Page 85 of Claiming Sarah

“What I came here to do.”

Taking a deep breath, I turned to the crowd of the confused and said, “I am the contra, and I am the Queen of conduits. I know what you fear. That I will make you my slaves for all time. Stand straight,” I ordered them, while the rest of our crew looked on, silently watching what I was doing, shocked by the abilities that I possessed.As was I.

Every conduit stood straight, but it was clear that each of them was afraid of me, of my power over them. I needed to be clear. “That is the last order I will give you tonight, and I only gave it because I need your attention. Conduits, I do not need to be your enemy. I am here only to give you a choice. You canfollow me and live your lives in relative peace, or you can deny me, and Rex will have a chance to settle old scores. But it is your choice, and no one else’s. Rex has agreed to a truce until tomorrow’s full moons rise in the early evening. Come to Valor Ladrang’s home tomorrow to tell me of your answer.”

Augur hummed for attention, unable to speak.

“Speak,” I permitted her.

She looked at Rex skeptically. “How do we know he will abide the truce?”

My voice dropped in anger. “Rex?”

He nodded, his eyes on me. “We will abide the truce. No more harm will come to the conduits from me or mine, until they give us their answer.”

“And there won’t be some trap for us at Valor Ladrang’s?” Augur asked, still wary of our motives.

Rex spoke up. “This is Sarah’s idea for you. Valor is on her side. If I arranged a trap at Valor’s, he would slaughter us all. I know his reputation personally. There will be no trap.”

I turned back to Augur. “Do we have a truce?”

Augur’s gaze narrowed. “Do we have a choice?”

“I could end you now,” I offered facetiously.

“Then we have a truce,” Augur said.

I smiled. “Good. Once we are clear of the catwalk, I will release you all. If we hear any of you following us, I will order you all to fall on your own bone knives. Be on time, Augur. I don’t want there to be any room for misinterpretation of anything, and you don’t want that, either.”

“Agreed,” she said.

I hobbled on the way back down the catwalk and with each step, the pain in my calf grew like my anger with Rex.

CHAPTER 26

Jacaranda

“Icannot believe you did that,” Deacon seethed toward Sarah on our way off of the wooden path.

I had picked Sarah up to carry her toAllegiant. Her calf was too badly damaged for her to walk much, and she glanced at Deacon from where I held her against my chest.

“I already told you what I was going to do with the conduits—”

“That is not what I mean, and you know it,” he said furiously.

Sarah pursed her lips, clearly just as irritated with our companion. “You mean you can’t believe I let Rex possess me, right?”

“Yes,” he boiled, stomping along beside us. “You know how I—”

“I know many things right now, Deacon, do not test me,” she snapped at him. “I am in no mood.”

He wisely fell silent as we made our way back to the ship, and I was glad he didn’t push her on the matter. It was awkward being between them on any fight, but carrying her while they were arguing brought it to another level.

The swamp wasn’t quiet anymore, but that didn’t mean we weren’t on something’s menu. Our group marched as silently as possible between the trees for a while—I imagined everyone else was as tired as I was. Carrying Sarah was nothing, but the battle had been hard fought and we were all exhausted. The conduits were excellent fighters, and there were many.

Fewer now.

“I would have kept you safe,” Deacon muttered bitterly, unable to contain his anger for long.

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