We exited into the cave on the other side. At least the decor would have Fury and Dune feeling at home.
“Hello, baby girl.” Josian enclosed me in his warm arms; my feet left the ground. “You didn’t waste any time finding this halfling.”
“My name is Fury, not halfling.”
Fury and Dune stood just beyond the doorway. I shut it down, hoping the nomads wouldn’t follow. There’d been a desperate need in their gazes. With any luck they’d wait for Fury to keep her end of the deal.
“She has an attitude problem,” I warned Josian.
He shrugged. “She’s a Walker, goes with the territory.” He glanced at Lucas. “Anyone want to tell me why Lucy and Talina are in their current state of disarray?”
We all took a moment to truly observe them. Both had large puddles of drool running out of their mouths and pooling on the silvery material of Lucas’s suit. Lucy was still in her bra. Talina had one side of her shirt off and the other hanging askew. Soft snores were coming from Lucy’s open mouth.
Where was a camera when you needed one?
“The girls decided to indulge in the local drink. They should wake in a few hours,” Fury answered.
“Take them into Abby’s room.” Josian waved Lucas off.
The future Emperor raised his blond brow but didn’t comment as he left the room. He showed small signs of strain after carrying them both for hours, but he hadn’t complained so the burden must not have been too great.
“Can you teach me how to dismiss him like that?” I said.
Josian chuckled. “You do just fine.”
“Yeah,” Fury said, “haven’t you heard she’s super Abby?”
Josian spun around and for the first time locked his bronze eyes onto Fury’s face. She took an audible gulp at the sight of seven feet of cranky Walker.
“You.” He pointed one of his huge fingers at her. “Stop with the attitude right now. If you act like a child I will be forced to treat you like one. Walkers don’t cower before anyone, but we also don’t usually indulge in petty, attention-seeking comments.”
I cleared my throat, knowing that wasn’t exactly true. Josian flashed me a brief grin. Fury had opened her mouth to respond, but a cautious hand from Dune had her clamping her teeth shut. Josian spoke again, his anger passing by as quickly as it had appeared.
“Lalli has food prepared in the other room. Let’s all dine and discuss everything that’s been happening.” He left the room.
“Way to have Daddy fight your battles,” Fury hissed at me.
I reached out and clamped my hand around her thin but muscled bicep, pulling her to a halt. I got in really close to her face.
“Let us get one thing straight, Fury. I don’t need anyone to fight my battles. Josian just does not have time for your petty bullshit. And I have chosen to be the more mature person and ignore your outbursts. But if you continue to push me I will respond and it will not be pretty.”
She shrugged my hand off before marching out of the room.
“She just needs some time. She’s never been good at dealing with change,” Dune explained for her as we followed in her stomping wake.
“Well, she better get used to it, because if the last few months are any indication things are going to get much worse before they get better.” As I trudged along I fought the bone-deep weariness threatening to buckle me. Some days I should have just stayed in bed, or in my case, some weeks.
It took ten minutes for Lallielle to be reassured that I was fine and home safely. She then had to run off and check on the girls as well, returning with Lucas in tow. After that she served everyone an array of food, paying extra close attention to the prickly Crais half. I noticed on more than one occasion Fury’s expression soften as she stared at my caring mother. Yep, Lallielle had a way of working under your skin and, before you knew it, you loved her.
“So, has Aribella explained the situation to you, Fury?” Josian asked, placing his cutlery beside his plate.
Fury swallowed the food she’d been gulping down. “She has basically. We didn’t have much time. I know there are seven of us female half-Walkers and that we need to work together to prevent the Seventine release.”
Josian nodded. “Yes, and if they are released you will have to contain them.”
“How?” she asked.
He ran a hand through his red mane. “I wish I knew specific details. My brothers and I have been combing through all written history of Walkers and Seventine. The only reference we’ve found is some obscure jotted notes about how the combination of strengths will surround the origin and lead the way.”