Her mouth had dropped open when I’d called her strong and capable; now confusion shimmered in her eyes as she stared at me. “I’ll try.”
“You have to do more than try. We will be leaving in a month.”
“A month?” she croaked.
“Yes. They are working now to split off some of the best soldiers, who are willing to go, into a group of about two hundred; from there we will be culling the numbers lower and taking only the best of the best with us.”
I had given Bale and Corson the order this morning to start the process, but we had been watching the humans for a long time now and preparing for this moment. It would not take them long to get the soldiers organized.
“You expect me to be ready in a month?” she asked in disbelief.
“I don’t expect it; I know you will be. I will not fail you.”
She gaped at me before closing her mouth and folding her arms over her chest. “A month,” she whispered.
“Other demon camps around the country are doing the same and preparing to go to battle. Many will not survive the journey.”
“Do they know they might not survive the journey?” she inquired tremulously.
“They are soldiers. They were informed this mission would have a high mortality rate when they agreed to try for it. They also know this mission may bring an end to what has happened.”
“No pressure though,” she said with a small smile.
She was so young, so mortal, and she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. My fingers itched to enfold her in my arms and shelter her against my chest. She deserved happiness; I was handing her death.
Before I could stop myself, I placed my hand around her nape and pulled her close to kiss her forehead. Her natural fresh rain and earthy scent assailed me, but I didn’t become aroused by it this time. Instead, I found it pacifying the anguish I felt for her. I’d never been one to comfort someone before, yet the gesture felt natural with her.
“No pressure,” I said against her silken flesh.
Her eyes looked dazed when I reluctantly released her and took a step back. She couldn’t feel anymore dazed than I did right now.
“How many will go with us from here?” she asked.
“Around fifty.”
Her eyes shifted in the other direction, and her attention focused on the wall. “I’d hoped to be able to see my brothers again,” she murmured before shaking her head. “Pipe dreams.”
“As I said before, I’ll see what I can do to make it happen.”
“Really?”
I had no idea why I’d ever promised her such a thing the first time, and now I’d said it again. It certainly wasn’t something that waseverdone. No one on the other side of the wall could know what was over here. The humans had already panicked enough to release nukes. The truth would drive some of them mad and others to bloodlust.
Small groups of humans at a time, willing to be trained and who were never allowed to see their families again, were all that could be trusted with the knowledge of our existence. I still didn’t fully trust those, but at least we could monitor them here and put down any revolts that might form.
“I’m not making any promises, but yes,” I said.
“Why?”
I folded my hands behind my back as I pondered her question. I had no answers for her, other than the smile on her face, but I couldn’t tell her that. “You have to practice.”
She bowed her head and walked away from me. I watched as she knelt down and dug her hands into the thick green grass with her back to me.
“Maybe we should find you something with more of a life force,” I suggested.
“The last time I got any kind of reaction is while touching you, and that’s not working anymore.” I strode over to stand beside her, and her head tilted back so she could look at me. “Besides, the earth is a giant conductor of life. Not to mention all of the insects teeming inside of it. There’sloadsof life beneath my hand right now.”
Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply and turned her face toward the sun. The rays spilling over her illuminated her golden skin and freckles, making her glow with vitality. Clenching my hands, I kept them by my side instead of caressing her cheek like I wanted to do. I couldn’t get over the lust and tenderness she stirred in me.
