All three of their faces morph into identical confused expressions, even Callum’s, with his earlier warning of what was to come.
“Trees?” Dom finally asks. “How does one dress as a tree?”
I take in a weary breath. “The place where Harold is hiding out is buried in a small copse of trees outside the city. It’s well guarded and well hidden. He spent time there when he was younger, and I know how to find it.” I don’t mention the map Harold left for me, keeping his small rebellion as a secret between us. “The easiest way to sneak in is to use the trees as a disguise.”
Callum’s face morphs yet again, this time fully considering theplan. The tactical leader in him is crunching all the angles and it doesn’t take him long to arrive at a conclusion. “It could work.”
“It will work.” I try to imbue my voice with some of the confidence the royals all seem to possess. “Andra’s visions don’t always make sense at first glance, but they are always true.”
“If you say it is so, then I believe it, my lady.” Callum nods, and the others quickly follow suit.
It’s a simple statement, but it does something to the hollowed out cavity of my chest. Little by little Callum seems hell-bent on filling it.
“So we disguise ourselves as trees, sneak in, take him out, and then what?” Dom asks.
“Then we get my sister. And then we get the hell out.” I infuse my words with all the ferocity I can. “Harold might have been the one who did the actual killing, but Lady M is the one who poses the danger. Avoiding her is essential.”
“She is only one woman,” Alex points out. “Between me, Cal, and Dom we could handle her if needed. Maybe it’s better to eliminate her now, while we have the chance.”
I shake my head. “She is not just one woman. She has a whole squad of Gifted club members on her side. And I don’t want them hurt.”
“If they are on her side, then they are also enemies, are they not?”
I shoot Alex a glare. “They are on her side because she holds their lives in her hands. They don’t have a choice, and they deserve the opportunity to make one.”
Alex looks like he wants to argue the point further, but Callum silences him with a single look. “The three of us will get in, complete the job, and get out before we have to deal with Lady M or any of her…colleagues.”
“There are four of us, Your Highness.” I shoot a look of my own his way.
“Cate, you are not equipped or trained for something like this.”
“My sister is in there. I’m going. Let’s not waste time arguing about it.”
It only takes one more pointed look before he’s nodding. “Fine. Everybody clear on the plan?”
Alex nods his acquiescence.
Dom rubs her hands together. “So when do we go? Later tonight?”
I shake my head. “Tomorrow at the earliest. We’ll need the time to fully prepare our disguises. And we must go at the darkest of night.”
Alex heads for the door. “I will begin gathering supplies.”
“I’ll help.” Dom squeezes my arm before following her uncle out the door.
Callum and I follow right behind them, the four of us gathering sticks and twigs and bowls full of mud. If anyone were to spot us, I don’t know what they could possibly think, but it seems the neighbors prefer to keep to themselves anyway. A couple of hours later, we have everything we need. The only thing to do now is sleep, try to rest, and prepare for the following night.
After a short dinner of bread and hard cheese and a couple of bruised pieces of fruit, Callum and I meet in the one tiny bedroom, Alex and Dom camping out in the living room on two shabby cots.
I fall into Callum’s arms the moment the door closes behind me.
“It’s all going to work out, you know,” he tells me, brushing the hair back from my face.
“All of what is going to work out?”
“Everything.”
“How can you be so sure?” I press my forehead to the hard planeof his chest, absorbing the sound of his heartbeat and letting it steady me.
