The MORE Trilogy (32 page)

“It’ll be okay,” Caleb murmured quietly, alert eyes scanning the buildings surrounding them. Ever since he spotted whatever he’d spotted outside the Arena, he’d seemed almost paranoid. He thought he hid it well, but Ava could feel the tension in his body, the rigid awareness as his gaze flicked around in a complex pattern, missing nothing.

“I know,” she said, although she knew nothing of the sort.

She trusted Caleb, but other than that, she knew her fate was up in the air. She’d seen some amazing things since she arrived in New Elysia—technology years ahead of what she was used to—and knew that escape would be a fifty-fifty proposition at best. No matter how confident Caleb seemed, she knew both their lives were in danger if they decided to run. Which is why if the Council gave her the opportunity, she would stay. If they decided to let her live, she’d give up her life out in the world, because it was the only way to make sure Caleb would be safe.

She glanced up at him surreptitiously. He wasn’t going to be happy.

“What is it?” he asked.

Ava frowned. “I hate it when you do that.”

“Do what?”

“Read my mind.”

He laughed. “I told you. I can’t read your mind.”

“Well, read my bodily responses, then. Whatever you want to call it, it’s annoying.”

Caleb flashed her a smirk, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “Well, perhaps you need to practice masking your responses so you’re not so easy to read.”

She rolled her eyes. “Maybe
you
need to stop looking so closely.”

“Maybe that’s easier said than done.”

Ava snorted. “Because of your oh-so-superior innate observational skills?”

“No,” he replied quietly, not meeting her eyes. “Not because of that.”

A rush of inexplicable heat warmed Ava’s skin as she absorbed his words. His eyes flickered to hers briefly before he flushed and looked away again, shoving his hands deep in his pockets.

Could he mean . . . ?

Ava licked her lips, wondering if she dared to ask. Butterflies twisted in her stomach, her palms damp as her heart pounded heavily. “Why, then?” she asked quietly.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, and he stopped suddenly, turning toward her, his gaze focused on his shoes. “I just . . .” he stammered, lifting a hand to scratch the back of his neck. “I . . . uh—” Suddenly, his head snapped to the side, his entire body stiffening.

“What is it?” Ava asked.

He didn’t even look at her. “Wait here,” he ordered. And then he was gone.

Caleb shifted, and Ava saw him appear about a block ahead, peeking around the corner of a small house. He glanced at her briefly before disappearing behind the house.

Ava gripped the umbrella handle, absently noticing the sleet picking up. Icy drops slashed overhead—around her—a flash of lightning crackling through the sky as thunder rumbled overhead. But Ava ignored it all, her eyes focused on the spot she’d last seen Caleb, willing him to reappear.

Where was he? What had he seen? Was he okay?

Fear had her stumbling forward, one step after another—slowly at first, then faster, until her feet pounded on the wet pavement, splashing through the intermittent, slushy puddles.

“Caleb?” she called, as another bolt of lightning lit the sky. She dropped the umbrella, running in earnest, a feeling of panic speeding her steps. She raced down the block, still unable to take her eyes off the corner where he’d disappeared. She slowed only as she finally reached that point, pressing her back against the house as she peeked between the buildings.

Nothing.

“Caleb?” Quieter now, unsure if someone else might have been listening. “Are you there?”

Hesitantly, she made her way between the two buildings, keeping one hand on the wall next to her like a lifeline. The rain intensified, freezing bits of ice melting in her hair, dripping into her eyes, and blurring her vision, but she swept away the water as she stepped toward the back of the building. Easing her way silently.

Left foot. Together.

Left foot. Together.

She came to the far corner of the building and pressed her back against the wall again, listening intently for any sign of Caleb or whatever—or whoever—he’d found. Mud seeped into her shoes, and she shivered uncontrollably in her wet clothes, but she barely noticed as blood pulsed through her veins. Slowly, she leaned forward, one eye breaching the border to the back of the house.

“Hello, Ava.”

She whirled about at the unfamiliar voice, throwing her hands up instinctively in defense. She blinked for a moment in surprise, unable to process what—or rather, who—stood before her.

“Arthur?” Her hands fell to her sides slowly as she took in the figure of her childhood friend. “What in the world are you doing here?”

He reached out to wrap his long fingers around her upper arm, his voice quick and urgent. “I’m here to help you. Come on, we need to go.”

Ava took a couple of steps, still dazed, before stopping abruptly and pulling her arm free. “What’s going on, Arthur? I don’t understand. I thought you were at MIT.”

Arthur brushed his long black bangs back impatiently, shaking icy drops of water from his hand. “Look, we don’t have time for this. I’ve come to get you out of here before it’s too late.”

“But . . . I’m supposed to go before the Council.”

“You don’t want to do that.”

Ava looked back the way she came, stomach roiling with nerves. “I need to tell Caleb—”

“No time,” he said gruffly, grabbing her wrist to drag her along. “Look, I know you’re freaked out, and I’ll explain it all, but right now we need to go.”

He looked down at her, black eyes piercing. “I’m your friend, right?”

Ava just nodded.

“Just trust me. I’m trying to help you. Don’t worry. I’ll get word to Caleb.” His steps quickened until they were both jogging down the street, dodging between buildings and ducking behind trees as the sleet pounded down in heavy sheets.

“You know Caleb?” she asked finally, as they paused under the eaves of a low brick building, Arthur texting into his phone.

“Yeah . . . sure,” he said distractedly.

Ava took a deep breath, tapping into her power and focusing on Arthur’s familiar face. She expected it, but to see his features change, becoming more angular, his skin golden and glowing, still took her by surprise. She gasped, and the Veil snapped back into place.

“So . . . you’re one of them? One of the Race?” she murmured, still trying vainly to put everything into place. Why was he there? Where was he taking her?

“Uh-huh,” he muttered, shoving his phone back into his pocket and grabbing her hand. “Let’s go. They’re waiting for us at the edge of the city.”

“But what about the cameras?”

“Taken care of,” he said. “Believe me, we have this operation well coordinated.”

“Operation?” she repeated, yanking her hand from his. “Arthur, what the hell is going on? Are you my friend? Or are you just someone else who’s been lying to me my whole life so you could keep an eye on me to protect your precious Race?

“And if you’re not with the Council, who are you with? The Guardians?”

“We don’t have time for this,” he said through gritted teeth. “He’ll realize you’re gone soon, if he hasn’t already.”

“Who?” she asked as a frightening chill raced through her. “Caleb, you mean?”

“Ava, come on!”

“I thought you knew Caleb. I thought you were on the same side.”

Arthur cursed under his breath as his phone buzzed. He pulled it out, glancing at the message and exhaling heavily. “I didn’t want to do this,” he told her. “But we’re out of time.”

And as Ava gaped at him, he pressed a hand to her forehead and caught her in his arms as she faded into unconsciousness.

Caleb stepped across the front lawn of a white clapboard cottage, popping a cube into his mouth to ward off the dizziness from several short shifts. He’d felt that same presence as before, and again, found no evidence of whoever had been watching them. Brushing the rain from his eyes, he circled back to the street, opting for the sidewalk rather than vaulting the fences and shrubs he’d encountered while skulking through the backyards in his fruitless search.

The presence was gone. He reached out with his senses, but whoever it was had disappeared.

He quickened his pace, knowing Ava was most likely worried about his quick departure, not to mention full of questions.

Again.

She was always full of questions.

He rounded the corner, expecting to find her waiting where he’d left her, several blocks up. He didn’t see her at first and scanned the surrounding area, figuring she must have taken shelter under a porch or tree when the rain picked up. He froze, however, when he spotted a familiar red shape rolling in the street.

The umbrella.

Caleb’s heart raced as he sped up, eyes darting around him frantically. “Ava!”

What had he done? How could he have left her alone?

“Ava!”

What if, in some ridiculous attempt to protect him, she decided to try and escape on her own? She wouldn’t get past the city borders, and when the Council found out—

He couldn’t even think about what the Council would do when it found out.

Lightning flashed, and out of the corner of his eye, Caleb spotted movement in the window of a house across the street. He raced up the porch and pounded on the door until a young woman with flowing blonde hair and startling pale eyes responded. Caleb didn’t recognize her, but he could see the fear on her face.

“I’m sorry to bother you. I’m Caleb Foster,” he said, forcing his voice to remain calm.

The girl nodded, a spark of recognition in her eyes. “Ah, yes. I’ve heard about you.”

“I was just looking for my friend—”

“You mean the Half-Breed.”

Caleb swallowed. Of course, she would know about it. The whole city knew about it.

“Well, that’s still up for debate,” he replied. “But I left her here, and she’s gone now. Did you . . . did you happen to see where she went?”

“The Council won’t be happy you lost her,” she muttered.

“I haven’t
lost
her,” he snapped. Taking a breath, he looked into the woman’s eyes. “Please. I need to find her.”

She shrugged. “I saw her talking with a tall man, black hair. I figured he was another Protector. They left a few minutes ago. Seemed in a hurry, too.”

Caleb fought to overcome the panic threatening his control. “Which way did they go?”

She pointed down the road, and Caleb took off without another word, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. The rain had finally stopped. He missed nothing, pounding through the puddles and searching for clues, before he dialed a familiar number.

“Caleb?”

“Mother,” he replied, coming to a stop abruptly at the sight of a footprint just off the sidewalk. He searched the muddy grass, spotting another one—no two, different sizes—between two houses.

“I need to know if you assigned anyone else to Ava,” he said, following the prints to the shared backyard.

“What?”

“Mother, please,” he nearly shouted. “No politics. No talking in circles. Just tell me. Have you assigned another Protector to Ava?”

He heard her exhale heavily. “No, of course not. Where are you? She’s supposed to appear before the Council in less than fifteen minutes.”

“Is she Race?”

“Caleb, you know I can’t discuss—”

“Mother! Is. She. Race?”

After a moment, she said quietly, “Yes. Caleb, what’s going on?”

Caleb continued following the prints to where they disappeared in some thick underbrush. “I don’t know, Mother, but I need your help. I think someone’s taken her.”

“Taken her?” Caleb listened carefully for any indication of subterfuge, but his mother sounded genuinely surprised. “Who? Where?”

“I don’t know where. I need Tiernan.” The man grated on Caleb’s patience, but he was the best tracker they had. “As for who, I don’t know that, either. Guardians?”

“Perhaps.” Hesitance.