“Well, I’ve been at Cambridge,” Jode says.
“Jode’s also been with Anna,” Marcus adds with a mischievous smile.
Gideon shakes his head. “A little respect?”
I’m glad to see them teasing each other. I was worried about the fallout from the haunting, but with Sebastian back, everyone’s happy. United.
Bas’s eyes go wide, turning from Jode to Gideon. “Wait, wait, wait. Your sister? That Anna?”
“Yes, that Anna,” Jode says. “And I truly don’t see why it’s such an issue for you, Gideon. It’s not as though I’ve shared the details about—”
“One more word, Jode. Seriously, man. One more.”
Jode laughs. “Anyhow.” He gestures between Gideon and me. “I think we’re looking past the obvious here.”
Bas breaks into a huge grin. “You two? The two of you? That’s awesome!”
“I broke down her defenses,” Gideon says matter-of-factly.
“He didn’t,” I say. “My defenses are perfectly secure. We’re conducting friendly negotiations.”
“Our negotiations are a lot more than friendly.”
“On occasion.”
“Such passion,” Jode says. “It’s electrifying.”
But Bas is loving this. “I kept thinking about what you were all doing while I was in here. And I pictured this—this exact moment. The five of us together again, catching up. When Rael told me he saw you, Daryn, I knew it was only a matter of time. I knew you’d come for me. We’ve been riding through this area since then, looking for you. I left the note—did you get my note?”
He trails off, seeing that he’s lost us. Tension rises around us, as thick as smoke in the air. I feel my face burning, my heart racing. And I want to freeze time, because I know I’m about to lose the beautiful, peaceful moments we just had.
“I was trying to find the right time to tell you,” Bas says, his voice missing its usual color.
“Now works.” Gideon stares at him, unblinking. “You know what else I want to know, Bas? Who the hell is Rael? If you don’t mind my asking.”
He pronounces the name like Bastian did. Rell. But we all know the answer already. Since the moment I first saw Samrael in here, part of me has been trying to accept that this was possible. Bas was in such bad shape when he entered the Rift. It would’ve been a miracle if he’d survived alone.
“Gideon, you have to understand—”
“Hold on a sec. We’re talking about Samrael, right? The demon that poisoned you? The demon that cut off my hand? Is it that Rael, Bas? Is that who we’re talking about?”
Bastian doesn’t blink. “I was going to die. I would have if he hadn’t saved me. I owe him my life.”
“He was the one who tried to kill you.”
“He’s different. He’s changed. I know what you’re thinking. That it’s impossible he’s changed. But he has. What happened with the Kindred was before. Samrael was a subject. No—it was more than that. He was a slave to Ra’om. Ra’om controlled him. Ra’om controlled all of them. You know that. He was in command. He gave them their power and told them how to use it. If they opposed him, he hurt them. You have no idea, Gideon. You just don’t know. You can’t just show up here and think you understand everything. You don’t.”
“Samrael commanded your death. Are you even hearing that? And he killed the guard in Los Angeles. We lost three people in Wyoming. He’s a killer.”
“So are you! So is Jode. So is Marcus. You only justify it by saying it’s for the right reason.”
“You want me to apologize for killing demons? Never going to happen.”
“That’s not what I want.”
Gideon throws his arms out. “Then what is? What are you saying? Why are we talking about a demon like it matters? Why are we still in this hellhole?”
Bas jumps to his feet. “You have no clue what I’ve been through!”
Gideon is up just as quickly. “Why are we still here, Sebastian?” he asks again demandingly, every word punching the air.
“Because,” Bas says. “I’m not leaving without him!”
I’m not leaving without him.
The words knock around in my skull like marbles in a jar. There’s no order, or context, or permutation in which they make sense. It’s like he just spoke a different language.
“I don’t know what the hell you’re saying, but Samrael’s not leaving here,” Gideon says. “It’s not happening, Bas. He’s not going anywhere.”
“Then neither am I,” says Bas, with finality.
Gideon sits back, that cold skepticism seeping into his blue eyes, washing away all traces of his good mood.
Marcus drops his head into his hands.
Jode shuts his eyes, like he can’t believe what’s just happened.
Something dark has just moved into our circle. A raw ache builds in the back of my throat, and I scramble to recover the closeness we just felt. “Sebastian, if you stay, then we all stay.”
He looks at me, his expression crestfallen. “I’m sorry, Daryn. I can’t leave him here, just like I couldn’t leave one of you. You have to believe me. He’s changed. He doesn’t deserve to be stuck here. He’s different.”
“He’s not the only one,” Gideon says.
“You’re right. I am, too. I’m not afraid to take a stand anymore, Gideon. I know what’s right and what’s wrong. I’m not leaving him. So you can just give up trying to convince me.”
The anger coming off Gideon is palpable. Even Riot feels it where he stands with the other horses. The flames of his coat burn higher. His eyes are like embers in the night.
CHAPTER 26
GIDEON
“What happened back there? You got any explanations for me, Big Red? I could use a sound voice of reason right now.”
Riot listens as he walks beside me. I had to leave the campfire. I was afraid I’d start chucking burning logs into the trees. So Riot and I are on a horseman/horse break.
I’m worried, Gideon. I’m worried and I would like to leave this place.
“Me too, horse. I’m really worried. And I really would like to leave this place.”
I stop and look through the woods. I can’t see the fire, just the dark shapes of the four people around it. And I can’t hear their voices clearly, but it surprises me when I hear them laughing.
It offends me, actually.
How are they having fun? How are they forgetting that Samrael is a demon? That he mind-tortured me and maimed me? Why is letting him out of here even up for discussion?
“You get ten spots if you want, Bas! Here, you write them.”
Daryn’s voice rises loud enough for me to hear her. It sounds like they’re indoctrinating Sebastian into “Reasons.”
I want one good reason to stay here that’s not totally insane. I mean—Samrael. We’re exposing ourselves to this interactive psychosis sphere because of him?
Riot makes a soft sound, bobbing his head.
You should go back there, Gideon. I know you want to. I want to go, too.
“Doesn’t matter, Riot. If I hear his name—Samrael—or wait, Rael—one more time, I’ll go supernova. I will lose my shit.”