Darken the Stars(7)
Even without a body, my response sounds like a snort. “I don’t care.”
“You’re no good to us dead! We need information, and you’re the only one in a position to provide it. You’re the only one who can get close to them. Stop being a selfish child!”
I want to lash out at him—hurt him. I want his heart to ache like mine does. “I’m not helping you.”
“Then help yourself! You should learn when to go! Your gift will kill you!”
“Good!” I retort.
“Your life is failing.” He pushes more of his own life force into me, strengthening the silhouette of me that is beginning to fade. “You have to go back! Now!”
“I’m never going back,” I reply. I look away from him. The shiny, gold stardust of my hair runs in shimmering waves over Trey’s chest as I rest my cheek against him.
“Then you’ll die!” Giffen roars as he swipes his hand across the side table, knocking vials of liquid and scattering them across the floor with a loud racket.
“You’re going to have to find another way in with the Alameeda. I’m done.”
“Why? What’s wrong? What’s going on there?”
“You know,” I accuse him.
“If I knew, I wouldn’t ask.”
“Please go back, Kricket,” Astrid pleads.
I stab her with my golden stardust stare. “He’s going to make me sleep with him.”
She looks as if I punched her in the stomach. “Who’s going to make you?”
“Kyon—your Alameeda friend who traded you for me. He owns me now. They gave me to him.”
Her face loses most of its color. “He’s not my friend.”
“He’s not mine, either,” I reply.
She looks at Raspin, whose face contorts in shame. She points her finger at him. “I’m never speaking to you again!” Her venom turns on Giffen next. “You have to get her out of there!”
Giffen shakes his head. “There’s no way right now, but even if there were, I wouldn’t do it. You think she’d be safe here?” He gestures to me while he snarls at Astrid. “She’s in the only place where she won’t be under the constant threat of death every single rotation. Ruthless or not, Kyon will protect her. He can’t help himself. I saw the look on his face when he saw her—when I ransomed her. It was relief. He’d never have negotiated with us for you if she weren’t the trade. He would’ve brought his army and crushed us instead. He needs her, and we need her there. She’s going back! The Alameeda Strikers are annihilating Rafe. It’s only a matter of time before they turn their attention to us. We have to find a way to take them out now, and your sister is the only one we have on the inside.”
“So I’m expendable,” I say to Giffen. “I think that’s the theme of my life with you guys.”
“You’re an asset! Start acting like one!” Giffen refuses to be cowed. He paces in front of me with a withering look upon his face. “I used to think you were so strong.”
“When did you think that?” I ask.
“Never mind. Where has he taken you?”
“I can’t go back. You don’t know Kyon! He’s all bite. There’s no bark. He just strikes and keeps on striking!”
“You’re smarter than him. Make him yours,” Giffen retorts.
“There’s no making him mine! Anyway, it doesn’t matter anymore. I told you. I’d rather die than go back.”
“I can’t let you do that,” Giffen replies.
“You have no choice.”
“I haven’t watched you all this time to let you kill yourself now! You’ll return to him and find a way to take down the Alameeda, or so help me I’ll kill you myself!”
“You’ve watched me? When did you watch me?”
Giffen doesn’t answer as he stands in front of me breathing heavily in an attempt to rein in his anger.
Astrid answers instead. “You were given to him to protect. He’s been your keeper.”
“My keeper?”
“He’s a member of the Order of the Tempest—it’s the society of mostly male Alameeda offspring who survived with the EVS819 gene.”
“Is that what you call our freak gene—EVS819?” When she nods, I say, “And your band of lost boys are the Tempest?”
Astrid gestures to Giffen and then to Raspin. “They’re the ones who swore an oath to protect the priestesses of the prophecy—that’s us.” She indicates herself and me with a gesture of her hand.
“I think you mean protect you because, so far, I’ve been on my own.”