Page 67 of Lion's Share
The implications of that scenario sent another chill through me, but this time I managed to keep it together enough that the tablet didn’t even flicker.
“There’s one more thing,” I said. “If this goes wrong — if Dr. Rosenthal doesn’t buy our story or decides to take us anyway….”
“It won’t come to that,” Ben said, his voice firm enough that I wanted to believe him.
However, I needed to be practical about all this.
“But if it does.” I looked at Rebecca Morse, willing her to understand how serious this could be. “There are others at risk here. The creatures in the forest, the portal itself, and possibly the people in Silver Hollow as well. Promise me that if something happens to us, you’ll find a way to protect them.”
Agent Morse gave a solemn nod. “You have my word.”
We spent a few more minutes working out ways to communicate and possible contingency plans. The cramped quarters of the SUV made me long to get this over with so I could go back out in the cool night and take some breaths of fresh air.
Agent Morse would return to the DAPI camp and begin laying the groundwork for our supposed surrender. Ben and I would make our way back to the Henderson farm and wait for dawn.
And all of us would just have to hope for the best.
As we prepared to leave the SUV, Agent Morse turned back to us one more time.
“Ms. Lowell, can I ask you something personal?”
What a question. “I suppose,” I said, since I wasn’t sure how else to respond.
She didn’t blink. “Are you afraid?”
The question caught me off guard, mostly because I’d been trying so hard not to think about my own fear and the way it might affect the gifts I’d inherited from my mother and grandmother…and the women who’d come before them.
“Yes,” I admitted, after a pause. “Terrified.”
“Good,” Agent Morse said, surprising me. “Fear will keep you sharp. But don’t let it control you. From what I’ve seen, your abilities respond to your emotional state. If you go into this tomorrow confident and in control, you’ll have a much better chance of success.”
Easy for her to say.
But I knew I needed to stay focused on the plan. The biggest risk was that Dr. Rosenthal would simply ignore any attempt at negotiation and take us into custody by force. But Agent Morse thought the promise of cooperation would be too tempting for her to pass up, especially if she believed she could get information about other individuals with similar abilities.
After she melted back into the darkness, Ben and I stood in the shelter of the oak tree for a long moment.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said at last.
“Yes, I do.” I took his hand, drawing comfort from the warm strength of his fingers. “This is what I have to do, Ben. Dr. Rosenthal is even worse than the people at Northwest Pacific — she doesn’t want just to profit from ruining the environment. No, she wants to control and weaponize things that should be left alone.”
He went quiet again, worry and fear and downright stubbornness warring in his face. “And if she doesn’t accept your demonstration? If she decides you’re too dangerous to be left free?”
There was really only one answer to that question.
“Then I guess we’ll find out just how strong these abilities really are.”
He didn’t reply, only took my hand in his as we made our way back to the Henderson farm. Neither of us spoke, as if we understood that we didn’t dare risk even a single whisper being overheard. But as we approached the guest house, I sensed a familiar tingle at the edge of my consciousness — not the focused attention of a human mind, but something wilder and much more ancient.
“The griffin,” I murmured. “It’s nearby.”
Sure enough, a shadow detached itself from the treeline near the barn, massive wings folding as the creature settled into a watchful position. Even at this distance, I could sense its awareness of our situation, its readiness to intervene if necessary.
Another presence flickered at the edges of my perception — the unicorn, still keeping its distance but maintaining its vigil. No sign of the shadow stalkers, and I wondered if all the activity of Dr. Rosenthal and her goons had chased those creatures farther into the wilderness.
We slipped quietly into the guest house, both of us tense, as if we expected to be intercepted the second we stepped inside. But the casita was empty, the only sound the refrigerator humming into the quiet.
All the same, we didn’t dare turn on any lights as we grabbed a few morsels from the groceries Ben had bought earlier that day, and we moved in utter stealth as we got out some blankets and prepared to settle down on the couch for the night. The little house had a real bedroom, the place where I had slept the night before, but now I wanted to be out here where I’d be able to see and hear more of what was happening in the world.
