He rode into the encampment and dismounted. People were talking in groups, humans and Opiri strictly separated from each other. In the few places where the two groups mingled, they exchanged ugly looks.
“Murderers,” one hooded Opir hissed as he passed.
With Lazarus in tow, Timon headed straight for the San Francisco delegation. Cassius, along with several Riders, was speaking intently with Amos Parks. Several members of the delegation observed anxiously from the sidelines, including Jamie.
Timon tied his mount to the nearest tent and slipped in among the watchers, though he had no doubt that Cassius had seen him arrive. As he made his way toward Jamie, two of the delegation soldiers arrived with Cahill between them.
“What is this?” Cahill snapped. He stared at Cassius. “What do you want?”
“We’ve been told you were out all night,” Cassius said.
“I was riding in the desert,” Cahill said. “Is there some law against it?”
Cassius signaled to his Riders. They walked around Amos and took custody of Cahill, displacing the delegation soldiers.
“We’ll need to question him,” Cassius said with a hard glance toward Timon. “He won’t be harmed.”
“But this is—” Amos began.
“Our job,” Cassius finished.
“Because of wild rumors?” Amos said.
“It is our intention to find the origin of these rumors,” Cassius said. He nodded to the Riders. They marched the protesting Cahill away. Cassius lingered.
“I would advise you to take great care, Councilman Parks,” Cassius said. “Stay close to your camp unless you have no other choice.”
The Riders left without further explanation. The members of the delegation broke into bewildered conversation.
Timon pulled Jamie aside.
“What’s happened?” he asked.
“More Opiri deaths,” she said, still staring after Cahill. “The rumors have started. Someone has leaked information about the virus.” She met his gaze. “Did you tell anyone, Timon?”
Timon thought of Cassius, in whom he had so trustingly confided. The captain would never have spread the rumors himself; he knew as well as Timon what chaos would result.
Could Cassius have shared the information with someone he thought was trustworthy? He might have contacted Opir scientists to confirm what Timon had told him about the virus. Could one of them have spread the information in the Opiri precinct?
It didn’t really matter who had done it. The consequences were only beginning, and somebody had already decided that Cahill had some part in what had happened. Timon was frankly amazed that the entire delegation hadn’t been arrested en masse.
But Timon hadn’t told Cassius anything about Cahill in particular. Someone had convinced the captain that the Senator, not the delegation’s leader, was the best member of the Enclave to question.
Perhaps someone within the delegation itself.
“No,” he said at last, “I didn’t tell anyone.”
The lie choked him, but he couldn’t afford to lose Jamie’s trust now. Not when he might be her only protection. He could no longer count on Cassius’s keeping his word.
“Did anyone else here in camp know?” he asked Jamie.
She looked toward Parks, who was trying to calm his people. “No,” she said. “We don’t have much time left, if we have any at all.”
“I’m not leaving you from now on,” Timon said under his breath. “As far as they know, we’re lovers who won’t be parted.”
* * *
Later that same afternoon, Jamie learned that Councilman Parks had been called to an emergency meeting with the Conclave’s Administrative Committee. Jamie had expected to attend as Parks’s aide, but she was more than surprised when the Rider messengers asked Timon to come, as well.
She had no time to ask for an explanation. Their Rider escort, six strong, guided them through an ever-shifting crowd of nervous humans and, near the end, visibly hostile Opiri. Timon stuck so close to her that their bodies were always touching, and that gave her comfort.
As soon as they entered the Committee tent, Jamie felt the tension. The Administrative Committee, sitting behind a long table on a low dais with Rider escorts watching from the sidelines, was made up of six Opiri and six human delegates, led by Opir Committee President Pheidon. They began to question Amos almost immediately.
“Rumors of the virus’s existence spread among the Citadels fifty years ago,” Pheidon said, “but it was thought to have been destroyed. How did it survive?”
Amos admitted that he had no idea, and denied knowing anything about the virus’s being at the Conclave. He asked to speak to Cahill and was refused. The Committee members continued to question him, and he answered plausibly without mentioning Jamie or Timon in any way.
“So you believe it was Senator Cahill who brought the virus from the Enclave, and insist that you knew nothing about it,” a human Committee member said.
“I can’t speak about the Senator,” Amos said in a quiet, respectful voice. “That is your claim, not mine.”
“But does it make sense that none of the rest of you knew of the virus?” another Committee member asked.
“Did Cahill suggest we did?”
The members of the Committee consulted with one another. Timon held Jamie’s arm, refusing to let her move away from him.
“Timon,” Pheidon said. “Please step forward.”
With a grim glance at Jamie, Timon let her go and walked toward the dais. Cassius appeared and joined the Committee members beside the table.
“Tell us what you learned from the San Francisco delegation,” Cassius asked.
Jamie’s stomach tightened with dread. She stared at Timon as he met his captain’s eyes, his expression as implacable as the desert sun.
“I don’t understand the question,” he said.
“We know that you were sent to observe the delegation and gather information about any secrets they might be hiding,” Cassius said. “Do you deny this?”
Timon looked back at Jamie, devastation in his eyes. “I still don’t know who hired the Riders to uncover these supposed secrets,” he said. “Was it the Committee?”
“No,” Pheidon said flatly.
“Then who was it?”
“You are not here to ask questions,” Cassius said.
“And we have proof of the virus’s existence,” Pheidon said. “We need to know who else in the delegation had previous knowledge of it, and who kept it quiet when they should have reported it to us immediately.”
“I know of no such persons,” Timon said, standing very straight.
“Did you not take Cahill out into the desert to question him?”
Jamie closed her eyes. Timon had been sent to spy on them. But when? Before or after he’d helped her identify the virus? Why hadn’t he exposed her earlier, or told her about Cahill?
He isn’t exposing you now. He’s lying for you.
“I learned nothing from him,” Timon said. “You arrested him shortly after I returned.”
“And it was your interest in him that led to his arrest,” Cassius said.
“You were watching me.”
“We couldn’t be sure of your loyalty. You have a chance to prove it now.”
Chapter 31
“I did suspect Cahill,” Timon said to the council. “But he was the only one.”
“You have nothing more to add?”
“No.”
Holding very still, Jamie tried to maintain her composure. Timon had withheld important information from her, but now he was withholding it from his captain. He’d put himself in an untenable position.
It would have been so easy for him to tell the Committee everything he knew. That was the t
hought Jamie clung to. He had spied on her, but he wasn’t going to betray her.
But what would the Committee do with him?
Pheidon signaled to Cassius, who dismissed Timon with a wave of his hand. Timon retreated to a point halfway between the dais and where Amos and Jamie stood, as if he still meant to defend the San Francisco delegates from attack.
“We believe we know why the virus was released here,” Pheidon said. “It was meant to weaken the Opiri delegations by reducing their numbers. Whoever did this does not want peace, but slaughter, just as the original makers of the virus intended. If it spreads beyond the Conclave, it could conceivably kill every Opir on this continent.” He glared at Amos. “It is possible that the instigator did not intend total genocide, in which case he may also have a cure. We must learn if such a cure exists.”
“We will do everything we can to cooperate,” Amos said.
“I hope that is true, Councilman,” Pheidon. “We will be taking preventative action to reduce the risk of infection. Until we find answers, the Conclave is suspended.”
Amos inclined his head. “I understand.”
“You had better look to your own,” Cassius said. “We will have to assume that members of your delegation are infected with the virus. You are forbidden to donate blood, and we can’t guarantee your safety if you wander far from your camp.”
“If they’re innocent,” Timon said, “you can’t leave them undefended.”
Cassius gave Timon such a look of contempt that Jamie winced. “You’ve thrown your lot in with the humans,” Cassius said. “You have my permission to defend them.”
Timon backed closer to Amos and Jamie. “We should go,” he said softly.
“You’re not welcome,” Amos said coldly.
“Let him come,” Jamie whispered. “You said you owed him a debt, and he can’t go back to the Riders now.”
Amos must have known this was no time to argue. He preceded Jamie and Timon to the tent entrance, Timon pressed so closely behind Jamie that they were virtually breathing the same air.
As soon as they stepped out into the light, Jamie felt how everything had changed. The nervous, sometimes hostile attitudes of the other delegates, which had seemed disturbing but not alarming on their way to the Committee tent, now seemed much worse. There were far fewer humans out than would normally be seen in daylight, and several packs of hooded Opiri followed closely alongside or behind Jamie, Amos and Timon.
Timon’s presence seemed to keep any chance of physical danger at bay, and the Opir gangs contented themselves with muttered curses.
The Enclave’s soldiers were waiting for them at the edge of the human precinct, their eyes darting left and right as they closed in around Jamie and her godfather. Timon stood a little apart, following them to the Enclave tents with his face half turned toward the Opiri, who had finally ended their pursuit.
They stopped in front of Amos’s tent. Amos spoke to one of the soldiers, who trotted toward one of the nearby tents.
“I thought I’d made clear that you’re not welcome here,” Amos said to Timon.
“I don’t plan to leave Jamie’s side,” Timon said, holding her godfather’s stare.
“Let me talk to him, Amos,” Jamie said, taking Timon’s arm. She dragged him around to the side of the tent.
“You spied on us for Cassius,” she said. “Was it all a lie, your being thrown out of the Riders?”
“It was then,” Timon said. “But I suggested it so that I could stay close to you.”
Jamie knew she shouldn’t take his word for anything, but her heart betrayed her. Timon had said that they would share the same fate from now on. She wanted so badly to believe him.
“What were you supposed to tell him?” she asked.
“He sent me to learn more about the virus.”
“Then he already knew our delegation might be responsible. The Opir scientists must have been studying the dead Opiri, just as we suspected.”
Timon hesitated. “Cassius didn’t confide in me,” he said.
“You didn’t expect to be exposed so publicly, did you?”
“It’s obvious that Cassius doesn’t trust me,” he said. “He wanted you to know I’d been deceiving you.”
“And if you’d told him we were all involved, he’d have arrested us on the spot?”
“I trusted him,” Timon said. “I expected him to handle this with discretion, considering the stakes.” He searched her eyes. “I don’t blame you for doubting me. All I ask is to stay by your side and do what I can to help you.”
“And I have no way of knowing if this is another ruse. How can you expect me to convince Amos that—”
Timon silenced her with a kiss. He pulled her to his body and pressed his mouth hard against hers.
Jamie responded as if she had no control over herself, melting into his arms and clutching his jacket almost violently. She heard nothing but her own pulse pounding in her ears. Every nerve in her body felt exposed and raw.
She pushed him away, holding him at arm’s length.
“You think it’ll be that easy?” she demanded, her lips throbbing.
“Easy?” He barked a laugh. “You can push me away, Jamie, but I’m not leaving. Tell that to your godfather.”
“And if he sends the soldiers to eject you?”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt them,” Timon said. “You know I would.”
“I know.” She took a step back. “I can’t stop you. But you may still have a chance to salvage your relationship with your Brotherhood, if you go back now and—”
“It’s too late,” he said. “I wouldn’t go back even if Cassius begged me to. I’ve made my choice.”
If Jamie allowed herself to interpret his words the way she so desperately wanted to, she might dare think they could truly start over, that he loved her and she could allow herself to love him.
But the uncertainty was still there. She didn’t dare give way to her own emotions. The distraction could be fatal.
“If you’re going to stay here,” she said, “you’d better get your things.”
With a brief nod, Timon turned away. Jamie touched her lips and watched him disappear. Then she circled Amos’s tent and went inside to join the meeting the President of the Administrative Committee had convened for the entire delegation.
* * *
The mob had nearly surrounded the Enclave camp by the time Timon returned.
He’d packed his basic supplies and clothing in a duffel and carried it slung over his shoulder, moving as swiftly as he could. The idea of being apart from Jamie even for half an hour haunted him, and when he saw the mass of hoods, seething like beetles on hot sand, he knew the worst had happened.
Dropping the duffel, he charged into the crowd. He shoved Opiri aside and found the Enclave soldiers standing to either side of Amos Parks, who was clearly trying without success to calm the yelling Opiri.
Timon strode out into the narrow space between the mob and the humans. He stopped in front of Amos. “Where is Jamie?”
“Inside with the others,” Amos said. “How many are there out there?”
“At least fifty,” Timon said.
“They seem to want our blood,” Amos said with a hard smile.
“You spread the virus!” one of the nearest Opiri shouted.
“Genocide!” another cried.
“I’ve tried to reason with them,” Amos said, “but I fear it’s gone beyond that.”
“Go inside the tent,” Timon said.
“And what do you expect to do?”
“Fight.”
“Do what he said, Councilman,” Sergeant Cho said, shifting his weight. “We can hold them off until help arrives.”
“Help?” Amos grimaced. “The human delegations around u
s aren’t going to take on so many Opiri bare-handed.”
“Riders will come,” Timon said.
“And that should comfort us?”
Timon scanned the crowd. “It’s not yet sunrise. Until they can move freely without their daycoats, they won’t attack.”
“We will search the tents!” a female Opiri called. “Move out of our way, or you will be hurt!”
“There’s nothing here!” Jamie cried, pushing her way from the tent to Timon’s side. “An investigation is already being conducted! You can’t—”
Two Opiri surged forward. Timon shoved Jamie behind him and rushed the Opiri. He kicked the legs out from beneath one of them and struck the other across the face, almost dislodging his hood.
“Get inside the tent!” he snarled over his shoulder. Then he took a deep breath and howled.
No Rider who heard the cry of the prairie wolf would ignore it. It meant a Brother in distress, and Timon knew whoever responded wouldn’t guess who had made it before they arrived.
Everything went still. Opiri stared at each other. Some recognized the call and began shuffling backward. Others moved forward to replace the two Timon had knocked down.
“I’m not leaving you here to be killed,” Jamie said, moving up beside him. “If Cassius or the Committee sent these Opiri—”
Her words were cut off by the sound of hoofbeats. The mob began to split apart as the first mounted Riders began to disperse the Opiri. Timon could hear them ordering the protesters to return to their camps.
“However the Riders may feel about us,” Timon said, “they won’t let us be murdered.”
He grabbed her arm and steered her back to Amos and the soldiers. Then he took up his place in front of them again. A Rider—Orpheus—broke through the closest ring of Opiri and used a long, crooked staff to drag them back. The first rays of sun broke over the mountains, and the Opiri began a disorganized retreat.
When they were gone, Timon released his breath and turned back to Jamie. “You won’t be safe from now on,” he said. “There are too many who know about the virus and blame you for it.”
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