Page 9 of Prophet
“Do you?” I asked him.
“I…” He hesitated then shook his head. “I need to hear this plan first, because I don’t know what I’m agreeing to.”
Ok, there was the president I knew, the man who protected the Requiem. I hated to admit it, but I was too close to this. It took all I had not to rant and rave, then punch someone.
“We will work on it and then lay it out for you,” Talon stated.
I gave him a nod as honestly, I didn’t trust my temper right now. I took Jewel’s arm and led her out of the barn.
“I’m so sorry,” Jewel said as we walked along the path.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Jewel. This is all a part of the same war.”
“Yes, but if I...”
I stopped and turned to look at her. “If what? If you had agreed to…” I fought a shudder as I thought about this fucking Deacon being all over her. “Jewel, there wasn’t anything you could have done to prevent this. In fact, Deacon might have already planned this. If I’ve learned anything since I first came here is that O supposedly was always a step or two ahead of the Walkers. He’s just playing her games out.”
“No, he has wanted me for a while and I—”
I grabbed her up. “This is not your fault.”
Tears filled her eyes as she went on, “Maybe not, but if I can do anything to save your dad, I will.”
I tugged her up against my chest and cradled her in my arms. “We will see. If I don’t like this plan, we won’t be doing it.”
“Like I said, you need to trust them.”
“I barely know them, Jewel.”
“You know enough,” she argued. “They had been fighting this O long before you came here. They even caught her and I never would have believed anyone could do that.”
“But this Deacon...He’s her prodigy and he knows more about warfare than his mother did. He might be a monster like her but he’s also a strategist and that makes him twice as dangerous. He won’t act on emotions like she did. He will go straight for the jugular. I don’t even trust him to produce my father in a trade off, let alone just give you to him.”
“Let’s go and sit at Ma’s kitchen table. Cinnamon tells me she has a way of putting things…” She grasped my hand again. “...in perspective.”
I scoffed, but I wouldn’t tell her what I thought at this point. There was no perspective except for what was true. My dad was tied up somewhere and the madman who had him captured ? wanted the woman I had fallen in love with ? and he would do anything to get her.
We quietly made our way to the house and up the steps. When we got inside, Ma stood there in the foyer.
“I’ve been waitin’ for ya.” She cocked her head at us.
We both stared at her then looked at each other.
“Well, come on then.” She motioned to us then turned to head to the kitchen. Waving a hand to the chairs sitting there, she said, “Have a sit.” Turning, she headed to the counter then brought over two tall glasses of iced tea. Setting them on the table in front of us, she then sat in a chair.
We both picked up our glasses and took a sip. I had to marvel as I’d had sweet tea in Texas but it had never tasted like this.
“So, I know about your pa,” Ma said. “I heard them talking this morning. I wanna say I’m sorry. But you can’t lose hope and knowing this Deacon and how he operates, you can’t let him drive you crazy.”
I slowly shook my head.
“You got somethin’ to say, Cowboy?” She stared at me. “Go on ahead.”
“I don’t pull any punches. I’m just warning you, Mrs. Walker.”
Jewel paused when I said this then looked over at Ma.
“Mrs. Walker?” Ma raised her brows at me. “You best call me Ma. I don’t answer to much else. And I think you already figured out that I don’t pull them either, so just spit it out.”
