Guilt hammered at her soul every time she considered taking those three back with her, because she didn’t trust the Tribunal. But she believed in Brina, who had promised that those Alterants would get a fair hearing while being held under Macha’s protection in the meantime.
“Of course I have a conscience. Did you not hear me when I told you I got a deal for each of them to prove their innocence? If those three can stand in a Tribunal meeting and truthfully say they did not murder anyone, then I believe the Tribunal will release them to work with VIPER, like I’m doing. I have Brina’s word that they’ll be safe until they meet with the Tribunal.”
“I can’t hand Brina that kind of trust.”
She understood, but Tristan needed to know all the possible pitfalls if the Alterants he shielded remained on the loose. “If I don’t return with those three, the Tribunal is going to turn VIPER loose to hunt down and killallAlterants on sight. No chance to plead their cases. No chance for real freedom.”
Tristan grew still at the news of all Alterants being hunted.
“You may not like being here, but if they’re out in the world on their own, they’re vulnerable.”
“And you think they’ll be safe walking into VIPER?” he asked with no small amount of sarcasm.
“I’ll be perfectly honest, Tristan. If any of the Alterants have killed an innocent human, they have to pay the price, but if they killed in self-defense, that’s a different story. With so many Alterants shifting everywhere in the past twenty-four hours, me, you and those three may be the only ones who have a chance to survive.” And if this worked out, Evalle wouldn’t be dragged in every time an Alterant committed a crime.
“What do the Alterants that are changing look like?”
She lifted her shoulders. “I guess like us. I haven’t seen any of them . . . which reminds me. Why were your eyes black earlier when you were, uh, shifted?”
“Think it has to do with being in here. I thought black eyes were normal as a beast, because I’d always seen my eyes that way in water reflections, but they stayed green constantly once I left here the last time. Now they’re back to black when I shift in here.”
“Oh.” That wasn’t helpful.
Tristan nodded to himself and stared off into the jungle as if he pondered what she’d told him. “Gods and goddesses are sneaks,” he said under his breath. He glanced at her. “You sure if you return the three Alterants they’ll letyouwalk away?”
His question surprised her, especially since he’d asked in a civil tone lacking ridicule.
She answered carefully. “That’s what the Tribunal told me, but I’m not walking away unless those three do, too. Convincing them to come in with me would beat them having to live with targets on their backs. And as soon as I return with them I’ll lobby for you to plead your case.”
She swatted a fat mosquito drawing enough blood off her midriff to feed four normal-sized mosquitoes back home. That was saying something, because Georgia grew hefty insects.
“I don’t know. Whatexactlydid the Tribunal say?”
“Let me think,” she grumbled. She hadn’t taken dictation, for crying out loud. “The Tribunal said, ‘Let the one who returns the three escaped Alterants to VIPER be cleared of prior transgressions.’”
Tristan listened, interest growing visibly in his face until he finally said in a lighter tone, “Sounds like you’re right. I know where the others are. Help me get out of here and I’ll show you.”
Help him escape so she’d have to recapturefourAlterants? Was he crazy? Well, maybe. Who wouldn’t be after living out here alone all this time, but still . . . she hadn’t losthermind. “I can’t do that, Tristan.”
“Okay.” He stood up with what was left of the bananas and dropped the bunch where he’d been sitting. “That should hold you for a while.” He pointed past her. “North is that way.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I am. The last time I trusted someone’s offer of freedom, it backfired.”
“That was the Kujoo, not me.”
“Why should I believe someone who sent me back?” He strolled away, pausing in stride to pick up her dagger.
“Tristan!” Evalle pounded the ground, then jumped to her feet and stepped tentatively inside his area. “Tristan. Come back and talk to me.”
Blond hair disappeared into a wide swath of green.
She slammed her fist into the palm of her hand. If she lost him now, could she find him again?
Not a chance.
Evalle raced after him, shoving branches out of her way, and picked up his tracks. Energy inside his prison bogged her down once more, as if she swam against a current. When she’d followed him a hundred yards deep into the middle of nowhere, his tracks disappeared. Pausing to look up, she heard a rattle of noise off to her right, caught a glimpse of blond hair and took off again.
