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“So you’re leaving again,” Caleb said when she’d finished. “I guess I’m all right with that. ” He yawned and rubbed his left eye, where his Smarteye would have been, then smiled tiredly at her. “The Outsider you were with when we left Reverie—is he the reason you were sad?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “What happened was my mistake, mostly. A few weeks ago, I was trying to protect him, and . . . I ended up hurting him instead. ”
“Tricky, but I have an idea. When I fall asleep, go find him and apologize. ” He winked at her. “Mostly. ”
Aria smiled. She liked that idea a lot.
6
PEREGRINE
Have you chosen your team?” Reef dropped more kindling onto the fire, coaxing the flames to life. “Who are you taking tomorrow?”
Perry rubbed his jaw, watching as the rising firelight brought his friends out of the darkness. The rest of the Six emerged. Molly and Marron, too.
It was late—hours after supper—but he had chosen fresh air over sleep. They followed him outside, one and then two and then eight of them, settling in a circle on the small beach. His closest friends, except Roar and Aria.
Now he saw Reef’s question in all of their eyes. Perry had considered the team he’d take for tomorrow’s mission, and he was sure about his choices, but he expected them to raise some debate.
“Everything here will be fine while you’re away,” Marron said, picking up on his hesitation. “No need to worry. ”
“I know,” Perry said. “I know it will be. ”
Before he left, he would give the Blood Lord chain around his neck to Marron, entrusting the Tides to his care once again. No one was better suited to look after them.
Perry leaned back, his gaze moving south to a knot of Aether—a storm heading their way. The red flares were mesmerizing. They could have been beautiful.
Looking at Reef, he forced himself to say what needed saying. “You’re staying here. ” He found the rest of the Six. “All of you are. ”
“Why?” Straggler said, straightening. He was still shorter than Hyde and Hayden, who slouched at his sides. “Did we do something wrong?”
“Shut up, Strag,” Gren called across the fire.
“You shut up,” Straggler shot back. “Perry, no one would fight harder for you than us. Who could be better?”
Hyde smacked his brother on the head. “Be quiet, you idiot. Sorry, Per. Go on. . . . Where did we fail you?”
“You didn’t, but this isn’t a straight fight. We won’t stand a chance if we try to meet Sable and Hess head-on. ”
“Then who are you taking?” Strag asked.
Here goes, Perry thought. “Roar,” he said.
Silence fell over the group, amplifying the snap of the fire and the crash of the waves.
Marron spoke first. “Peregrine, I don’t think that’s a good idea, considering the way the two of you have been since he came back. Not to mention the loss you’ve both suffered. ”
Perry had never understood that phrase not to mention. It was mentioned. Liv was suddenly there, in the cool ocean air. In the tumbling waves. In the monster waking inside his mind and clawing at the walls of his skull.
He dug his fingers into the sand, squeezing until his knuckles ached. “Roar is the right man for it. ”
Silent and lethal, Roar was the closest thing he had to an assassin. He also had the fine, perfect features of a Dweller. He could pass for an Outsider or a Mole, which made him versatile—a good thing, as they’d form a plan of attack once they could assess the Komodo more closely.
“Who else?” asked Reef tightly.
“Brooke. ”
Gren’s mouth fell open and Twig made a choking sound, which he camouflaged by clearing his throat. No secrets here; they all knew Perry’s history with Brooke.
