“What else did you know?” I ask, suddenly suspicious. “Did you know about me? Our marriage?”
“No,” she answers, looking out the window again. “There’s no point going over this again. It’s not going to help us fight him. We’ll have plenty of time to pick apart the details after.”
“Unless we’re dead!” I snap.
Grace laughs a little. “I’ll find you in the afterlife,” she says. “You can argue with me for eternity.”
“Not funny,” I retort. “At all. I’m not sure I believe in any of that.”
We both fall silent as Eccles appears before us. The light of the early morning sun glares off the buildings, and the air is full of a thick haze.
I can’t lose her. Not now. Not ever.
I can’t voice the thought, so I let it bottle up inside me, almost choking me. It only takes a few minutes to drive to the center of town, where a massive group has gathered. When I look over at Grace, she looks incredibly tense, and I see that strange, locked-up look in her eyes again.
“Grace,” I say. “What aren’t you telling me?”
She swallows hard, shaking her head. “Nothing. I’m just scared, that’s all.”
I reach out and take her hand, wanting to believe her, but still feeling like she’s hiding something.
I love you.
Even under everything we’re facing, I can’t bear to say it out loud. Grace pulls her hand from mine when she sees Alisha approaching.
“I have to go,” she says. “I need to talk to the girls.”
She jumps out of the car, slamming the door behind her and racing towards the other women. I get out much more slowly, feeling the ringing of chaos all around me as Wolf’s Shadow soldiers mingle with warriors and civilians. Everyone smells of deep, primal fear.
It doesn’t matter how tough you are today. We’re going up against something that can’t be fought. I wouldn’t blame anyone for freaking out today.
“Dan,” Rex says, coming through the crowd to grab my hand. “Good to see you. Let’s go, and I’ll give you the brief.”
“Ready for it,” I answer. “Grace says we have to keep the warriors back. The snake could try to feed on them.”
“We remembered that,” Rex says. “It’s in Sloan’s info. She’s got a plan.”
Of course she does.
Rex’s words give me intense relief, because I won’t have to explain anything now. I can keep Grace’s secret for a bit longer.
For how long? And is this the only one she has?
I look over at her, and she’s talking to the other women as they get ready to leave in a military truck. She sees me looking and smiles at me, but it’s quick and furtive.
She looks uneasy, but who wouldn’t?
Rex grabs my arm and nods in the direction of the command tent. I put my focus on the battle ahead and try to forget about everything else.
I can’t go out into battle as an emotional wreck… and I want to deal with this thing once and for all. It almost killed me last time I faced it. Now it’s my turn to kick ass.
Chapter 26 - Grace
I’m trembling as I walk away from Dan, but I keep my head high and my back straight, firmly putting one foot in front of the other and refusing to look back.
I can’t tell him now. He can’t go into this battle terrified for his child!
It makes me feel terribly alone to keep it to myself, but I also think it would be selfish to tell him just to ease my own burden.
