The Power
Page 28
“What about closer?”
Solos lifted his arms and stretched, cracking the bones down his back. “There’s a sizeable cell of daimons outside of Rapid City. We got a scouting team following them right now since it’s too many for them to engage.”
This was the first I was hearing about this. “You aren’t concerned about that? It takes no leap of logic to figure out that a large group of daimons there will be heading in this direction. There isn’t much else.”
“We know that, Seth, but we can’t take away from guarding the Covenant, not with the threat of shades and Titans looming over us.” He lowered his arms. “They won’t get inside these walls. Not again.”
“But they can control animals. Remember last time, with the birds?” I’d been on the other side of the wall, out of their direct path, but I’d seen that Hitchcock horror come to life. “I can take out the daimons. I’ll leave—”
“You really going to leave here, where Josie is? Think about it, man. Worst-case scenario is that the Titans somehow are working with the daimons, just like Ares was. This could be a trap, lure Guards and Sentinels—you—away from here for them to strike.” He turned, gesturing inside the wall. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed how woefully staffed we are when it comes to Guards and Sentinels. Many have left. Can’t blame them for that. Shit, sometimes I wonder why the hell I’m still here. Half of the damn Guards are pures. They can’t spot a daimon to save their lives. Literally. Plus there are more half daimons now than pure ones. Those fuckers are a bitch to kill, and even we can’t tell them apart. You leave, you’re opening us up to a huge risk.”
Hell. He had a point.
Man, what I’d give to have some newly turned daimons to take my frustrations out on. They were brutal and messy when new—at their most dangerous, as they were completely ruled by . . . by their need for aether.
“Want to hear something strange?” he said, and continued without my response. “When I went out beyond the walls today I heard birds and insects. The woods were alive.”
“Okay,” I replied. “Thanks for sharing.”
Solos stared ahead. “The only time it has been silent was when you were with us.”
Frowning, I looked over at him. “I have no idea how that’s not just a coincidence.” I paused. “Unless even the rabbits and crickets recognize how much of a badass I am.” I joked, but a flicker of unease shot through me. The forest’s abnormal quietness couldn’t have anything to do with me. That wouldn’t make sense.
“I just thought it was an interesting observation. Anyway, there’s the problem between the pures and halfs,” Solos continued, rocking back on the heels of his boots. “In every community, there’ve been issues. Just as bad as they are here.”
“Not entirely surprising.” My jaw worked. “By the way, did you ever hear who the pure was that went after Josie and that Colin guy?”
Solos shook his head. “No.” There was a pause and I could feel his gaze on me. “By the way, Josie didn’t come back to training after she left looking for you.”
I said nothing.
“Luke went looking for her. Knocked on her door, but she didn’t answer,” he continued. “He was sure she was in there, but she wouldn’t let him in. That’s weird, right? They’re close.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. My jaw began to ache as I shifted my stance. I didn’t like the idea of her being alone and I sure as hell didn’t like the idea of her shutting out Luke. “They’re close.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
A muscle began to throb in my temple as I looked over at him. “Remember what I told you. She really needs to work on the more brutal stuff. She’s not ready to really take someone down, to make the choice to use lethal force. We’ve—you’ve got to get her to that point.”
“I know. I didn’t forget. I know where her weaknesses are.” He was blissfully quiet for all of five seconds. “I don’t know why you stopped training her, but—”
“It isn’t any of your damn business, Solos. I’m not talking about that with you. That’s the last warning you’re going to get.”
“Look, all I’m saying is—”
I spun on Solos, dipping low and catching him at the knees with the swipe of my leg. He hit the cement, flat on his back. Before he could move, I brought my booted foot down on his throat, slow enough to allow him to catch it with his hands, but I pressed down with just enough pressure to let him know I was so fucking done with this.
Off in the distance, I could see two Guards staring in our direction. They didn’t come close as I stared down at Solos.
“I’m not sure what part of ‘this is none of your business’ you don’t understand, but let me explain something to you.” I summoned the air element when he moved his leg toward mine, pinning him down with ease. “We are not friends. We aren’t going to get personal and exchange war stories. You’re not going to question me, especially when it comes to her.”
“Damn,” Solos grunted out. “Here I thought we were buddies.”
“Not even close.” I tilted my head. “Do you feel me?”
Solos smirked. “I feel you, bro.”
“That’s smart.” His gaze met mine. “Don’t ever forget what I am, Solos.”
Solos lifted his arms and stretched, cracking the bones down his back. “There’s a sizeable cell of daimons outside of Rapid City. We got a scouting team following them right now since it’s too many for them to engage.”
This was the first I was hearing about this. “You aren’t concerned about that? It takes no leap of logic to figure out that a large group of daimons there will be heading in this direction. There isn’t much else.”
“We know that, Seth, but we can’t take away from guarding the Covenant, not with the threat of shades and Titans looming over us.” He lowered his arms. “They won’t get inside these walls. Not again.”
“But they can control animals. Remember last time, with the birds?” I’d been on the other side of the wall, out of their direct path, but I’d seen that Hitchcock horror come to life. “I can take out the daimons. I’ll leave—”
“You really going to leave here, where Josie is? Think about it, man. Worst-case scenario is that the Titans somehow are working with the daimons, just like Ares was. This could be a trap, lure Guards and Sentinels—you—away from here for them to strike.” He turned, gesturing inside the wall. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed how woefully staffed we are when it comes to Guards and Sentinels. Many have left. Can’t blame them for that. Shit, sometimes I wonder why the hell I’m still here. Half of the damn Guards are pures. They can’t spot a daimon to save their lives. Literally. Plus there are more half daimons now than pure ones. Those fuckers are a bitch to kill, and even we can’t tell them apart. You leave, you’re opening us up to a huge risk.”
Hell. He had a point.
Man, what I’d give to have some newly turned daimons to take my frustrations out on. They were brutal and messy when new—at their most dangerous, as they were completely ruled by . . . by their need for aether.
“Want to hear something strange?” he said, and continued without my response. “When I went out beyond the walls today I heard birds and insects. The woods were alive.”
“Okay,” I replied. “Thanks for sharing.”
Solos stared ahead. “The only time it has been silent was when you were with us.”
Frowning, I looked over at him. “I have no idea how that’s not just a coincidence.” I paused. “Unless even the rabbits and crickets recognize how much of a badass I am.” I joked, but a flicker of unease shot through me. The forest’s abnormal quietness couldn’t have anything to do with me. That wouldn’t make sense.
“I just thought it was an interesting observation. Anyway, there’s the problem between the pures and halfs,” Solos continued, rocking back on the heels of his boots. “In every community, there’ve been issues. Just as bad as they are here.”
“Not entirely surprising.” My jaw worked. “By the way, did you ever hear who the pure was that went after Josie and that Colin guy?”
Solos shook his head. “No.” There was a pause and I could feel his gaze on me. “By the way, Josie didn’t come back to training after she left looking for you.”
I said nothing.
“Luke went looking for her. Knocked on her door, but she didn’t answer,” he continued. “He was sure she was in there, but she wouldn’t let him in. That’s weird, right? They’re close.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. My jaw began to ache as I shifted my stance. I didn’t like the idea of her being alone and I sure as hell didn’t like the idea of her shutting out Luke. “They’re close.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
A muscle began to throb in my temple as I looked over at him. “Remember what I told you. She really needs to work on the more brutal stuff. She’s not ready to really take someone down, to make the choice to use lethal force. We’ve—you’ve got to get her to that point.”
“I know. I didn’t forget. I know where her weaknesses are.” He was blissfully quiet for all of five seconds. “I don’t know why you stopped training her, but—”
“It isn’t any of your damn business, Solos. I’m not talking about that with you. That’s the last warning you’re going to get.”
“Look, all I’m saying is—”
I spun on Solos, dipping low and catching him at the knees with the swipe of my leg. He hit the cement, flat on his back. Before he could move, I brought my booted foot down on his throat, slow enough to allow him to catch it with his hands, but I pressed down with just enough pressure to let him know I was so fucking done with this.
Off in the distance, I could see two Guards staring in our direction. They didn’t come close as I stared down at Solos.
“I’m not sure what part of ‘this is none of your business’ you don’t understand, but let me explain something to you.” I summoned the air element when he moved his leg toward mine, pinning him down with ease. “We are not friends. We aren’t going to get personal and exchange war stories. You’re not going to question me, especially when it comes to her.”
“Damn,” Solos grunted out. “Here I thought we were buddies.”
“Not even close.” I tilted my head. “Do you feel me?”
Solos smirked. “I feel you, bro.”
“That’s smart.” His gaze met mine. “Don’t ever forget what I am, Solos.”
