Page 439 of Shadowblood Souls
But a certain sort of clarity comes with the emptiness. I peer up and down the street, considering the instructions our captor gave us, and uncover a lingering flicker of defiance after all.
“Balthazar was right,” I say carefully. “It’s going to be hard. There’s such a limited window of time when we’ll have our chance. And we don’t know how quickly people inside will notice something’s wrong and come to help.”
Jacob studies me, his bright blue eyes sharpening like only they can. “He can’t expect us to do more than our best. We aren’t miracle-workers.”
A hint of a smile curves my lips, tight with relief that he understands. My gaze slides to the others as well. “We’ll just have to do that—give it our all.”
As I speak, I shake my head, slowly and firmly.
A matching rigid smile crosses Andreas’s lips.
Zian stares at all of us and clenches his jaw. “He’d better not be upset if he’s given us a job that’s too hard,” he mutters.
I can tell without anyone speaking another word that we all understand each other. Itisa difficult job—that’s why Balthazar sent all four of us.
The first gambit only requires me and Jake. But he wanted Drey and Zee with us too in case we fail.
And if even he can admit failure is an option, then why shouldn’t we make sure of it? Why the hell should we help him if we can get away with doing the opposite?
We just have to give every appearance that we tried our hardest so he doesn’t suspect purposeful sabotage.
I lift one leg and then the other, peeling them off the increasingly sticky leather seat, and rein in my impatience as well as I can. I’m so tired of living under Balthazar’s thumb, feeling like he has it pressed against the back of my neck, shoving my face into the dirt.
Nothing I’ve done had gotten us closer to escape. This scrap of rebellion is the best I can give my guys.
Andreas rests his hand on the back of my head with a soft stroke of my hair. “We’ll get through this, Tink.”
His gentle tone sends a wavering ache through me, a pang of pain that’s consumed by the angry simmer within seconds.
He means our current captivity, not just the job ahead. He’s worried about me.
I grope for a response that might soothe his worry at least a little. The ping of the screen on the van’s dash breaks in, making my nerves jolt.
A message appears along with the sound.Target is five minutes out. Get in position.
Yes, someone on Balthazar’s team is definitely stationed nearby if they can track the man we’re waiting for that closely.
I reach up instinctively to give Drey’s hand a quick squeeze. He returns the gesture and bends to kiss the top of my head. “We’ll see you soon.”
I catch Zian’s eyes, and he bobs his head to me before pulling on a thin cloth mask to disguise his face. Then he and Andreas slip out through the van’s back doors.
They’re the ones in the most direct danger—the ones who’ll actually get close to our target if Jacob and I fail.
Not if now.When.
I swallow thickly and tuck my legs into a crossed position. Jacob lets out a huff and jabs at the controls. “We can get awaywith a few minutes of air conditioning. Who can think when it’s this stuffy?”
I don’t protest as a hiss of cool air gusts over my skin. I do need to concentrate—maybe even harder on messing up the mission than on seeing it through successfully.
Today, Balthazar doesn’t want me to kill anyone. I’m supposed to hold them with my scream but not give in to the hunger for pain.
I’ve never actually tried that effect with people before, only the animals Matteo had me practice on. But I suspect Balthazar won’t be too upset if I slip and mangle a security officer or two.
As long as we get him whatever’s in that fucking briefcase he wants so much.
Too bad. Not happening. We don’t have to dance to his tune in every possible way.
The vibration of a scream tickles at the base of my throat. The fury that feeds it is aimed at our captor, not the strangers he’s set us against, but it’ll fuel the power in whatever direction I decide to aim it.
