“I guess they think we’ll get bored and run. But they don’t have workers looking after us. They barely have anyone guarding the building. We could have run away if we wanted.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No way,” Eve replied, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them. “I don’t want to go out there. Not if bad people are looking for us.”
I scooted toward the aisle to snag Viktor’s attention. “What happens when they turn eighteen? They can’t live in hiding forever, can they?”
“They release them,” he said matter-of-factly. “We have intelligence working in pediatrics and orphanages in hopes of identifying Potentials. Orphans are vulnerable because they are passed around to foster homes. There is more chance that they will be discovered.”
“How would anyone know what they are?”
“Because of this.” Adam pulled his shirtsleeve up and revealed what looked like a small tattoo on his bicep. “We’re all born with the same mark. Not in the same spot though.”
I shot out of my seat to look at it, just as everyone else did. The mark looked like a spade in a deck of cards, the edges well defined. It resembled a tattoo more than it did a birthmark.
Eve gaped at me. “Your eyes are so cool! Adam, look. That one is so blue, like one of those sled dogs. Are you some kind of mutant?”
Christian sputtered out a laugh. “Aye, lass. They call her the Shadow.”
Eve tried to dissect his remark, but Christian had perfect deadpan delivery. “What does that mean?”
“It means she’ll eat your soul.”
I shook my head. “Ignore him. I was born with these eyes, so it’s nothing special. I’m just an ordinary Mage.”
“Really? Can you show me?”
I jerked my head back. “You’ve never seen a Mage?”
“We’ve never seen anyone,” Adam complained. “All the workers were Relics, and they can’t do anything special.”
Shepherd’s jaw set. “Yeah. Nothing special about knowledge.”
Adam shifted in his seat. “You know what I mean. They can’t do anything cool, like shoot lightning from their fingers or climb walls.”
Viktor stood up. “This is your first time seeing Breed?” He clapped his hands together. “Fascinating! Shepherd, you must come tickle them.”
Adam scooted against Eve. “I don’t want anyone tickling me. Especially your crazy ninja standing by the wall. Does he talk?”
“Maybe we can do this later,” Blue said quietly to Viktor. “They’re probably overwhelmed with everything happening. Let’s not freak them out with a ticklefest of sensory emotions followed by your crazy wolf making an appearance.”
I looked out the window at the city moving by. “So where are we headed?”
Viktor glanced at his watch. “Top secret for now. In the meantime, we have drinks. Shall we?”
I hooked my arm in his. “We shall.”
Chapter 7
After a few hard drinks, I had a nice buzz going. The kids hopped around from seat to seat, and when they got bored, they retreated to the bedroom to avoid the adults. Because we couldn’t take any chances on them sneaking out and exploring the rest of the train, we decided to take turns guarding the door.
Shepherd took the first shift and stood in the connecting space between the cars. He was probably relieved to get away from the kids and light up a smoke. Adam wanted to know how he got all the scars on his body. Eve asked if his tattoos were permanent and if he used liquid fire. Then they wanted to hear all about how liquid fire worked and where it came from, which he didn’t have all the answers to.
Snuggled on the corner sofa in the back, I admired the view. As the tracks created a never-ending trail behind us, I thought about the time I had left with my father slipping away. I also didn’t like the distance between us growing with each mile, and it gave me a sliver of understanding of what Shepherd must have been going through with Hunter. If something happened, I wouldn’t be there to help.
Christian sat down next to me and sighed. “Leave it to Viktor to pick a sunny day for a train ride. And you call these curtains? They’re as thin as an Irish mother’s patience.”
I stared at his sunglasses. “We should ask the conductor if he has any tinfoil so we can darken the windows. Or maybe you can sit on the toilet for the rest of the trip.”
