“I’m not looking for him. Let Mother deal with Shaddai.” She glances past me.
“Then what are you looking for? Or more to the obvious point,who?”
“You.” Her eyes glitter as they examine my features. “How are things going on the Faction front?”
“Ezrina’s been working on regenerating the Spectators and it isn’t going well, but it’s not going horribly either. And as far as hiding the markers goes, she’s still in the cell stages.”
She shakes her head with frustration. “She needs people to participate in the trials. Speak to the Factions. Someone will volunteer. There is always one who will see the greater good and be willing to offer themselves up as a sacrifice.”
“No, I don’t want anyone to do that. If I’ve had anything pounded into my head, it’s the fact death is all too real, all too permanent, all too painful.”
“You’re preaching to the choir.” She makes a face as she looks to the crowd once again. “My God, he’s still with her. I’m no expert on human socialization, but I think he’s showboating for you. I don’t think this is real.”
I glance back and spot Chloe caging Gage in with her death grip.
“See that baby bump? That’s about as real as it gets. He’s either in over his head or he’s in heaven. And judging by the riff we had outside, it’s the latter of the two.”
A husky laugh growls through her. “He’s not over you by a long shot, Skyla. That boy wishes it were you in his bed and not Chloe.”
“We’re over, Rory. I’ve been such a mess. I actually all but begged poor Marshall to take me behind the proverbial shed and have me. But it’s Logan who I really want. I guess deep down I’m terrified of losing him, too. I can’t keep taking my heart back to some desolate place filled with false hope. I need to—”
“Focus on our people. Trust me when I say this. I’m doing the same. But it doesn’t mean that I can’t detest the beast for dual reasons.”
“And they would be?” I’m a bit amused at the thought of my sister detesting Gage for any reason.
Her eyes flash to mine, a jag of lightning going off in each one. “For what he did to our people and for what he did to you.”
“It looks as if we’re on the same page, after all. What can you do to help me, though? Is there some way you can assist Ezrina with the markers?”
Her lips purse as she looks back out to the devilish duo. “I don’t think so, but I have a feeling I can garner you a brand new ally who might just be as fighting mad as you are to get even with that monster. It will take some time, though. Take my word for it. My plan is a good one.” She takes off and I try to catch her, but she dissolves into the crowd.
What in the hell was she talking about? What ally? Why would it take time? And why on earth does she feel the need to get them on our side?
Every ounce of me says that I need to report Rory to the proper authority and that proper authority would be our mother. But another part of me realizes that my mother can’t be trusted. What if Rory’s plan is the ace I need? What could it hurt to let it play out a little while longer? Once she brings me this ally, if I don’t approve, I can nip it in the bud at that point. Otherwise, I’ll never know. And God knows I need every ace that I can get my hands on.
The music takes a turn for the caustic, and soon the shaking bodies on the dance floor have the entire building vibrating along with them. I spot Gage trying to part with Chloe, but she’s forcing him to slow dance. Her eyes are closed. Her mind is off in some la la land where the two of them are a reality, and sadly this would be that reality.
I hate that my every nightmare has decided to rear its ugly head all at the same time. I would much rather be eaten alive by a clown Fem. And sadly, my fear of clowns has made a reprisal since Gage left. He took my heart and exchanged it for a ball of anxiety. I never thought that I could hate anyone more than I hate Chloe, but I hate the new Gage.
A hand clasps onto my wrist and spins me around, and soon enough I’m face to face with Ellis. His eyes look clear, his expression somber, and as much as I hate to admit it, the sober version of him always worries me a bit more than the stoned version.
“I spoke to Ezrina,” he grunts it out with anger. “I’m in. I’m the one who she’s to run experiments on. I’m volunteering. She can’t use the Spectators.” He takes a deep breath.
“Why not?” No sooner do I push the words out than a pin pricks my proverbial balloon. “They’ll take us to court.” I shake my head. “Of course. Wes will squeeze the Videns until we’re standing in front of the Justice Alliance. It doesn’t mean they’ll win. We’re in a war. They killed our people. We could just as easily take them to court.”
He shakes his head. “This falls under inhumane treatment. Death is final and apparently fair. Besides, you don’t want to mess with the Spectators and their screwed-up DNA. You need to know that whatever it is you’re implanting works on clean people who haven’t morphed into monsters.”
My eyes flit to Gage when he says that word. Rory called him a monster, and now he’s my go-to guy at the mention of the word. He was my saving grace, my angel for so long, the irony isn’t lost on me.
“We’ll see.” I pull him in for a quick embrace as Giselle bops up, looking every bit like a glowing, gorgeous version of Emerson Kragger.
“Hands off my man.” She winks my way.
“He’s all yours, G. Hey, you wouldn’t have happened to see Emerson here tonight, have you?”
She rolls her beautiful blue eyes. “Something happened with Lexy and Michelle. She was standing there when the two of them went at it and broke it up.”
“A fight?” Lex and Michelle haven’t gotten physical since they tried to duke it out over Logan. “Is Liam there?” My heart lurches in my throat. If they’re not fighting for Logan—God, how I hope they’re not fighting for Liam. Liam and Michelle are married, for Pete’s sake.
