Seeker (Riders #2)(101)

"You all right to walk out of here?" Marcus asks. "Jode's waiting for us with Riot when we get outside."

"How did you get in here?"

"Later, G. We need to roll."

"Daryn's upstairs."

"I know, man. We'll regroup, then come back for her. Move."

We sprint through the stone heart of the hill. My leg has healed, so I can haul with Bas and Marcus. We're climbing into daylight in minutes.

Jode stands with the horses and Riot bobs his head when he sees me. I swing up into the saddle and rest my hand on his withers. "You scared me, Riot."

He lights up like a bonfire. Most of it was an act, but I'm glad to know you care. I do too, Gideon. It's very good to be with you again.

I almost feel as whole as when we fold.

With Bas leading, we ride.

He takes us to an abandoned stone house with a sagging roof. We bring the horses right inside with us; they almost fill the single room.

Jode dismounts and climbs a wooden ladder to a loft. He sets himself up by a window with most of the glass panes missing, his bow within arm's reach as he stands watch.

Marcus moves to a boarded-up window, propping himself against the sill. Bas paces, his eyes down on the floor. Still no eye contact from him.

I stay with Riot, and lean against him as I listen to the horses settling their breathing.

I think the guys are waiting for me to speak, but I don't want to explain everything again yet-what Samrael can do, and has been doing. Or what Daryn can also do and has been doing.



       
         
       
        

"How'd you guys get back in without the orb?" I ask.

"Isabel," Marcus says. "She's at base camp. Right after we came in here together, she showed up with the missing piece of the orb-the shard that broke off when Daryn used it the first time. She told Cordero to hold on, that this wasn't over yet."

"She had that piece? And she used it to get you back in?"

Marcus nods. "She can open the portal like Daryn. It's a Seeker thing. I'm not even sure Daryn knew that. But, yeah. The broken piece was enough to get us back here. It's like Isabel knew all along she'd need it. That we'd need it."

"She probably did know."

"Probably."

"How did you know where I was?" I ask.

Bas still hasn't said a word to me. It's like I'm invisible to him.

"Riot," Jode says. "Soon after we came back in, we saw him with some Harrows, and you nowhere to be seen. We got Riot back, and let him lead the way. He came right to the entrance of the tunnels."

I pat Riot's neck. He makes a sound deep in his throat, his eyes glowing in the dim room.

"I'd seen those corridors once before," Bas says. "I'd gone exploring one day when Rael was gone. When I realized you were in there, I could only imagine one reason why." He finally meets my eyes. His expression is tragic. He looks broken up. He looks like he's rethinking his every thought over the past eight months. Like he's wondering how he could've believed a demon over his friends. "He fooled me, Gideon. And you paid the price."

"No, Bas. Don't think for one second this is your fault. No blame, no shame. We stand together and we stand strong. Agreed?"

He drops his head, pressing his fingers to his eyes.

Then he looks up and nods. "Yes. Agreed."





CHAPTER 41

DARYN

The night is endless.

I pace back and forth in front of the fire in my room. Feeding it until the woodpile is gone. Alternating between soaring emotional highs and crashing lows.

Gideon is alive! He's so close!

But he's imprisoned.

Samrael lied to me!

But now I don't have to make a decision about letting him leave the Rift. Now I know what's right.

I have the power to conjure!

I have the power to conjure.

This revelation sticks with me most, terrifies me most.

I look at the fire and imagine creating Riot.

I look at the bed and imagine creating Mom, sitting against the pillows. I imagine her holding me.

I look at the stool by the desk and imagine, randomly, creating the puppy that must be at home chewing on furniture. 

Can I do these things? Call these things into being here?

Have I been?

I think back to every little moment I've spent here and try to connect some sort of willful intention to create on my part, but I can't. I wasn't paying attention to my thoughts-they were just thoughts. I didn't even think that my thinking might have power.

But I should have.

We knew Rael could break into minds. Why didn't we think he could be behind the hauntings? The Harrows?

As curious as I am, and as strong as the pull is to see if I can manipulate the Rift, shape it into what I want to see, I lock it away.