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Zane’s chest rose.
“If you want to knock Seth out and drag him out,” Clary said, “I won’t mind.”
Zane looked between Seth and Clary. “I’m not leaving you guys.”
“I’m asking you to go out and keep Aldric and Oliver from coming in.” Seth cupped a hand against Clary’s face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not the one with the bomb,” she said.
“I am,” Hugh added, and Seth rolled his eyes.
“Get out,” Seth said, peering over his shoulder at Zane. Then he went over to Hugh. “Raise your arms.”
Zane jerked Seth back. “What do you think you’re doing? If you want to wait with Clary, do it. Don’t do anything else.”
Seth shrugged Zane off. “I don’t trust Ressler. Why the hell would he go to all this trouble just to allow them to wait it out?”
Aldric ran into the house. “Why are you guys still in here?” He looked over at Clary, at the control in her hand. He closed his eyes and sighed. Then he turned to Oliver. “You didn’t tell me she was holding on to the controller!”
Oliver, who was right behind Aldric, shrank back. “I told you about the controller.”
“I thought that moron was holding onto it!” Aldric threw his hands in the air. “And you think Seth would leave her?”
Aldric moved toward the coffee table, but Zane held a hand out to stop him.
“Leave, both of you,” Zane commanded, and immediately she could see the brothers were going to argue.
Clary closed her eyes. “Everyone, out. I’m the only one with a vest.”
“What’s that stupid vest going to do in an explosion?” Aldric ran his hand through his hair. “I heard this idiot” —he jabbed his finger toward Hugh— “has been nothing but horrible to you. Just let him die.” He tried to take another step forward, still blocked by Zane. “Just pass it to me. I’ll release the button. It won’t be your fault.”
Seth sighed heavily. “There are no wires connected to your sweater,” he said to Hugh. “Take it off.”
“Seth!” the brothers shouted.
* * *
Despite the ruckus his brothers were making, Seth didn’t take his eyes off Hugh while the Eolenfeld gingerly peeled off his sweater.
Except the few times Seth peered over at Clary to make sure she was okay.
She was no longer clutching the controller in a death grip, and though he doubted the vest would really protect her if an explosion went off, it was better than nothing.
“You don’t know anything about bombs,” Zane said from behind him, probably still trying to keep Aldric and Oliver back.
Seth leaned forward and studied the wiring. “But I know how circuits work.”
“Careful!” Hugh shouted when Seth touched a wire.
Seth jerked his chin up. “You suddenly shouting won’t help me be careful.”
Hugh’s throat bobbed.
“Just shut up.” Seth followed the wires on the outside of the vest, then tugged at it where the wires went underneath. He swallowed a curse, then shifted back toward Clary. “I’m going to get my brothers out of here, then I’ll be right back.”
“Seth.” Clary put her hand on his leg.
“If you’re going to tell me not to come back in, I’ll just set off the bomb and kill Hugh right now.”
