Taland nodded. “They’re on their way.”
He stepped out of the circle and a long breath left me involuntarily, like my body was suddenly relieved even if I didn’t want to admit it to myself. Taland took my hand in his and guided me to the side, closer to the soldiers.
“What do you think happened?” I whispered, trying to prepare myself for whatever they were coming to talk to us about.
“I’m not sure, but it doesn’t look good,” Taland said, white eyes squinting. “They’ll be here soon. I’m sure they’ll tell us.”
I looked at him. “You sound suspicious.”
He smiled, put his arm around my shoulders. “I am. It’s Radock we’re talking about. He always has some sort of a hidden agenda.”
“I’m not worried,” I said, resting my head on his chest. “Not with these guys around.”
“Good,” he said, kissing my head. “There’s absolutely nothing to worry about.”
We really believed that, and neither of us even considered that we were about to be proven wrong very soon.
It was like I’d been picked up and thrown back into the past, to a time when it was normal to see people other than Taland, when I actually lived with Madeline and Poppy and went to work at the IDD—and that time I actually went searching for the Tivoux brothers, too, in hopes of finding Taland. That was…how long ago,threeweeks?
That’s all the time it had taken me to get used to a life alone with Taland.
Now that I was watching Radock and Seth and Kaid Tivoux walking side by side with Amelia and Zach Mergenbach as they came to us, guided by the soldier, it felt like I was in a dream. It felt like time had slowed to a crawl, and the closer they got, the farther away they seemed.
Until the soldier stepped to the side so we were all facing one another, and they wereright there.
He didn’t get back in line behind us, though. He stayed there with his hands at his sides, obviously at Taland’s orders.
“I’ll be damned,” Radock whispered as he looked at him, then at Taland, and the other soldiers behind us.
“You actually brought back Titus’s army. Not bad, Tal. Not bad,” Zach said, nodding his head.
“Hey, Rora, remember when you thought Taland wasnormal?”Seth said, bringing a fist to his mouth as he laughed.
“Enough, guys,” Aurelia said, her eyes on Taland. “Enough. We see you two are well. I’m sure you see that we are, too. Thanks to you.”
“We are,” I said, and my voice sounded strange to my own ears. “And we’re glad you are, too.” None of them lookedwounded or weak in any way. They were all clean and dressed as well as always.
“Good,” Radock said, and he didn’t look away from Taland at all. “I don’t know how much you can see with those eyes, brother, but I imagine you saw us through his.” And he nodded his head slightly to the side, to where the soldier who’d brought them up here stood.
“I see enough,” Taland finally said. “I don’t see why you’re here, though. The fight is over. I’m sure the Council can no longer get to you, so…” His voice trailed off, and I watched Radock intently, waiting on a reaction.
He smiled bitterly, looked down at the ground for a moment.
“Is that a way to welcome your own brother?”
I thought Taland might laugh, and in those moments, I regretted telling him everything about how I came to find him in Silver Spring. I regretted telling him the truth about meeting his brothers, but I never actually thought we’d be face-to-face with them again. That they’d come here to confront us like this.
That was naive of me, but I really believed that we were done with…well,everything.
Except Taland didn’t laugh. He sounded very calm when he asked, “The same man who not only turned his back on me, but refused to help my girlfriend even after she told him she saved my life? The same man who ordered her killed, too?”
The words were like rocks falling in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to squeeze Taland’s hand, beg him not to say anything, not to mention me, but that was just my fear talking. Besides, I hadn’t lied to him about a single thing—Radockhadordered his brothers to kill me when I went to him for help. And Taland knew exactly what he was doing, so I stayed put.
“Things were different then,” Radock said.
“Things are the same as always,” Taland said. “You’re no different than the people who used you and turned on you whenyou no longer served their purpose, Radock.” His calm was to be envied. “I assume there’s a reason why you’re here?”
“Hold your horses, Taland,” Zach said, raising his hands. “That’s a mean thing to say, boy. Whatever your differences, you’re still family.”