around her face, like a mane.
Joseph found it cute.
Something in him loosened up as he watched her, like the pressure behind his eyes had been vented. A headache he’d had so long he’d stopped noticing it faded.
“Lyka has agreed to stay here under your authority as proof of my good intentions.”
Lyka snorted. “I think agreed is a bit of a stretch. You didn’t exactly give me much of a choice.”
Joseph stared at Andreas in disbelief. “You’re giving me your sister as a hostage?”
“I believe that the only way to save my people is to resort to the old ways. I’m abiding by the customs of my ancestors. Lyka’s the perfect choice, because while she makes me want to scream and strangle her scrawny neck sometimes, there is no one on this planet I love more.”
Tears pooled in Lyka’s eyes and she turned away, blinking them back.
“You’ve got an odd way of showing it,” said Joseph. “What makes you think I won’t just kill her the moment your back is turned?”
“You’re a smart man, a man of honor. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have brought me your brother-in-arms when his soul died.”
Just the memory of giving Chris’s life over to Andreas was enough to make Joseph’s gut clench in grief. “It was necessary.”
“It proves you do what you must. As do I. You know as well as I do that all the Sentinels are nearing extinction. We have to do something, and I’ve decided to take the first step.”
“What will you want from us?” asked Joseph.
“Nothing I’m not willing to give myself. I’d like to share intelligence and plan a strategy that has a hope of beating the Synestryn back.”
“You said your people are weak. What good are they in a fight?”
“Not all of us are weak. My family’s bloodline has been protected, as have a few others. I admit that most of our people will need protection, but I’ve heard you’re used to that—that dozens of humans live here.”
Joseph refused to confirm it. He trusted Andreas to a point, but until it was necessary to share information, he wasn’t going to offer anything.
“How many?” asked Joseph. “How many of your people can fight?”
“I’ll give you all the details you want as soon as I have your promise for peace.”
Any promise Joseph offered would be binding, so he had to be careful what he said. “I will agree to a temporary truce—long enough to discuss this with my people and the Sanguinar. If things are as you say, then we’ll consider something more binding.”
“I need more than that. I need your promise not to attack my people.”
“I’ve given you all I can for now. You can accept that or not. Your choice.”
Andreas’s jaw clenched, but he gave a curt nod. “May we stay while you decide? Or would you rather we get a hotel room in town?”
Joseph looked to Madoc. “Would you please get our guests settled in one of the suites? Make sure they’re comfortable.” And carefully watched. Joseph knew Madoc would do that without being asked. The man wasn’t exactly the most trusting, especially with his wife under the same roof.
“Come with me,” said Madoc.
They all left. Joseph hung back for a moment, staying in the cabin alone. He hoped like hell this wasn’t a trick, because truth was, things were getting worse by the day. Without a united front, their chances of fending off the Synestryn before they could overrun Earth were slim.
On the other hand, if what Andreas said was true, then chances of fending off the Synestryn with the help of the Slayers weren’t any better.
Chapter 5
H ope made it through the rest of her day and hurried over to the homeless shelter where she volunteered. There were still a few minutes before the dinner rush started, and Hope had fled to the rooftop to soak up what was left of the sun.
Sister Olive came into the rooftop greenhouse where Hope lounged. It was her favorite spot, all warm and sunny, especially on a day like today. As cold as it was outside, the sun
Joseph found it cute.
Something in him loosened up as he watched her, like the pressure behind his eyes had been vented. A headache he’d had so long he’d stopped noticing it faded.
“Lyka has agreed to stay here under your authority as proof of my good intentions.”
Lyka snorted. “I think agreed is a bit of a stretch. You didn’t exactly give me much of a choice.”
Joseph stared at Andreas in disbelief. “You’re giving me your sister as a hostage?”
“I believe that the only way to save my people is to resort to the old ways. I’m abiding by the customs of my ancestors. Lyka’s the perfect choice, because while she makes me want to scream and strangle her scrawny neck sometimes, there is no one on this planet I love more.”
Tears pooled in Lyka’s eyes and she turned away, blinking them back.
“You’ve got an odd way of showing it,” said Joseph. “What makes you think I won’t just kill her the moment your back is turned?”
“You’re a smart man, a man of honor. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have brought me your brother-in-arms when his soul died.”
Just the memory of giving Chris’s life over to Andreas was enough to make Joseph’s gut clench in grief. “It was necessary.”
“It proves you do what you must. As do I. You know as well as I do that all the Sentinels are nearing extinction. We have to do something, and I’ve decided to take the first step.”
“What will you want from us?” asked Joseph.
“Nothing I’m not willing to give myself. I’d like to share intelligence and plan a strategy that has a hope of beating the Synestryn back.”
“You said your people are weak. What good are they in a fight?”
“Not all of us are weak. My family’s bloodline has been protected, as have a few others. I admit that most of our people will need protection, but I’ve heard you’re used to that—that dozens of humans live here.”
Joseph refused to confirm it. He trusted Andreas to a point, but until it was necessary to share information, he wasn’t going to offer anything.
“How many?” asked Joseph. “How many of your people can fight?”
“I’ll give you all the details you want as soon as I have your promise for peace.”
Any promise Joseph offered would be binding, so he had to be careful what he said. “I will agree to a temporary truce—long enough to discuss this with my people and the Sanguinar. If things are as you say, then we’ll consider something more binding.”
“I need more than that. I need your promise not to attack my people.”
“I’ve given you all I can for now. You can accept that or not. Your choice.”
Andreas’s jaw clenched, but he gave a curt nod. “May we stay while you decide? Or would you rather we get a hotel room in town?”
Joseph looked to Madoc. “Would you please get our guests settled in one of the suites? Make sure they’re comfortable.” And carefully watched. Joseph knew Madoc would do that without being asked. The man wasn’t exactly the most trusting, especially with his wife under the same roof.
“Come with me,” said Madoc.
They all left. Joseph hung back for a moment, staying in the cabin alone. He hoped like hell this wasn’t a trick, because truth was, things were getting worse by the day. Without a united front, their chances of fending off the Synestryn before they could overrun Earth were slim.
On the other hand, if what Andreas said was true, then chances of fending off the Synestryn with the help of the Slayers weren’t any better.
Chapter 5
H ope made it through the rest of her day and hurried over to the homeless shelter where she volunteered. There were still a few minutes before the dinner rush started, and Hope had fled to the rooftop to soak up what was left of the sun.
Sister Olive came into the rooftop greenhouse where Hope lounged. It was her favorite spot, all warm and sunny, especially on a day like today. As cold as it was outside, the sun
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