Page 104 of Ensnared

Butnot now.

Theothers have stayed silent, waiting for me to take the lead on this.Idon’t need to see the gripBeauhas on the girl to know that ifIfuck this up and upset her more, the two of us will have a serious problem.

Ilook atEden, still on one knee.Ihaven’t knelt for anyone in my life, andIwonder if she appreciates the view.But, for the moment, evenIcan tellIshould lay off the domineering.Atleast a little.

“Threeof our cameras are down,”Itell her, deciding on a half-truth.Wecan start fresh once this shit is dealt with and she’s not in danger of running. “That’sa lot, even for us.Itleaves us with some major blind spots.Weneed to patch them up quickly.”

Stubbornnessfirms her jaw, andIraise a hand.

“It’srough terrain, and we need to move fast; you’ll only slow us down.That’snot an insult, it’s just a fact.Youdon’t know the way, or the area, and three dead cameras is too dangerous to leave for long.”Nota lie, exactly, just not the whole truth. “Butnext time... next time we’ll have you come along, even show you how to do it yourself so you can help us going forward.”

Hermouth clicks shut in surprise.Istraighten, then hold out a hand. “Fair?”

Edenlooks at my hand as thoughImight have answers written on my palm. “You’lllet me come out with you and be useful, just like the others?”

“Youcan go hunting withLucky, fix cameras with us, and we’ll even show you how to protect yourself, if you want,”Isay agreeably.

Everyoneshould know how to protect themselves these days.Thatjust makes sense.We’donly take her out when we were there to protect her anyway.

Edenstands up fromBeau’slap, right in front of my hand.

Wouldthe damn woman just shake it?Idon’t usually make concessions.Doesshe have to keep pushing her luck?

Blue-gray eyes sear me;Ican see her sharp brain picking apart my words as though she’s a human caught making a deal with the faerie king, trying to spot a trick.Imanage to stop myself from shifting.

Just.

“Andyou’ll tell me the truth?Bringme in on everything, the same as the others?”

Inarrow my gaze on hers. “You’renot a soldier.”

“Technicallyyou’re not anymore, either,” she reminds me blandly. “Andneither isJasper, and he’s still included.”

Icross my arms over my chest.

“Ormaybe,”Edencontinues, “it’s becauseI’ma woman, and you think thatI—”

“Forfuck’s sake,”Isnap. “Fine.Fine.Goingforward, we’ll tell you everything—ifyou agree to follow our orders.Iwon’t have you going off half-cocked thinking you know best and putting yourself in danger.”

Sheblinks at that, andBeausmirks.

“Becausethe otherswould be upset,”Igrit out.

Beaugives me a dry look.

“Andfor therecord,”Isay to both of them, “Jasperhas been training with us for years, had the same security clearance as we did, and we still don’t bring him out with us most of the time.”

Edenstudies me.Sharp.Intense.Thenshe nods slowly. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

Shethrusts out her hand. “Yes.It’sa deal.”

Iput my hand into hers and shake.

Withher small, warm palm in mine,Ihave the strangest feeling thatI’mhanding over far more thanIbargained for.

Maybeshe’s the faerie queen after all.

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