Page 40 of Fortress of Ambrose
“I don’t. You’ve met Drew, I’m sure.”
“I have, but barely.” At the tea in Darragh Marionne’s rose garden, Drew and Adola had played a trick on Quell with a saltshaker. It was lighthearted, but it had made Nore uncomfortable. She didn’t know or trust either of them.
“You’re going to have to get us into her good graces,” she said.
“Do I strike you as someone who does well with people’s good graces?”
A strangled laugh escaped her.
“Somehow it’s going to be alright,” he said, turning to look at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because we have you.”
She waited for a smirk. But Yagrin’s deadpan expression did something to her insides. It felt like the pressure of a warm, tight hug. She scooted closer to him and leaned on their shared armrest. His body was stiff against her, but he didn’t move. She was too nervous about everything else to smile, but it felt nice.
Maybe she could win him overas herselfafter all.
Seventeen
Quell
Willam holds his shotgun on the front porch of the safe house as Rein and Kedd hold a girl with dark hair, dressed in the color of blood. As Jordan and I get closer, I recognize her.
“Yaniselle?” Jordan says.
“Your ex is here?!” Her hands are tied behind her back, and the barrel of Willam’s gun is pressed to her head. Jordan walks faster. The last time I saw her was at the Sphere, standing beside Beaulah, filled with rage at Charlie’s death.
“How did you find this place?” Willam demands.
“I sun tracked Jordan.” She slides a Dragun coin with a cracked column from her back pocket.
“This is why I don’t want him here.” Willam slips a finger onto the trigger. Guilt cinches in my chest.
“She’slying,” Jordan says. “She doesn’t know the first thing about sun tracking.” Jordan approaches, and Willam turns the gun on him. The barrel of the weapon swivels back in Yani’s direction. A hard line etches between her brows as Willam nudges her with the gun up onto her feet.
“The truth, Yani,” Jordan says.
She looks between both of them.
“Jordan, it’sme.”
“Precisely.”
Her nostrils flare. “I did come for Jordan,” she spits. “That part wasn’t a lie. I’ve been kicked out of Hartsboro, and I didn’t know where to go. I visited one of the brotherhood’s contacts to ask about a safe place. He told me I’d find a friendly face at this location. I took it to mean I’d find you.”
Audubon.“That snake.”
“Jordan, you know how Mother is. Please, let me stay.” She jerks against Kedd and Rein’s grip.
“He has no say here.” Willam’s jaw works. Knox exits the house.
“I can’t vouch for her, Willam,” I say.
Jordan’s lips thin, and it fills me with confusion. He can’t feel sorry for her. He can’t care one bit what happens to her.
“If you have a way to lock her up, I believe she could be telling the truth,” he says.
