“A Mage. I know.”
Wyatt shook his head. “Old-fashioned word. Never even made sense. It’s not like they walk on light.” He held up his finger. “Gravewalkers, on the other hand, do walk on graves.”
“Time’s a-wasting,” Switch reminded them as he laced his fingers together, much calmer than before. “I’ve never been the type to sit around and do nothing when there was a chance to make it right. But there’s a Polish expression: not my circus, not my monkeys. That’s the biggest lesson I’ve got to learn. So that means concentrating on my job and not sticking my nose in your business. Hunter’s my responsibility when his dad’s not around. I’ll stay. I’m sorry if I’m coming across as bossy, but you’re the one who invited us in on your problems. We can’t tell you how to run your show, but we can help. Take it. People who do nothing change nothing.”
“People who do something they’re not supposed to also get fired. Maybe to you it’s just a job, but this is the only thing I’ve got.”
“What if your friend dies?”
“I’m a Gravewalker. Dangling death as an incentive doesn’t work. The only reason people are afraid of death is because they don’t know what happens next. They think it’s over, like a curtain at the end of a play. But I know what happens. Death isn’t a big deal. Just the dying part.”
Switch covered his circle beard with both hands as if he were trying to keep himself from saying something he’d regret. Wyatt wasn’t going to apologize for his views on death; he couldn’t afford to get attached to people. Nobody understood Gravewalkers. Wyatt had lived his entire life watching specters come and go. Some people were better off dead.
Still. Gem was a sweet girl. He didn’t like the idea that someone could be hurting her. Not only that, but she’d willingly walked into the face of danger. She could have abandoned Niko and stayed here, but she’d gone back. Blast! Wyatt wanted to be a hero, but Raven would kick his ass if any of her father’s friends died because he decided to send them on a mission.
Or would she kick his ass fornotdoing it? Did she love Keystone more or her family?
Wyatt chewed on his fingernail, conflicted about the choice before him. “Fine. But you stay here.”
“Someone needs to control them,” Crush countered.
“I thought you said they wouldn’t attack my guys?”
Crush arched his brow. “You know how wolves are when they get blood in their mouth. I don’t think they’ll touch them, but it’ll go better if I’m along for the ride.”
“I don’t want you going.”
Crush stood up and turned his pockets inside out. “I’m all out of fucks to give. Don’t worry. I know what you’re thinking. Raven will kill you if I get myself killed. I’ll hang back and play it safe, but this isn’t up for debate. If Viktor has a problem with it, he can deal with me. If everything goes well, you take all the credit for approving the plan. I just need to make some calls.”
Wyatt got out of his seat and stretched. “Maybe you should wait until after dark. If you go prancing into the Breed district in broad daylight, you’ll end up in an eternity box.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Crush said. “Vamps are out all night, and if someone’s gonna notice us, they’ll notice us. Day or night.”
Switch rose to his feet. “What do you want me to do?”
“Work on that dickish personality of yours?” Wyatt clapped Switch’s shoulder as he passed by him. “I liked you better when you were losing at pool.”
Switch gave him a short grin. “And I liked you better when you were losing at darts.”
Hunter dashed into the room, a black mask covering his eyes.
“Well, hey there, Zorro.” Crush put his hands on his knees and looked Hunter in the eye. “Bad guys are trying to storm the castle. Think you can stay here and protect everyone?”
Hunter nodded exuberantly.
Crush rumpled his hair. “Good man. We’re counting on you. All these doors need to stay locked, and if anything bad happens, you and Kira need to hide like little mice.” He glanced up at Wyatt. “Is that her name?”
Wyatt looked into the gathering room. “I should go find her. She ain’t supposed to wander off. I want everyone together in case something happens and we need to fly the coop.”
Switch chuckled. “I’d never guess in a million years you were from the South.”
Wyatt frowned. “How did you know?”
“Lucky guess,” Switch said. “Lucky guess.”
Chapter 31
Gem shifted the pillow beneath her, cramps settling in her legs from having sat at the tea table all day, trying to translate Niko’s book. Her Mage power indicated the time of day was now reaching sunset. Had Viktor and the team completed their mission? She wondered about them a lot.
