Sanctuary.
Yet she was also conscious of a sense of uneasiness about Paxton—uneasiness that had nothing to do with the threat he represented. She had flinched at the rough way they’d treated him and Iris, and the information about the other crew made her worry about what Beck had in mind for them.
“Do you know anything about the bugman who captured you?” asked Beck. “Or the woman?”
Asha had all but forgotten what she’d learned about Paxton in the moments before they’d discovered the Nefertiti. It now dawned on her that, considering what Beck had told her about his plans, it was a very powerful piece of information.
Wait , a voice inside her warned. Not yet .
“I know they’re brother and sister,” she said. “And their ship is familiar to everyone in Sanctuary. The Manti have watched our city since the end of the war.”
Nodding, Beck said, “The ships pass over here as well. We assume they’re looking for survivors. As far as I know, we’ve kept off their radar.”
Moment by moment, a new world was opening up to her. A world where other landscapes existed. A world where there were pockets of humanity who hadn’t submitted to their enemy.
“The existence of this city of yours perplexes me,” he continued. “But we’ll save that for later.”
They’d reached the end of the ditch, where light streamed through a slightly askew, final section of roof.
Beck reached up and grasped the wire, his shoulders hardening as he shifted the section to one side. Then he stepped onto a ledge cut into the turf, grunting as he hoisted them both out of the hole.
He eased her down onto hard-packed earth. “Stay on the path here and you won’t get wet—it’s bog all around. The path will take us to the road. Pavement’s a bit broken up, but I think you’ll manage.”
The others seeped out of the bog around them, and Beck motioned to the priest. “You take the lead, and I’ll bring up the rear. Finn…?” The greasy little man strode over to join them. “You and Alice are in charge of the prisoners. Don’t let your guard down for a second.”
“Will do, boss,” replied Finn, managing another lewd smile her direction before he turned to his charges.
* * *
Pax remained on alert, watching and waiting. He knew the best strategy was to keep quiet and cooperate until his captors began to relax their vigilance—as much as it went against his nature. He also knew better than to underestimate them, despite the unlikelihood any of them had military training. But it was only a matter of time until their inexperience loosed an opportunity.
As they made their way along the ribbon of broken road, he tried to view this cold, damp place through Asha’s eyes. Her departure from Sanctuary had been equivalent to stepping onto an alien world. She was wet and muddy and must have been cold, but she hugged herself for warmth and kept moving, gaze constantly shifting to take in everything. Budding oak trees, moss-covered stones, early spring blossoms … it must seem a riot of growth to a child of the desert.
When they reached the turnoff for the abbey—clearly marked by rusty but still intact signs in both English and Gaelic—Beck and his people stopped to confer. Iris cast Pax a warning glance as he took a couple slow steps toward Asha. He was risking refreshing his captors’ watchfulness, but this was important. And it could be the only chance he would get.
Alarm flashed in her eyes as he approached, and he watched her gaze scan toward the leader.
“Don’t trust him,” he said in a low voice.
Her gaze snapped back to his face.
“Get away from her,” ordered Finn, waving a blade as he returned his attention to the prisoners.
Pax stepped back toward Iris, whose scorching gaze was eloquent: What the hell are you doing?
He’d followed his instincts. Iris didn’t know he’d told Asha who they were, which made an alliance between Asha and Beck dangerous. If he could insert a sliver of
Yet she was also conscious of a sense of uneasiness about Paxton—uneasiness that had nothing to do with the threat he represented. She had flinched at the rough way they’d treated him and Iris, and the information about the other crew made her worry about what Beck had in mind for them.
“Do you know anything about the bugman who captured you?” asked Beck. “Or the woman?”
Asha had all but forgotten what she’d learned about Paxton in the moments before they’d discovered the Nefertiti. It now dawned on her that, considering what Beck had told her about his plans, it was a very powerful piece of information.
Wait , a voice inside her warned. Not yet .
“I know they’re brother and sister,” she said. “And their ship is familiar to everyone in Sanctuary. The Manti have watched our city since the end of the war.”
Nodding, Beck said, “The ships pass over here as well. We assume they’re looking for survivors. As far as I know, we’ve kept off their radar.”
Moment by moment, a new world was opening up to her. A world where other landscapes existed. A world where there were pockets of humanity who hadn’t submitted to their enemy.
“The existence of this city of yours perplexes me,” he continued. “But we’ll save that for later.”
They’d reached the end of the ditch, where light streamed through a slightly askew, final section of roof.
Beck reached up and grasped the wire, his shoulders hardening as he shifted the section to one side. Then he stepped onto a ledge cut into the turf, grunting as he hoisted them both out of the hole.
He eased her down onto hard-packed earth. “Stay on the path here and you won’t get wet—it’s bog all around. The path will take us to the road. Pavement’s a bit broken up, but I think you’ll manage.”
The others seeped out of the bog around them, and Beck motioned to the priest. “You take the lead, and I’ll bring up the rear. Finn…?” The greasy little man strode over to join them. “You and Alice are in charge of the prisoners. Don’t let your guard down for a second.”
“Will do, boss,” replied Finn, managing another lewd smile her direction before he turned to his charges.
* * *
Pax remained on alert, watching and waiting. He knew the best strategy was to keep quiet and cooperate until his captors began to relax their vigilance—as much as it went against his nature. He also knew better than to underestimate them, despite the unlikelihood any of them had military training. But it was only a matter of time until their inexperience loosed an opportunity.
As they made their way along the ribbon of broken road, he tried to view this cold, damp place through Asha’s eyes. Her departure from Sanctuary had been equivalent to stepping onto an alien world. She was wet and muddy and must have been cold, but she hugged herself for warmth and kept moving, gaze constantly shifting to take in everything. Budding oak trees, moss-covered stones, early spring blossoms … it must seem a riot of growth to a child of the desert.
When they reached the turnoff for the abbey—clearly marked by rusty but still intact signs in both English and Gaelic—Beck and his people stopped to confer. Iris cast Pax a warning glance as he took a couple slow steps toward Asha. He was risking refreshing his captors’ watchfulness, but this was important. And it could be the only chance he would get.
Alarm flashed in her eyes as he approached, and he watched her gaze scan toward the leader.
“Don’t trust him,” he said in a low voice.
Her gaze snapped back to his face.
“Get away from her,” ordered Finn, waving a blade as he returned his attention to the prisoners.
Pax stepped back toward Iris, whose scorching gaze was eloquent: What the hell are you doing?
He’d followed his instincts. Iris didn’t know he’d told Asha who they were, which made an alliance between Asha and Beck dangerous. If he could insert a sliver of
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