He locked his hands behind his back. “We’re going to run a few scouting missions to the palace and back. I would like for you to go on one Daniel, so you can get a feel of the town and its dimensions in order to formulate a design.”
“Of course,” Daniel murmured in assent.
“When do you think we’ll be ready to make a move on the palace?” William inquired.
“Hopefully within two weeks. I would prefer to move by the end of this week but I realize that’s asking a lot. Jack, Saul, and Barnaby are going into the outer towns to gather the vampire’s Jack recruited there. We’ll need them here before we can make any solid plans.”
“I’d like to go on one of the scouting missions,” Aria informed him.
He frowned at her, his fingers curled and uncurled at his sides. “Aria…”
“I’ve gone on plenty with Daniel and William before.” A muscle jumped in his cheek as his jaw clenched. “I’ll be fine, and I’m tired of feeling useless and confined. I have to do something useful.”
“We’ll keep her safe, even from herself,” William nudged her playfully.
She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. He wasn’t helping. “No one will recognize me. I need to do this Braith.”
The last thing she wanted was to fight with him, but she simply couldn’t sit here for the next couple of weeks, being torn apart by her decision and feeling useless. She had to find something to do or she would go crazy.
“Fine,” he relented, his shoulders slumping.
She didn’t feel even a little good about the fact that she had gotten her way; she simply felt the gulf between them growing. It took everything she had not to cry as she bowed her head. She couldn’t look at him anymore, it was too difficult.
CHAPTER 19
Aria’s head was down, her bow discreetly tucked away on her back and covered by the gray cloak. It billowed around her ankles, blowing back to allow the rain to wet the bottom of her pants. As much as she hated the cloaks she was grateful for the cover it provided from the surprisingly chilly rain. She stood at the top of the hill, staring down at the town that rolled out from the hollows of the knoll.
It was beautiful, deadly, and far too close to the palace for her liking. A palace that she could see the gleaming top of as it rose out from behind another hill. Braith moved closer to her but now that they were amongst his people again, he had returned to trying to keep his distance from her. Saul and Calista came forward to speak with Braith before returning to the small group gathered within the tree line.
William and Daniel stood beside her, the hoods of their cloaks pulled up. Max was also wearing the cloak but the hood was tossed back. Rain trickled down his face and had plastered his fair hair down. He was still handsome, but she was acutely reminded of the fact that the boy she had grown up with was gone. He looked older, wiser than his young years. He was only a couple years older than her, but there were lines around his eyes and the corners of his pinched mouth. Seeming to sense her attention he turned to her and offered a small smile.
Braith stepped in front of her, drawing her attention away from Max. For a moment his hands fisted in impotence as he grappled with his urge to protest her decision. Her father wasn’t happy about this either, but at least he was used to them going on such missions and more accustomed to watching his loved ones walk away.
“Make sure your hair stays covered.” His frustration was obvious as his hand twitched toward her. Her hair was already tucked beneath the hood, but she adjusted it again to try and ease the tension she felt running high in him. It did little good. “If anything goes wrong…”
“I’ll be fine. I’m fast, you know that.”
“You’re not faster than a vampire, and you have a habit of throwing yourself on the sword to protect others. You need to run if something goes wrong, and I mean it.”
She bristled at his commanding tone, but he was frightened and arguing with him about it would get her nowhere. He would force her to stay with him if she pushed him; she was still a little surprised he had relented to begin with. Then, not seeming to care about the others, he pulled her hood tighter, his hands hesitating on the edges as he held it for a moment.
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
Frustration filled her; she ached to touch him, to reassure him that she would be fine and that she wasn’t doing this to be reckless. She wouldn’t do anything to damage their cause, but she would be helpful down there. That’s why she was going. She wasn’t the girl who had nothing to live for anymore. Even if she had to give him up there was still plenty to live for, and even after her deal with Gideon she still hoped she’d be around to see it all.
Her fingers clenched as she restrained herself from grasping his hands. “I promise I won’t.”
He pulled on the hood again and walked away. Aria watched him for a longing moment, before she turned back to her brothers and Max. “Let’s go,” Daniel said.
She chanced a glance over her shoulder at Braith. He was watching her intently, his arms folded over his chest as Jack stepped beside him. She didn’t look back as they began to pick their way down the hill, moving at a diagonal angle to the town below. Aria struggled to keep her balance as wet leaves slipped and slid beneath her beaten shoes. She was relieved when they made it to the road even though she felt exposed and vulnerable.
They received a few questioning glances as they moved past but the gray cloaks they wore were common place here, as were random people moving through in search of food or employment within the palace.