When I asked, Ruby giggled and pulled a cell phone out of her bra, waving it in the air.

"Tracking device!" She sang. I narrowed my eyes as she typed something out on it, one hand vaguely keeping the steering wheel straight.

"First of all, could you please keep your eyes on the road," I asked. Begged. "Second, does Liam know you've got a tracking device on him?"

"No. To both things." I sighed, burying my face in my hands. It was becoming increasingly clear to me why Liam and Ruby were so...close. Insanity loves company, I guess.

But then again, I would be lying if I said I'd rather be cooped up in that awful basement. I shivered just thinking about it. 

"What, are you cold or something?" Ruby asked from the front seat. I shook my head, memories of darkness and cold hard cement filling my mind. "Nah, just trauma," I mumbled

The car screeched, jolting me out of my head as we made a sharp turn onto-I peeked up at the window-what looked to be a highway. A highway packed full of cars. Cars with people in them. Real, ordinary human people living their real, ordinary lives. It felt like they were on a different planet now, one I hoped desperately to return to. 

Echoing my thoughts, Ruby shouted, "Look! Humans! Blythe, look at all your little human brethren! Go on, say hi!" Her sharp elbow jabbed my side over and over as she spoke, and I resisted the urge to grimace.

"I'm not saying hi," I mumbled, sliding down as far as I could so they couldn't see me and I couldn't see them.

"Aww, you're no fun. So anti-social, what a downer," she said, not really sounding bothered at all. I didn't really know what to say to that, so I didn't say anything at all. Oddly, neither did Ruby, and after hour upon hour of nonstop action, the minutes of silence were beginning to freak me out.

Finally, I just couldn't bear it. I turned on the radio, expecting some stuffy news station (it was Lucca's car, after all). Instead, my ears got blasted what seemed to be...bass-boosted classical music? 

"What the hell?" I asked. Ruby groaned and cranked the volume dial way down.

"This is the shit Lucca listens to. No, no one gets it, yes that's why he listens to it," she said, glaring at the car.

"Huh," I said, aggressive bass and violins assaulting my ears. "I kinda don't mind it?"

Ruby snorted. "Good for you, weirdo, but it's going off," she said, slamming her palm blindly on the radio until it shut off. I sighed. 

Without the music, my mind began to wander. What would the centaurs be like? Was Helena okay?

Was...Liam okay?

I shook my head. Of course I didn't care whether Liam was okay. Why would I care if Liam was okay? Best focus on the not confusing questions.

"Hey, Ruby? What are the centaurs like?" Ruby grimaced, revealing her fangs. 

"Dumb. Ugly. Stupid." I rolled my eyes. 

"No, seriously. Like do they actually have horse legs? How do they hide them?" Her grimace worsened and her claws dug into the steering wheel.

"That's the million dollar fuckin' question, isn't it? You think they'd still be a problem if we could figure that out?" She snapped. A little jolt of surprise went through me, but honestly that was it. Ruby talked loud, but she didn't seem to have much bite. Not really, anyway.

"Okay, okay, jeez," I said. I sighed again, unwanted thoughts crawling around my brain. 

"What, you bored or something? My company not good enough for you, huh?" Ruby snapped. For some reason, I thought she was probably joking this time. 

"Just hurry up," I muttered. She yawned, and suddenly the car screeched to a halt. I was jerked forward, banging my head on the dash. "Ow! What the hell?"

"How can I hurry when we're already here?" Ruby said, swinging her long legs out of the car. I stayed in, peering out of the window.

We seemed to be on the side of a completely average road. No houses, no other cars, certainly no centaurs.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Ruby cracked her neck grotesquely, licking her lips. 

"Nope, no joke," she muttered, looking up at something. Curious, I climbed out of the car so I could see too. But when I got out, there was nothing. I moved to her side of the car. Still nothing.

"Ruby, seriously what's the big idea-" Suddenly, the wind began to pick up, throwing my hair in my face. Before I could even think to ask what was going on, something slammed down in front of us, shaking the ground.

Something big.