the boy.”
Spider finally looked away from Eli. His eyes were surprised at her words. He obviously had not expected to get to go inside the fortress. He had expected to be forced to sit in the cave and watch the fun from a safe distance. It was something he had put up with a lot while with the Saints. He grinned at the thought of being involved so closely in the action, his anger finding an outlet in motion. I didn’t know if it was a healthy outlet, but it would have to do for the time being.
“I don’t…” Daniel started to protest at her selection.
“It’s a sound group,” Reaper said. “Spider can get in to areas they have protected against Watchers and you three make a formidable match against anybody looking for a fight. With Serenity’s stealth, your ability to see the future and Jackson’s brute, you can manage anything.”
Daniel wasn’t happy at Reaper’s suggestion. It was logical, but it left Daniel with a problem: me. With everyone occupied, I would have the freedom to do as I pleased – which normally got me in trouble.
“Which leaves Clare free to wander a cave system looking for Alex, who may or may not turn up?” Daniel asked skeptically.
“I’ll go with her,” Reaper offered. “You do trust me to look after Clare, don’t you?”
“Excuse me?” I asked.
Daniel ignored me. He nodded seriously at Reaper’s question. There was no doubt in his mind. He trusted Reaper with his life why not mine?
“Yes,” Daniel replied.
Reaper turned to Sara.
“Would you mind getting River for me?” Reaper asked. “I need her and King to set up a little chaos here. Tell her what’s happened, bring her up to speed. Make sure she’s here for the planning of the attack.”
“Sure,” Sara agreed.
She slid her knife back in to a sheath she had at the small of her back and disappeared without another word. Reaper turned to Preacher when she was gone.
“Preach, I think it’s best if you start creating your illusion. If I remember correctly, it takes a bit of time to make things respectably solid.”
Preacher nodded in wordless agreement and sat down in the dark, away from the others but close enough to know what was going on. He closed his eyes and a group of people appeared. They looked solid, but I sensed him still working to create hardness to the shapes, to make them flesh and blood, instead of a trick of light.
Serenity started talking about the timing of the attack and how they were going to sneak inside without being seen. As she did, Daniel pulled me toward the darkness of the caves. His hand was electric against my skin. The electricity was molded by his heightened worry. It coursed through my veins, letting me know that he didn’t let me go easily. He didn’t seem to care what the others were saying, though I knew he heard every word. He was multitasking with an easy grace. He focused on me, his green eyes full of emotion.
“I can’t see how this turns out,” he admitted in a low voice. “I can’t see it, Clare.”
It was an admission that told me he did not know if any of us would survive. He was operating on hope, the hope of luck and the hope that their combined skills would be enough. He didn’t know what would happen when I walked in to the dark to find Alex. He didn’t know any more than I knew. The idea scared him. It was a reminder of the last time we had been separated.
“Everything is going to be fine,” I said.
I instantly regretted my words. I hated asinine promises I could not keep. It was just the first thing that had sprung to my lips.
“Don’t say that,” he said in a pained voice.
I put a hand on his face. His skin was soft, and his eyes glittered in the light. I wanted to assure him everything would be okay – that there was nothing to be worried about – and mean it. I wanted to tell him that nothing would go wrong. But I couldn’t.
“How about you promise me you’ll be safe, and I’ll promise you the same,” I said. “We both
Spider finally looked away from Eli. His eyes were surprised at her words. He obviously had not expected to get to go inside the fortress. He had expected to be forced to sit in the cave and watch the fun from a safe distance. It was something he had put up with a lot while with the Saints. He grinned at the thought of being involved so closely in the action, his anger finding an outlet in motion. I didn’t know if it was a healthy outlet, but it would have to do for the time being.
“I don’t…” Daniel started to protest at her selection.
“It’s a sound group,” Reaper said. “Spider can get in to areas they have protected against Watchers and you three make a formidable match against anybody looking for a fight. With Serenity’s stealth, your ability to see the future and Jackson’s brute, you can manage anything.”
Daniel wasn’t happy at Reaper’s suggestion. It was logical, but it left Daniel with a problem: me. With everyone occupied, I would have the freedom to do as I pleased – which normally got me in trouble.
“Which leaves Clare free to wander a cave system looking for Alex, who may or may not turn up?” Daniel asked skeptically.
“I’ll go with her,” Reaper offered. “You do trust me to look after Clare, don’t you?”
“Excuse me?” I asked.
Daniel ignored me. He nodded seriously at Reaper’s question. There was no doubt in his mind. He trusted Reaper with his life why not mine?
“Yes,” Daniel replied.
Reaper turned to Sara.
“Would you mind getting River for me?” Reaper asked. “I need her and King to set up a little chaos here. Tell her what’s happened, bring her up to speed. Make sure she’s here for the planning of the attack.”
“Sure,” Sara agreed.
She slid her knife back in to a sheath she had at the small of her back and disappeared without another word. Reaper turned to Preacher when she was gone.
“Preach, I think it’s best if you start creating your illusion. If I remember correctly, it takes a bit of time to make things respectably solid.”
Preacher nodded in wordless agreement and sat down in the dark, away from the others but close enough to know what was going on. He closed his eyes and a group of people appeared. They looked solid, but I sensed him still working to create hardness to the shapes, to make them flesh and blood, instead of a trick of light.
Serenity started talking about the timing of the attack and how they were going to sneak inside without being seen. As she did, Daniel pulled me toward the darkness of the caves. His hand was electric against my skin. The electricity was molded by his heightened worry. It coursed through my veins, letting me know that he didn’t let me go easily. He didn’t seem to care what the others were saying, though I knew he heard every word. He was multitasking with an easy grace. He focused on me, his green eyes full of emotion.
“I can’t see how this turns out,” he admitted in a low voice. “I can’t see it, Clare.”
It was an admission that told me he did not know if any of us would survive. He was operating on hope, the hope of luck and the hope that their combined skills would be enough. He didn’t know what would happen when I walked in to the dark to find Alex. He didn’t know any more than I knew. The idea scared him. It was a reminder of the last time we had been separated.
“Everything is going to be fine,” I said.
I instantly regretted my words. I hated asinine promises I could not keep. It was just the first thing that had sprung to my lips.
“Don’t say that,” he said in a pained voice.
I put a hand on his face. His skin was soft, and his eyes glittered in the light. I wanted to assure him everything would be okay – that there was nothing to be worried about – and mean it. I wanted to tell him that nothing would go wrong. But I couldn’t.
“How about you promise me you’ll be safe, and I’ll promise you the same,” I said. “We both
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