‘Are you requesting an army, Lincoln? A little much, don’t you think?’
I glanced in Phoenix’s direction while Lincoln considered the question. It was clear by the intent glare Phoenix had fixed on Josephine and the hard set of his jaw that he didn’t think an army was too much at all. As I watched, he took a few sly steps closer to where the Assembly members sat.
We wanted to get into New Orleans on our own terms, which was why we weren’t taking more people, but after everything we’d just heard from Decima I was starting to think it wouldn’t be long before reinforcements would be necessary.
‘Yes, Josephine. I’m requesting that we be fully mobilised in the event that aid is needed,’ Lincoln answered.
Josephine held his look for a moment, her gaze curiously drifting in Phoenix’s direction before settling on me as she responded. ‘If that is your standing, you have our support.’
After leaving Josephine to dish out the orders and Drenson to sulk, Lincoln and I left the hall, followed by Steph, Phoenix, Gray and Mia.
‘I’ll have to stop by Ascension and get my things,’ I said.
‘Let me grab my bag and I’ll go with you,’ Steph said. ‘I want to pick up some books and talk to Dapper. I’m going to stay in Manhattan for now and see what else I can find out about Sammael. I’ll catch a later plane,’ she added.
Lincoln nodded, looking at Steph briefly. ‘Thank you, Steph. Sal and Zoe will keep you up to date, no doubt.’ He took a breath. ‘Feel free to contact me with any new information.’
Steph’s eyes widened.
‘What?’ he asked cautiously.
She bit back a smile. ‘Nothing. It’s just been so long since you’ve looked at me, I’d forgotten how green your eyes are.’
When Lincoln looked like he’d rather take a knife to himself than be stuck in that conversation, Gray saved him.
‘I’ll head to the airport to meet the other Rogues and we’ll join you there. Escort me out of the building, love, so no one tries to lock me up?’ he asked Steph.
Steph nodded, her eyes sparkling with humour. As soon as they turned the corner, Lincoln let out a breath and Mia, who’d been standing by quietly with her head down, offered to show Phoenix where he could get some fresh clothes and supplies.
As they turned to leave, I grabbed Phoenix’s arm. ‘You influenced Josephine, didn’t you?’ When he just stared at me blankly, I pushed. ‘When she asked about needing an army, I saw you move closer to her. What did you do to her emotions?’
His chocolate eyes bored into mine. ‘I gave her a touch of insight into a possible future for this world and what that would feel like.’
I swallowed, suddenly unsure. ‘And what was that?’
‘Fear,’ he said, stepping back and away from me. He gave Lincoln a curt nod before turning on his heel to follow Mia.
‘He knows more than he’s saying,’ Lincoln said, watching them walk around the corner.
‘Yeah. But he’ll tell us when he’s ready,’ I said, knowing it was true. Then, suddenly aware that Lincoln and I were now alone, I added, ‘I should get going, too.’
Lincoln stepped into my space, and despite every intention of doing so I failed to move away.
His thumb smudged across my cheekbone in a way that was so familiar it made my breath hitch, and my memory plagued me with a reminder of all the other things he could do when his hands were on me.
How have I survived without his touch?
I stared at him, lost in the moment. He must have sensed my uncertainty because he inched closer, his thumb repeating the motion, then moving down to my lips. Suddenly his shoulders dropped forward, and his forehead rested against mine.
‘Come back to me,’ he whispered.
‘I’m right here,’ I said, my chest unbearably tight.
‘No. You’re not.’
He was right.
‘I miss you.’ His fingers curled around the nape of my neck and into my hair.
I closed my eyes for one more second, drinking him in. But a second was already too much, too dangerous. ‘I can’t do this,’ I said, stepping back and looking anywhere but into the green. ‘Steph will be waiting for me,’ I mumbled, already hurrying down the corridor.
Lincoln didn’t follow. But I could feel his eyes on me, watching me walk away.
I crossed over one of the Academy’s walkways and turned the corner, almost bumping into Mia who was leaving a room.
‘Oh,’ she said when she dodged me. ‘Sorry.’
‘My fault,’ I said. ‘Phoenix?’
She nodded. ‘I just left him to get what he needed.’
‘Oh. Okay,’ I said, quickly moving on.
‘I was coming to look for you, actually,’ she said before I’d made it two steps.
I bit my lip hard and turned around with a small smile. I guess if she was going to do this it would be better to stake her claim on Lincoln in private rather than rip me apart in front of an audience.