Page 108 of Twist of Fate

Luke understood what he was asking Connal to do. Everything in the warrior demanded that he place himself between Luke and danger. This time, doing so could expose them both before either had a chance to act.

“Hale doesn’t know I understand what’s on the drive,” Luke said. “He expects the same courier he sent to complete the delivery. If I bring anyone the system can detect, I give away the only advantage we have.”

“You expect to enter, find the system, and destroy it alone,” Connal said.

“I expect to learn what Hale knows and where the sale is happening. What comes after that depends on what I find.”

“That is not a plan.”

“No. It’s an objective.” Luke held his gaze. “The plan needs to account for conditions we don’t know yet.”

Tyson stepped closer. “I can place human observers around Hale’s building before Luke arrives. They can monitor every public entrance, track anyone who enters or leaves, and alert us if the situation changes.”

“No intervention,” Luke said. “If they move too soon, Hale will know I brought surveillance.”

“They will observe only.”

“I’ll need transportation Hale can’t trace back to anyone in this room.”

“That can be arranged,” Tyson said.

“Then I leave directly from here,” Luke said. “I don’t have time to return to the Unseelie before I go to Hale.”

Connal went completely still.

Luke watched the realization settle over his face. Until now, Connal had been fighting the idea of Luke entering Hale’s office alone. He had not understood that their separation would begin here.

“You will not return with us,” Connal said.

“Not before I go to Hale.”

“We part here.”

The quiet statement landed harder than Luke expected.

“Only until I finish this.”

Connal’s jaw tightened, but he did not move aside.

Luke closed the remaining distance himself. “If you come with me, the system could detect you before I reach Hale. Whoever controls it would know we understand what it does. They could move it, destroy the evidence, or prepare another trap before we realized you’d been detected.”

“And if you go without me, you may not survive long enough to reach it.”

“That’s why Tyson’s people will be watching.”

“They cannot protect you as I would.”

“No.” Luke lowered his voice. “But they can go where you can’t.”

The truth hurt Connal. Luke saw it in the hard set of his mouth and hated being the one who had put it there.

Connal reached for him at last, closing one hand around the back of Luke’s neck. “I do not agree with this.”

“I know.”

Luke slipped the backpack from his shoulder and opened the inner compartment. He removed the drive, secured it in the watch pocket of his jeans, then closed the bag and held it out to Connal.

“Take care of this for me. I’m going to want it back.”