Back in the hallway, she saw that Creed had slumped over to the floor, sleeping soundly—a side effect of her psychic cleansing.
She shifted her focus from one room to the next, checking on her family. Only her mother was still awake, making arrangements for Theo and the rest of the family to join them.
Maze, she thought and felt her heart hitch.
An image of his warm, yellow eyes flashed in her mind.
My sweet furry face, she smiled at his memory.
Satisfied everybody was safe, she forced herself to take a slow, deep breath before turning to walk away. She didn’t let herself look back at Creed’s sleeping form. Instead, she squared her shoulders and walked on silent feet down the corridor and through the double doors separating the bedrooms and lab from the great room and kitchen.
Heads turned the moment she stepped into the room.
Valen appeared in front of her, in full salute.
“Miss Winter, is there new intel to report?”
“Nothing you don’t already know, Valen. The rest of my family is arriving by vehicle soon.”
“Yes, ma’am. The scouts are rendezvousing with them now.”
“Good. Just make sure they get here safely.” Meg started walking past Valen without another word.
“Miss Winter—”
“Meg. Please call me Meg.”
“Ma’am, where are you going?”
Meg turned back to face the eager-eyed soldier. “We’re nearly the same age, Valen. Did you know that?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Matter of fact, you’re older than me. How old were you when you became a meta?”
“I was eight-years-old, ma’am.”
Meg nodded sadly. “I was a baby.”
“Yes, ma’am. Your story has been whispered from one meta to the next over the years. The story of The Original Three is legendary.”
A sad smile pressed Meg’s lips.
“And in all this time how many innocent lives have been damaged by Arkdone and Williams?”
Valen shook her head, “I would be guessing. Dozens? Hundreds?”
“Even if it were only one other child, it would be too many.”
Valen nodded, though her yellow tiger eyes searched Meg’s face for understanding.
“Thank you for helping us protect the innocent.” Meg stepped forward and hugged the rigid soldier. “I’m just going out for a bit.”
“You can’t go by yourself,” Valen tripped over her words, still reeling from the first hug she’d ever felt.
“Oh, I’m not by myself.” Meg smiled as she held her hand over her heart and finished a silent prayer.
Valen watched Meg walk confidently across the room and out the front door before she spoke into her throat mic. “Springer to Hays. Over.”
Through her earpiece she heard Rhett’s familiar voice. “Hays here.”
“Sir, Meg Winter has left the house. She refused escort and only said she was ‘going out for a bit’.”
“Did she have comm on her?”
“Not that I could see.”
“I’m on my way back with the rest of the Winter family. Give me ten minutes. If she’s not back by then, we’ll have to go after her.”
“Copy that, sir.”
“Hays out.”
68 Trial by Battle
Meg broke into a sprint as she headed east. She sensed the first enemy guards well before she saw them and mentally forced them into a deep sleep. The next group was even louder in thought and easier to silence. So by the time she reached the enemy camp, she could walk right up to the central command base tent. She parked her hands on her hips and spoke in a loud voice.
“Arkdone! Williams! Come out so we can talk.”
The entire camp began scurrying like ants on a disturbed hill. Faces with mirrored expressions of surprise and curiosity peered from tents. Hurried murmurs drifted to Meg’s ears as she waited.
It didn’t take long.
“Meg, how good of you to come visit!” The sickening syrup in Kenneth Williams’ voice smacked with delusions of mutual affection. His three-piece suit looked slightly rumpled. The red shirt and neck tie looked to have been hastily straightened. His skin had returned to its sickening state of raw, bloody cracks. Meg tried not to stare at the chunks of flesh around his chin flapping loose as he spoke.
“Williams,” Meg acknowledged coolly.
Arkdone emerged gracefully from his side of the large tent. “Miss Winter. You’ll forgive us for not having properly greeted you upon your arrival. It is a rather unusual hour of the morning to stop by, but—where are my manners? Would you care to come inside for a cup of coffee?”
“No. I do however, have a proposition for you.” She looked from Arkdone back to Williams. “For both of you.”
Williams reached into his pocket for his spheres.
Arkdone clasped his hands behind his back. “I’m intrigued. Aren’t you Dr. Williams?”
“Hanging on every word,” he nodded.
Meg forced herself not to focus on his choice of words even as she pulled her eyes away from his melting face. A face that resembled a Salvador Dali painting.
“My proposition is this: both sides choose a champion. You two decide on one soldier who’ll represent your interests and my side will do the same.”