Page 19 of Forging Darkness

Taking a small step back, I blend into the group. Nova and Ash stand slightly in front of me. Steel’s gaze roams in my direction more than once as he bickers with his siblings about whether or not we’ll be staying to help or returning to the academy.

“Listen, Steel,” Greyson finally says. “We either stay here and help you take care of our family issue, or we head back and Emberly goes on a little trip to the Council’s compound.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We were able to get away under the guise of escorting Emberly to her big Council meet n’ greet. If you force us to return without you, we’re going to have to actually take her to the Elders at their compound in Egypt. Do you really want that on your conscience?”

Clearing my throat, I purse my lips at Greyson. That’s not exactly the truth. He’s using my situation to manipulate Steel, and I’m not sure I’m on board with that.

A prickle of awareness skitters across my skin. I’m being scrutinized.

Sure enough, Steel’s teal eyes are locked on me with an intensity that borders on obsession.

Nova steps forward, breaking our staring contest.

“Don’t be a blockhead about this, Steel. Your chance of success only increases with our help.” Tilting her head, she gives him a solid once-over. “From the looks of it you’re not in a position to refuse us right now. You look awful. Unless you’re going for heroin-chic, in which case you nailed it.”

“Thanks, Nova. That was delicately said,” Steel deadpans.

“Anytime. I enjoy throwing truth bombs. I like the sound they make when they explode.”

Ash takes a half-step away from Nova, a concerned frown pulling down the corners of her mouth. I squish my lips together and hold a straight face. Nova’s scary sometimes, but her bark is worse than her bite. I hope.

After scrubbing a hand over his face and muttering for a solid thirty seconds—I catch words like “nuisance” and “family” and “annoying”—Steel finally relents.

“Come on, let’s get you guys settled in the same dump I’m at. I’ll update you on the situation when we get there.”

When we arrive back at Steel’s motel, Nova and Sterling firmly refuse to even entertain the idea of renting rooms there.

I keep my mouth shut, not seeing the problem. The rooms have a bed and a bathroom. Check and check. What more do we need?

But Nova insists she’ll catch bed bugs, and Sterling goes on about how he’s worried his hair dryer will short-circuit the whole place.

A fiery round of arguing ensues until Steel agrees to move to a different location. We settle on a low-budget hotel in a seedy part of town that still looks cleanish.

We grab adjoining rooms with two queen beds in each. Keeping the door between rooms open, we convene in one. Ash and I sit cross-legged on one of the beds. Nova props herself up against the headboard of the other. Sterling and Greyson settle on the floor.

Brave. It looks sticky down there.

We turn expectant gazes on Steel, waiting for an update on Silver.

Grabbing a chair from the desk, he flips it around before lowering his tall frame into it, and then his words flow. I don’t ask many questions because he lays out the facts very simply, with an almost military precision.

He’s tracked Silver for weeks. He finally caught up to her in this town and has been running a one-man surveillance team ever since. She’s been here for a week and a day, which is the longest she’s been in one place since our battle in Colorado. Three other Forsaken, all male, have been her travel buddies.

“And she knows I’ve been following her,” he finishes.

“What makes you say that?” Ash asks.

Without standing, he rotates his chair and grabs his computer off the desk behind him. He punches some keys and then turns the screen toward us.

I lean forward and watch as Silver exits a hotel and waits near a valet stand. At first, I’m not sure why Steel is showing us this footage. But then, right before she lowers herself into the driver’s seat, she looks right at the screen, smiles, and blows a kiss.

Sterling releases a low whistle as Steel puts his computer away.

“Sweet ride,” Nova says. “Although I would have gone for black. The chrome is a little showy.”

Greyson cranes his head to shoot her a flat look. “Too showy foryou?”

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