by Jenn Vakey
Leeya faced me and nodded, but she was distracted. Something was on her mind. “About the mission?”
“No,” I said. I stepped closer and slid my hand up her cheek, pulling her eyes to mine. There was probably a better time to do this. After I talked to her about what she was thinking about. I just couldn’t. Especially when those violet eyes met mine.
“I asked his permission to court you.”
Leeya’s eyes widened, the air leaving her in a short burst. “You what?”
Her reaction worried me as I watched her blink, like she was trying to make sense of what I was saying. She was so shocked. I couldn’t do anything but hold my breath and wait.
“W–what did he say?”
I smirked, the relief palpable. “You think I would be telling you I even asked if he said no?”
My heart was racing as I watched her eyes water, a smile touching her lips. That had been the reaction I wanted from her.
“Leeya, I want to marry you,” I said, stepping even closer so that our bodies were touching. “I want to build that house by the river and live there with you.”
I knew it was a lot to throw at her at once. It wasn’t about me asking her to court. This was me telling her I wanted to skip all of that and move to the end. To where I had already decided that she was the girl I wanted.
Even admitting it to myself had been terrifying. We hadn’t known each other very long. More than that, I was worried I had scared her. Tears started rolling down her cheeks, but she didn’t pull away. I would have been worried if she didn’t look so happy.
“Just because he gave me his permission doesn’t mean I still don’t need an answer from you,” I told her, pointing out that she still hadn’t given me one.
She laughed and nodded. “Of course that’s what I want. That’s what I’ve always wanted. I just didn’t think it was possible. Not after what I did.”
I dropped my mouth to hers before she could go on. What she’d done, what we’d been through, was part of the reason I was so willing to move past simply courting. We had been through more than most couples ever would, and we had fought back. Then I wrapped her up in my arms and held her tightly. My girl.
Standing there, her body warm against mine, the weight of it all really settled in. I was riding on a high after leaving Orson. I had actually expected him to say no. Or to at least put up a fight. Instead, he just stared at me for a moment before agreeing.
This made it real. Talking to her, making it official.
Leeya gasped and said, “I have to tell you something.”
I pulled back and looked down into her eyes. Her tone made me nervous. She looked worried too, although I couldn’t imagine why. It made my mind race over what it could be. What could have happened. Had there been another guy? Something with the new guy? No, that didn’t make sense.
“I saw someone when Lillith connected with me while you were out,” she said, cupping my face. So serious. “Rhydian, I saw your brother. They’re holding him, just like they’re holding Lillith.”
The breath left me as I staggered back. Her arms fell down to her sides, but she just stood in place. Watching me.
No, that didn’t make sense. She had to be mistaken. Didn’t she? I didn’t want to let myself even consider it, because then it would hurt even more if she was wrong. I had been distracting myself over the past month and a half, but that pain from his loss was still there.
“Are you sure?”
There was so much confidence in her nod, giving me the slightest bit of hope. “He made a lot of appearances before he was supposed to have been killed. It was him. I know it was.”
My throat felt tight, my chest aching. “Gryffin’s alive?”
Leeya closed the distance between us again, her hands resting on my sides. “I’m on the team raiding the facility. I promise I’m not going to leave without him.”
Part of the team? And I wasn’t? When did this happen? I hadn’t talked to Orson about anything other than getting his permission. I had been too worried to make small talk at first, and too eager to get back to her to talk after. I didn’t even know we had reached that point.
My confusion must have been visible, because she didn’t wait before explaining.
“They found the place they’re holding them. We’re going in two days,” she stated. Two days? That was huge. I hadn’t thought it would be possible to move for at least another week. “Orson said he can’t have us together. It’s too dangerous, because if it’s between the good of the mission and saving you…”
She trailed off, but I didn’t need to hear the rest. She had proven several times over what she was willing to risk for me. I’d do the same. I also knew she had to be at the facility, which meant that I couldn’t. Something I didn’t like at all. And if she was telling me all of this, that meant she had already argued against it with Orson. This wasn’t anything she would have accepted without a fight.
That meant the decision was final.
“Promise me you’re going to be careful,” I said, running my fingers through her hair and tilting her head back. “I can’t lose you.” I couldn’t even imagine that. Not after I just got her back.
“I’ll promise if you do the same. I’m not saving one person I love just to lose another.”
My heart thundered, my body burning at her words. Unable to keep the smile off my face. “You know what you just said, right?” I asked, moving so that our bodies were pressed tightly together. Her chest heaved against mine, and I wanted nothing more than to throw her back on the bed and show her just how much I loved hearing that.
Even more so when she gave a blushing smile and bit down on her lower lip.
“So, are we skipping this whole courting thing?” she asked nervously.
“If you’ll let me.” I slipped my hand under the base of her shirt and grazed my fingers across her back. She shivered. “I already know all I need to know. Unless you weren’t actually saying yes to the part about us getting married.”
She answered with another smile. “Then let’s keep this engagement thing quiet until we get back. That way no one is distracted.”
“You mean Joury?” I asked, though I already knew the answer. I had spent the past two days considering how to handle that situation. I didn’t want to cause problems, but I couldn’t put my life on hold to prevent it. “Only for you, and only if I can sleep in here tonight without having to wait for Linley to get me first.”
“Do you actually mean sleep?” Leeya asked, that same excitement in her eyes that had been there in the subway.
I turned back and looked at the lock on the door, then met her eyes with a smile.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
LEEYA
I wasn’t surprised when I awoke to find Linley asleep between us. We’d known it would happen, which was why we had dressed and unlocked the door before going to sleep.
It still felt so unreal. He had told me when we got back yesterday that I was his girl. I still hadn’t expected what he said last night. That he had sought Orson’s permission. That he still wanted the same things he had before learning the truth. I halfway expected to wake up to find it had been a dream. Instead, there were a beautiful pair of green eyes looking at me.
“You were talking in your sleep,” he said gently, trying not to wake his sister. “Nightmare?”
I sighed and ran a hand over my face. “Of the true kind,” I admitted. We hadn’t talked about the rest of what had happened with Lillith. There had been too much else going on. I hadn’t wanted to sully the happiness with it. “Last night with Lil. She reached out because they were taking her. There was a guy. They wanted her to fight.” My voice started shaking, remembering how frightened she had been. How helpless I’d felt. “Werewolf strength. I had to tell her what to do, to be her eyes. I had to make her…” I shook my head; I couldn’t finish it. “He was fighting to kill. I didn’t have a choice.”
Rhydian’s eyes were filled with sympathy as he took in what I was saying.
Then he reached up and caressed my cheek.
“Tomorrow night,” he said. “We’re going to get her out of there. We’ll bring her here where she’ll never have to deal with anything like that again.”
I gave him a weak smile and nodded. It was only a day, but it still felt so far away. “Both of them.”
Breakfast was abuzz with talk about the raid. Excitement and anticipation about both the move and how camp would change.
After making sure Linley was safely in the school house, Rhydian and I walked to the meeting hall. It was fuller than normal. Everyone who would be going to Eden was in attendance, as well as several people who would be staying behind. This was to be the largest move Tainted had ever made on Eden, with close to two dozen people entering the city. That didn’t include the allies within the wall who would also be helping.
Rhydian walked to the front, while I took my normal position near the back. Kip, who rarely left my side, crawled under the seat in front of me and let out a sigh as he stretched out. He wasn’t going to be happy to find out he wasn’t making this trip with me.
Only a few moments passed before someone came and sat down beside me.
“Good morning,” Lamont said, looking around nervously. “A guy named Jaron told me I was supposed to be in here.”
I smiled, folding my arms and leaning back in the chair. “The meeting is mandatory for everyone going on the raid.”
His eyes widened, a question there he wouldn’t ask.
“You’ll be on the second team,” I explained. “I know you wanted to go after the facility, but Orson thinks it best to have Rhydian and me on different teams.” I looked around, careful to make sure no one was listening, then added, “I needed to know there was someone with him that I trusted to keep him safe.”
His blue eyes studied me for a moment, then he nodded with a thoughtful look. We both knew what this meant. He would be trusting me with the person he loved, and I would be doing the same with him. “Thank you for making sure I was involved,” he stated.
“I also secured your position here with Stazie when we get her back,” I said. “You two might be in the dorm for a while, but you’ll get assigned a house when one’s available.”
The look he gave me, the complete appreciation, told me everything I needed to know. My trust was well placed.
“Quiet,” Orson said, pulling our attention to the front. “If you don’t already know which team you’re on, the list is on the back wall.” He looked around, but no one moved. It had been the first thing people looked at when coming in. “Team one will be led by Leeya to take the facility. Our Sentry in the city will have Sentry uniforms at the exit for you to change into. Team two will be with Rhydian. You will be in Maker orange, and will hit the power grid to cause a distraction. The Sentry should be dispatched to keep people from panicking. It will lessen the number around where they’re holding the Tainted.
“Team one will go in as soon as the lights go down,” he went on. “Team two will go straight back to the wall. Communicators will be given to those who need them, which will both be used to keep our teams in touch, as well as for receiving reports from our people in the city. There will be code phrases used, so no information is to be relayed without hearing it.”
People nodded along as he talked. When he was done, he leaned back. Not really an invitation to talk, but close enough.
“Try not to kill anyone,” I said, not bothering to stand. “Our new weapons pack a punch without being lethal. It’s best if we don’t give them a reason to come after us. Or give them ammunition to make the citizens more frightened than they already are.”
I kept my gaze on Orson as I said it. He had never voiced his opinion either way on the topic. Thankfully, he nodded along.
“How many Tainted do they have?” Rhydian asked.
I nodded and looked down at my lap before attempting the connection. I didn’t want to leave the room, but I didn’t want her to see what was going on.
Only a few moments passed before the room around me changed and I was in Lillith’s room.
“Hey, Leeya,” she thought calmly. “What can I do for you today?”
“You okay, Lil?” I thought back, not wanting everyone around me to hear this part.
“I’ll be okay,” she said, although I didn’t really believe her. “That’s not why you reached out, though. What’s going on?”
I hated that I couldn’t comfort her, but she was right. This wasn’t the time. “How many people are they holding there?” I asked, this time aloud so everyone knew what was going on.
“At least twenty,” she said confidently. “Maybe thirty. Leeya, you won’t believe who’s here.”
“I know,” I said, sighing at the thought. “I saw him last night when they were taking you back to your room. Have you talked to him?”
“No, they keep him mostly shut away from the rest of us,” she said. “There are always Sentry keeping anyone from getting close when he’s out of his room.”
“Thanks, Lillith,” I said, relieved she had also recognized him. I knew Rhydian was still hesitant to believe it. The fact that she had brought it up without prompting should help. “I’ll talk to you tonight.”
When the connection broke, I looked up to see everyone looking back at me. “She said at least twenty,” I told them, looking only at Rhydian. “Maybe thirty.”
“That’s going to be a large group to move,” Orson said. “The fastest route is still twenty minutes from the exit.”
He was right. Even with the lights out, that amount of people would draw attention out on the streets.
“Could we trigger an alarm to make people leave their houses?” Nevin asked. “Like a drill?”
Everyone was thinking it over when Jaythan spoke up. “I might actually have something,” he said, sounding almost excited. Then he looked to Stassa. “Those boys who were playing around with the water system a couple years back.”
He didn’t need to say more. She laughed and turned to face Orson. “They put a chemical in that emitted a horrid smell when it mixed with the water. It was tested and is completely harmless, but it should do the trick.”
He gave his approval. “Team two can handle it. There’s an access hatch to the water after it leaves the treatment station in that same area. They shouldn’t have a problem reaching it with their Maker uniforms.”
And like that, it all looked to be coming together.
“Did she confirm it?” Rhydian asked from across the room. Everyone stopped to question it, but he paid them no mind. He just wanted an answer.
“Yes,” I said, wishing we hadn’t been around all of these people. Rhydian let out a breath and nodded. He was fighting to keep his mask up. I could see it, but I doubted anyone else could.
“What’s going on?” Orson asked, looking between the two of us. “Who did she see?”
“Gryffin,” Rhydian said, his tone that same hardened one he used with others. Still, his eyes didn’t leave mine. Like he was pulling strength from me. Seeking comfort in the only way he could in this moment. “The eldest son of King Phineas is being held at the same place as Lillith.”
Gasps filled the room. I hadn’t thought about the fact that not everyone knew he was the second prince of Eden. Those that didn’t surely thought it impossible for a member of the royal line to be Tainted. Thinking about that, another realization hit me. All three Behrer children–well, King Phineas’–were still alive. Three Tainted royals who were entitled to the throne.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
RHYDIAN
My shirt clung to my body as I ended my third consecutive training session. I had been at it since the plans were finalized and the meeting ended. We’d be leaving early in the morning. Assuming both Leeya and Lillith were right, I could be seeing my brother again by tomorrow night. It didn’t seem real.
Lamont had been out here just as long as I had. He was training our people to counter Sentry attacks. I was fairly certain he was also trying to distract
himself. He was about as happy as I was to be left off the team going to the facility. I had been surprised when Leeya told me she had convinced Orson to include him. I agreed with the decision, though. Mostly because I needed her to be able to focus, and I knew having him as my backup would give it to her.
“Come on,” a sweet voice said from behind me. I closed the water bottle I’d been drinking from and turned to see those beautiful violet eyes looking back at me. “You need a break.”
I raised an eyebrow and stared down at her. “You’re seriously telling me that I’m training too hard? Do you even know what that looks like?”
She didn’t answer. She just stood there and looked at me until I conceded.
Nodding, I put my stuff down and walked with Leeya across camp and through the tree line. We hadn’t had a moment alone all day. There was only one place I wanted to take her.
We didn’t speak as we walked. As soon as we were out of sight, Leeya reached out and took my hand. Just being there for me, knowing I needed it.
I watched her when we reached our spot by the river. I’d started working on the house since the last time I brought her here. It was one of the things I did to try to distract myself from what was going on with her. Not that it had really helped.
She just walked over and sat on the half-finished foundation, though. No reaction at all. Had she been out here? Come by herself over the past few weeks? The thought actually made me smile.
“Is this going to work?” she asked.
I could see now how worried she was. This was about more than just her sister. There were three people she wasn't willing to leave without. Although, I knew she wouldn't leave any of them behind.
“We’ll get them back,” I said, hopping up onto the platform and moving behind her. I sat down, pulling her back into my arms. She put her hands over mine and rested her head back against me. “It's a good plan. Dallin’s also going to have Sentry batons for you. Some carry more than one, so you should blend.”