Page 172 of After the Burn

The other guard laughed as if she were the funniest thing he’d ever seen.

Wren pointed at him. “See? Dennis gets me.”

The guard in question wiped the tears from his eyes. “My name’s Mike.”

I dropped my head to hide the smile trying to break free.

There wasn’t another one like her.

Curtis looked at the cuffs around my wrists. “So, what happened?”

“Well, I caught her pulling the wings off a couple of fairies I’m friends with, and it pissed me off.” Wren leaned in as if she was telling them in confidence.

“Really?” Curtis glanced at Mike and smirked.

Wren shrugged. “It’s not like this chick is my sister or something. So, who cares.”

My head came up before I could stop it. This bitch.

His mouth curled. “I bet being held captive by this nut job is humiliating.”

“You have no idea.”

Wren jerked the chain. “Behave, fairy killer.”

I turned my glare on her. She had better know that I was going to get her back for this.

A grin spread across her face, and she winked.

And just like that, I understood exactly what she was doing. She was trying to keep all the focus on her crazy ass and off me, giving me the opportunity to focus on other things. Like searching the faces of the women who were much closer now.

I saw one woman carrying a basket of clothes and another walking swiftly toward a trailer, but none of them was Lila.

Curtis leaned against the fence as if he had all the time in the world. “Your leader Gideon has been frantic to find her. He’s been whining to Caesar since his town fell.”

Wren looked almost offended for Gideon. “That’s embarrassing.”

Curtis grinned. “He lost most of his people and still thinks he’s in charge.”

Wren leaned closer to him. “If the crazy bitch can find her before the big, scary leader, maybe he shouldn’t be leading shit.”

Mike barked a laugh, and even Curtis smiled.

Wren was doing an amazing job of making herself look harmless. Good. Let them think they were smarter. Men got sloppy when they felt superior.

Curtis pulled a radio from his belt. “Tell Caesar we’ve got something he’s going to want.”

Wren frowned. “Caesar?”

Mike’s face changed. “That’s what he wants to be called now.”

“Was King Ding-a-ling taken?”

I bit the inside of my cheek so hard it hurt.

Curtis stared at her. “I’d advise you to wise the fuck up before you meet him.”

Metal rattled, and the gate rolled open.