Arise (Awakened Fate Book 4) by Skye Malone Page A

her, so if he or the greliarans come by, they won’t find us.”
    My brow climbed.
    “Yeah,” she said, glancing up briefly to catch my expression.
    She moved away from the couch, giving me room.
    I pushed the blankets aside and stood. “Does she know how soon they might be here?”
    Chloe shook her head.
    I paused. She wasn’t quite looking at me and her gaze kept twitching to the hall.
    “Chloe, I–”
    The sound of footsteps cut me off. I looked up to see Noah coming down the stairs after Baylie. He appeared exhausted too, and he was blinking as if trying to clear the sleep from his eyes.
    With an aborted glance to him, Chloe retreated toward the kitchen.
    I saw him hesitate, watching her. Keeping myself from scowling, I followed her and, a heartbeat later, heard Noah do the same.
    By a kitchen counter, Olivia was zipping up a blue cooler bag. In the corner, Ellie stood clutching the phone to her ear, more nervousness on her face than normal.
    Which was saying something.
    “So have any of you been to Colorado before?” Olivia asked with a smile when we came in.
    I shook my head and the others did the same.
    “We’re going to take the Midnight Cave trail just outside town. It’s closed right now – rockslide damage – but one of the rangers owes me a favor. It’ll make a good place to meet the others where we won’t be disturbed.”
    “Sounds nice,” Baylie offered when no one else replied.
    Ellie hung up the phone.
    “Everything alright?” Chloe asked.
    The girl paused. “He… he is coming here. One of his assistants is driving him.”
    Chloe’s skin seemed to lose any trace of color. I reached out, putting a hand to her back.
    She flinched and her head twitched toward me. Her face tightened, that same unwilling look flashing through her eyes.
    I hesitated and then let my hand drop away.
    “He told my parents we had a fight,” Ellie continued. “They want me to come home.”
    Olivia nodded. “That’s fine. You probably should.”
    Ellie’s brow furrowed with hurt. “But–”
    “Actually,” Chloe interrupted, a strange expression on her face. “If it’s okay with you, I’d prefer Ellie come with us.”
    Olivia paused.
    “She can spot the greliarans working with her grandfather,” Chloe continued, not taking her eyes from the woman.
    Olivia made a hedging noise. “There’s really no need. If I don’t recognize someone who comes to the meeting–”
    “Please.”
    The woman hesitated again and then nodded. “Call them back,” she said to Ellie. “Tell them I have a bit of training for you today and you’ll be home soon.”
    Ellie nodded quickly. With a grateful glance to Chloe, she hurried to the phone.
    Chloe didn’t look away from Olivia.
    The woman picked up the cooler bag and then slung it over her shoulder, not seeming to notice the attention. “So, could you all follow in your car?”
    “Sure,” Baylie replied.
    Olivia headed for the door.
    “What was that about?” Baylie asked Chloe in a low voice.
    Chloe pulled her gaze from Olivia. “It’s just… Ellie’ll know better if something’s wrong.” She glanced to me. “Like she did with her grandfather.”
    I paused, remembering how uncomfortable Ellie had been at Harman’s house, even compared to her normal anxiousness. She’d known what they were going to do to us. She’d attempted to argue against it.
    “And I’m not sure I trust Olivia yet,” Chloe finished.
    Baylie nodded. “Yeah.”
    Ellie hung up the phone. A smile spread across her face as she came back over to us.
    “Thank you,” she said to Chloe. “I know they’re worried, but I’d really like to do what I can to help you guys.”
    “No problem,” Chloe said.
    The girl’s smile grew. She hurried for the door.
    Chloe and Baylie shared a glance, their cautious expressions nearly identical, and then they headed after Olivia as well.
    I followed them, ignoring Noah. I didn’t know what’d happened in the short time I’d been asleep, but even