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“But you found out she was pregnant.”
“Yes. We were monitoring you,” Corvus says. “But I tried to take an off-hands approach. I told the council to study the two of you while leaving you alone, and then when you tried to escape, I was overruled. You know no one listens to me.”
Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think Zaire looks like he’s about to smile. “So you wanted them to study us.”
“While I thought of a better solution,” he says. “When I faked my own death, I realized I needed to infiltrate the Ganivets if I wanted to keep the women we brought to our family safe, and if…”
“If we wanted to take theirs,” Zaire says, finishing his thought for him.
“Yes,” Corvus replies. “But I was wrong. The women will be better off here.”
Zaire sighs. “I know,” he says. “I think you’re right. But I still don’t trust you.”
“You don’t have to trust me,” Corvus says. “I can let you in and get you to your woman. And if you still don’t trust me then, you can try to kill me.”
Zaire laughs, his shoulders dropping. He seems a little more at ease than before. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
Is this banter? Are these two frenemies? It’s hard to tell. Clearly, I need someone to give me a primer on Aelyd friendships, since they seem incredibly complicated.
“No,” Corvus replies. “But I’m weakened. So who knows? Maybe this time, you might stand a chance of winning.”
I groan. “Can you two figure this out after we get Layla, please?”
“Yes,” Atlas says. “I’ll get us a ship. There’s no time to waste.”
Zaire nods, his gaze meeting Atlas’. “Thank you,” he says. “I desperately need your help. I’ve tried every way I can think of to get in and I…”
Atlas nods, his jaw hardening a little. “Of course,” he says. “I want to help. Anything for my wife.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
?
PENN
I stand in the docking bay with five Aelyds, knowing it might be the last time I see some of them.
Corvus and Zaire are busy setting the scene on the shuttle, finding a place for me to hide, and figuring out how to best make it look like Corvus got out of Joya in a hurry. They mostly ignore the rest of us, Zaire entirely focused on the task ahead, while Corvus snatches glimpses at me every so often.
I think he genuinely feels bad about what his family has done, and that gives me at least some hope.
Atlas is stony-faced, Keon looking tenser than I’ve ever seen him. Atlas’ mother, Marina, has come to join us as well, looking like she has way more confidence in me than any of these men do. I guess that makes sense; this is a world where women have been treated as commodities for ages, now more than ever, and Marina is the only one who understands that I know how to use that to my advantage.
“I want you to take this,” she says, holding out a long, thin scabbard. I take it and find a dagger shaped more like a spine than anything else; it’s even flexible, bending when I take it out of the case. I’ve never seen anything like it.
“It’s meant to be strapped to your forearm, under your sleeve,” Marina says. “When you flick your hand, it will slide out across your palm—and it’ll avoid detection if you’re captured, so at least you’ll have a weapon.”
Atlas stiffens at her words, but I take heart in them. She knows I’ll be able to escape.
She has faith in me.
“Don’t worry about her so much, boss,” Keon says, slapping him on the shoulder. I think he’s just excited to have the opportunity to do it, since Atlas has been wearing a shield for so long. “She won’t even have to get off the ship, if all goes according to plan.”
“If,” Atlas grunts. “But if she’s captured…”
“I know, I know, you’re blaming me,” Keon says, raising his hands. “I look forward to the hours of torture…I’m sure it’ll be fun.”
He winks at me, and I can’t suppress a smile.
