Gideon started forward, but Tiernan stopped him with a hand. “We need to wait.”
He started to argue but swallowed the words. He knew Tiernan was right. They were at the Council’s mercy now and couldn’t risk causing trouble. There was too much at stake. Still, it didn’t keep him from worrying, from pacing back and forth before the invisible barrier, willing someone to emerge.
With barely a shimmer to herald their arrival, Caleb and Ava appeared a few feet away, Ava stumbling a bit as she gained her footing. Caleb sat heavily on a fallen log and reached for the R-cubes in his pocket.
Before Gideon could ask if he was all right, Ava ran unsteadily toward him. “Something’s happened to Sophie!”
Gideon grabbed her by the upper arms, steadying her as she swayed slightly. “I know. I talked to Tyra.”
“You did?” Her eyes were panicked, wide, and searching. “What did she say? What happened?”
“Wait a minute.” Tiernan pushed off the tree he was leaning against and stalked toward them. “You didn’t talk to Tyra?”
“We couldn’t get through,” Caleb said through a mouthful of cubes. “Not to you or her. But Ava . . . Ava felt something happen.”
She waved off their talk with a frustrated exhale. “None of that matters now. What did Tyra say?”
Gideon relayed their conversation in quiet tones, distracted by the idea that Ava might sense something happening to her sister. It was definitely something they’d have to explore when the girl wasn’t frenzied by concern and fear.
“The Rogues,” Ava said, rubbing her hands over her face. “I should have known.”
“How could you?” Tiernan asked.
“We need to find them.”
“I can send a team with a tracker back to the scene,” Gideon said. “Tyra couldn’t find a trail, but maybe—”
“I’ll go,” Tiernan said.
“You should talk to Andreas first.” Ava reached out to touch his arm. “Remember the sensor?”
“The one who helped track Caleb?” Gideon recalled them talking about a powerful sensor who had been able to track Caleb from a hundred miles away. He’d never heard of anything like it.
“We figure he’s our best shot at finding Sophie and Isaiah,” Caleb said, getting to his feet. “As long as he—” Caleb’s gaze tracked over Gideon’s shoulder, and he turned to see the shimmer of someone emerging from the gate—tall, dark-haired, and intimidating.
Rafael Vinci. It had been a while.
“Took you long enough,” Tiernan growled.
“Mind your place, Protector,” Rafe said, but there was no real heat behind his words. The Council member greeted Gideon with a slight bow and a handshake, Caleb with a cheeky grin, and Ava with a look that was equal parts trepidation and begrudging respect. “Never thought I’d see you here again,” he said.
“That makes two of us,” Ava replied.
They followed Rafe through the shimmering warmth of the cloak, walking abreast through the gap in the high, stone wall. The gate clanged shut behind them, and they continued down the red gravel path through the forest.
It hasn’t changed.
Gideon expected the same could be said of New Elysia in general—of the Council, of the Race as a whole, actually.
Well, things are certainly about to.
He hoped they were all ready for it.
The ping of water dripping through the trees echoed along with their crunching footsteps, and Gideon realized Caleb was telling Rafe about the Rogue attack.
“I believe Madeleine was hoping the girl and her brother would have accompanied you here,” Rafe said pointedly.
Gideon cleared his throat. “This is all new to them,” he said. “I thought it best that they be kept safe until we’d come to some sort of agreement.”
“Well, apparently safe is a relative term,” Rafe said, a little acid in his tone.
Gideon stiffened. “That’s out of line.”
“You know what’s out of line? You. Coming here for our help, but making it very clear that it has to be on your terms.” Rafe ran his hands through his hair, tugging on the ends. “Look, I’m on your side here, but you’re going to have to come halfway. Show some trust—”
“You don’t think me coming here—” Gideon waved his hand to encompass it all—New Elysia, the Council, for all intents and purposes, enemy territory. “Walking into a place where I’ve been known as a criminal for decades—you don’t think that’s coming halfway?” His lip curled as the anger twisted in his chest. “You don’t think putting myself in the Council’s hands, hands that have made it very clear they’d like to wrap themselves around my throat, shows enough trust?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Ava muttered, shoving the two men apart with her mind. “We do not have time for this!” She glared at Gideon. “You need to get off your high horse. We need them. You know it. I know it. And they know it.” She pointed at each of them in turn to punctuate her words then turned her fiery eyes on Rafe. “And you need to cut him some slack. You all have been hunting down his people like animals for more than a century. Don’t you think trust is a big step for him? Not to mention Caleb. My God, they were ready to lock him up and throw away the key!”
“They understand now he—”
“That’s great, but he’s hardly in good standing with the Council. None of us are, when you get down to it, so putting ourselves in your hands is about the biggest show of trust we can make. Wouldn’t you agree?” When Rafe’s eyes fell to the ground, Ava threw up her hands. “Let’s move on, shall we?” she asked, stalking away without waiting for them to follow.
The men shared a sheepish glance, but it was Tiernan who spoke, clapping Caleb on the shoulder.
“How do you ever get a word in edgewise?” he asked, smirking.
“I heard that!” Ava shouted without looking back. “Let’s go!”
Caleb shoved off Tiernan and shifted to Ava’s side, and the other men hurried to catch up.
All Ava’s irritation melted away when she crested the hill looking down over New Elysia. Glass, metal, and white stone sparkled in the sunlight as the circular city spread out before them, untouched by the mountain’s shadows at this hour. Ava swallowed a choking flood of nerves and . . .
Well, not fear. Not really.
She wasn’t afraid of the Council, at least not for herself. She was worried, though. Worried about Caleb and Tiernan, Gideon and the Guardians. The refugees.
Sophie and Isaiah.
A lot rested on this alliance. It was their only hope, really. Convincing the Council of that was another matter entirely, however. She’d gotten her own firsthand glimpse of the Council and its devotion to the Law. What they were proposing flew in the face of that. It could change everything. Especially once the Council and the people of New Elysia found out that instead of hunting down the Guardians they were working with them, that the Half-Breeds weren’t the threat any longer, or that the Rogues, so easily handled in the past, now posed a threat greater than any of them had ever imagined.
But first things first.
Ava took a deep breath, letting it out when Caleb took her hand, knitting their fingers together.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yeah. Just . . . you know.”
Caleb smiled.
Of course he knows.
He squeezed her hand, and they started down the hill. “It’s going to be okay.”
“You think?”
“Yeah. Of course.”
“How can you be so sure?”
He turned and blinked. “Because it has to be.”
She leaned into him and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. “Am I too pushy?” she asked, thinking about Tiernan’s comments. “I mean, do you feel like—”
“You’re perfect,” he said and kissed the top of her head. “Well, maybe not perfect,” he amended, “but perfect for me.”
She laughed, but when she looked up, she saw he was serious.
&nb
sp; “Maybe it’s selfish, but I love you. I need you exactly the way you are,” he said quietly. “You push me to be—no, you make me want to be better.”
Ava flushed, uncomfortable with the compliment, but she squeezed his hand. “You do the same for me.”
He lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to the back of hers, starting a little when he spotted the marking under the cuff of her jacket.
“What’s this?” he asked, pushing up her sleeve to reveal the tattoo. He ran a finger over the knot, the touch sending heat up her arm.
Ava shrugged. “It’s a reminder, I guess. Of what we’re fighting for.”
Caleb smiled softly and placed another kiss on the tattoo before lowering her sleeve and letting their joined hands dangle between them.
They walked in silence and paused to let the others catch up as they neared the city.
Rafe led them, keeping within the forest but not bothering to avoid sensors and cameras. “We just don’t want to make it a public event,” he explained. “We’re to meet the Council at my house, since it’s the most isolated.”
Rafe’s house was smaller than Ava expected, given his position. It was similar to Caleb’s, actually —a two-story white stone home with a modest front yard and a palm scanner next to the front door.
She had barely registered the more modern interior—a vague impression of black leather, metal and glass—before she spotted the familiar figures from her last visit to New Elysia. A large, intimidating, bald man with golden eyes sat in a black armchair—Kaeden Cross—and on the sofa, dressed in a creamy white flowing dress was Naomi Duncan. Her black hair was in uncharacteristically tight braids, but her dark eyes were still kind and compassionate. Andreas Petrov sat reclined on the other end of the sofa, impeccably dressed in a dark suit with not a blond hair out of place. And standing to the side, but commanding all the attention in the room, was Caleb’s mother. Her chin lifted and nostrils flared when they entered the living room. She’d let her hair down, and the brown waves hung flatteringly around her shoulders, but it didn’t soften her bearing at all. She was as regal and imposing as ever, and flashes of their last encounter flitted through Ava’s mind. When she caught Madeleine’s eyes, the woman stiffened.
Apparently, Madeleine remembered it as well.
Ava winced inwardly. She’d hoped to be a help in this mission, but maybe she’d be more of a hindrance. Regardless of Caleb’s assurances to the contrary, Ava was pretty sure his mother didn’t like her.
Rafe stepped forward and presented the group with a sweep of his hand. “I’d introduce everyone, but I’m relatively certain we’re all acquainted. Since this is an informal meeting, perhaps we should get started?”
“Of course,” Madeleine said quickly. She laid a hand on the chair next to her.
Is it trembling?
Ava wasn’t sure.
The Council leader cleared her throat. “Please, everyone sit down. Make yourselves comfortable. Could I offer you some refreshments?”
Definitely trembling, and her voice is shaking, too.
Ava noticed the older woman kept her gaze rather determinedly away from Gideon as she turned toward a table laid out with coffee, a pitcher of water, and cookies with blue sprinkles. Ava fought to control a hysterical giggle at the thought they would discuss the future of the world over blue-sprinkled cookies.
“Thank you,” Gideon said stiffly. “I believe we’d rather get down to business?” He cast a look toward Tiernan, who took up his usual position leaning against a wall and keeping everyone, as well as the front door, in sight.
Caleb led Ava to a low chaise, and they sat down next to each other.
She noticed Madeleine looking at their joined hands and fought the urge to pull away like a guilty schoolgirl caught by her boyfriend’s mother.
Gideon waited until Madeleine took a seat before doing the same.
And then . . . nothing. Absolute silence.
Ava had heard the phrase “cut the tension with a knife,” but she would have needed a chainsaw in this situation. She glanced at Tiernan, who simply shrugged and rearranged himself in all his looming glory.
Naomi looked decidedly uncomfortable.
Andreas watched it all with an amused smirk on his face.
Ava cleared her throat.
Gideon flinched but covered it with a cough. “Right,” he said, slapping his palms lightly on his knees. “I believe Tiernan has explained the situation?”
Madeleine seemed to shake out her nerves, straightened to look him in the eye, and nodded, the imperious leader who Ava remembered reappearing. “Yes. I was under the impression the other—” She glanced at Ava. “Sophie Wright and her brother would be coming with you.”
Gideon let out a heavy breath. “Perhaps that would have been best.”
Madeleine looked confused until Rafe said, “The Rogues took them.”
Madeleine shot to her feet and paced across the room, pressing her fingers to her lips. “You’re certain it was Rogues?”
“Who else? It wasn’t you, right?” Gideon asked.
“Of course not!”
“So Borré has them,” he said, rubbing his eyes.
“Sophie won’t help them,” Ava said. “She wouldn’t. Neither would Isaiah.”
“And you’re certain these two are . . . like you?” Madeleine asked.
“The DNA testing proved a common father with Ava,” Gideon replied. “And that Sophie and Isaiah are full siblings.”
“And their power?” Kaeden asked, his gold eyes glittering.
“Sophie’s a cryo,” Gideon replied. “Isaiah is apparently a telepath. Perhaps an empath as well. Their mother must have been quite powerful.”
“An empath? Well, that doesn’t seem like such a threat,” Naomi interjected, a hopeful look on her face. “It’s hardly an offensive gift.”
“If he’s been genetically altered, there’s no telling what he could do,” Madeleine replied, sinking to her seat. “If he’s able to instill thoughts and emotions as well as read them—”
“Like Emma,” Ava murmured.
“Similar, yes,” Gideon said, running his hands through his hair. “Emma alters thoughts and memories, most likely through manipulating the frontal lobes or the hippocampus. If Isaiah is able to manipulate emotions as well, it would probably be via a different portion of the brain.”
“Manipulate emotions?” Caleb leaned forward, his hand tightening on Ava’s. “Is that even possible?”
“I’d say at this point anything is possible,” Gideon replied. “Paralyzing fear, uncontrollable anger, even love can be a dangerous emotion.”
His words settled in the room. They all knew it was true.
Ava remembered what Emma had almost made her do and imagined what she would do if someone made her believe Caleb was in danger.
Anything.
“We have to get them back,” she said. “Both of them.”
Tiernan pushed away from the wall to face Andreas. “Can your sensor help?”
Andreas pursed his lips. “Most likely. It’s easier if he has a sample from the subject.”
“What kind of sample?” Gideon asked. “We drew some blood and brought it with us.”
Andreas nodded. “That should do it.”
“Wait a minute.” Madeleine held up a hand. “Which sensor are you talking about?”
“A young man recently acquired,” Andreas said smoothly. “He’s proven useful to the Bureau.”
At Ava’s questioning look, Caleb whispered, “The Protection Bureau. It’s the agency that oversees the Protectors and their activities. Andreas is Council liaison to the Bureau.”
“We utilize sensors, among other things, to aid Protectors in pursuit of potential threats to the Race,” Andreas said.
“You mean Half-Breeds,” Ava clarified, and the man inclined his head in acknowledgement.
Madeleine cleared her throat. “In light of these developments, I’d say we need to cut this meeting short. Finding Soph
ie and Isaiah needs to be our top priority. Are we agreed?” She looked at each Council member in turn, receiving unanimous nods of agreement. “Kaeden, perhaps you can head up the investigation of the site of the Rogue attack. Have our best people comb the area. Maybe they can turn something up that’s been missed.” The Council member nodded, and Madeleine turned to Rafe and Naomi. “I think we need to have a plan in place to inform the people of the situation when the time comes. We need them behind us if we’re going to take on the Rogues.”
“Should we have a contingency plan to evacuate the city?” Rafe asked.
“We need a contingency plan for everything,” Madeleine said with a sigh. “Until we know more, we need to be ready for anything.”
“Perhaps you should accompany me to Bureau headquarters,” Andreas said to Tiernan. “Bring these samples you spoke of.”
Gideon shot to his feet. “I’ll go with you.”
Ava had never seen the man look so nervous. She glanced at Madeleine, who’d taken a sudden interest in her folded hands.
“Maybe I should go with you, too,” Ava said. “I seem to have some kind of connection to Sophie. I don’t know if it’ll help, but—”
“Very well,” Andreas said with an annoyed sigh. “Anyone else coming along?”
Caleb started to get up, but Madeleine beat him to it. “Caleb, if I might, I’d like to have a word with you.”
“But Ava—”
“I’m fine,” Ava said quickly. The last thing she wanted was to be the cause of more conflict between the two of them.
“You sure?”
“Of course. I’ll catch up with you at your place, okay?” Ava felt her cheeks heat when she realized what Caleb’s mother had just heard her say. “I mean, uh, to eat something, or we can meet there and then go eat something or—”
Caleb choked on a laugh.
I am going to kill him.
“I’ll see you there in a few hours,” he said.
She left with the others before her face exploded in flames.
Chapter 9
“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Finn asked, picking a twig out of his curly brown hair.
The MORE Trilogy Page 57