Page 101 of Us Defiant Few

His dark gaze locked with hers, jaw tightening when he noticed her glaring. For a second, he shifted closer, like he wanted to say something. But he stopped in the hallway, his lips set in a thin line.

“Can’t you put some clothes on?” she snapped.

“Why?” Takeshi leaned against the wall. “Am I distracting you?”

Yes.

“No! We just all need to have a group talk. And it’s a clothes on type of conversation.”

“Ugh, never mind all that.” Serene flicked her hands. “I need you both to tell me right now everything that happened. They said the Sinners took you, but they didn’t even want us to go after you! I’ve been worried sick and haven’t been able to eat anything. But now you’re back! I’m so happy, but also so mad that I wasn’t there to help—”

“Take a breath, Terror, and let them speak.” Brock interrupted Serene’s chaotic speech, but the frayed lines under his eyes indicated how sleepless and desperate he’d been too.

Winnie and Derek joined them in the small hallway.

Doing her best to ignore Takeshi, she told them everything that’d happened from the moment they were kidnapped, to waking in the Sinners’ camp, to the deal Ansel made, and their eventual escape.

“You think Ansel was telling the truth?” Adan asked, rubbing his chin. “Are they keeping secrets from us?”

“I don’t see how.” Derek frowned. “I’ve lived with them, and they haven’t done anything strange. I keep telling you guys they’re good people.”

“It doesn’t matter. We can’t leave it up to chance. We need to find out for ourselves,” Brock said what Khalani had been too afraid to voice.

“And what?” Derek lifted his arms, voice rising. “We don’t tell the Chief about the Sinners’ attack tonight?”

“I never said that.”

“Sure sounds like you did.”

“But Khalani said the Sinners will attack either way,” Serene pointed out. “What are we going to do when that happens? Leave?”

“No,” Takeshi said in a cold voice. “We kill them.”

The air thickened.

When one of the men punched Khalani, a part of her knew he wouldn’t let that go unpunished. And truth be told, neither could she.

But Ansel’s disturbing words still reverberated in her head.

There was only one thing she could do to stop it.

“We need to go to the library,” she stated. “I’m not saying we abandon Desert Spring and leave them alone to suffer,” Khalani assuaged Derek before he could argue. “But we need to find out the truth.”

“Winnie’s with you, Khalani.” Winnie gave her a thumbs-up, and she couldn’t help but smile, even though her frayed nerves were on the edge of spilling over.

Serene, Adan, and Elise voiced their agreement. Takeshi stayed silent, but he gave her a single nod, his dark eyes gearing up for battle.

Derek sighed in resignation, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I guess I don’t see any other choice,” he admitted.

They quickly formed a plan.

“All right, so myself, Brock, Adan, and Elise will find the Chief and Patreus at the training camp. We’ll try and keep them occupied until you guys check out the library.” Serene tapped her chin. “How are we supposed to distract them again?”

“Just talk to her about anything, Terror.” Brock rolled his eyes. “You’re quite good at rambling.”

“Derek, do you know where the library is?” Khalani asked before Serene could argue.