Page 106 of Fallen Thorns
“It’s obviously connected,” Mars blurted, looking to Marianne for confirmation.
“I hope for the sanity and safety of us all that you’re wrong,” our leader answered, rubbing her eyes in distress.
“But I’m right though, aren’t I,” Mars said: a statement, not a question.
Marianne’s lips pursed and she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. “She’s a Dumont.”
The name was supposed to mean something to me, though Arlo never saw what Isiah did first hand, only heard of the so-called ‘atrocities’.
“Just as I think we’ve bested her, she’s already one step ahead.”
“Perhaps she was always one step ahead,” Lawrence said bluntly. Honestly.
Marianne dragged her hands roughly through her hair, clearly avoiding the flinch of annoyance her body was about to make. “She wants us to bring the fight to her.”
“We’re not falling for it though, right?” a smaller, blond-haired boy piped up. He only looked about ten.
“Excuse me?” This was Mars, lashing around in shock.
“We’re showing her it will take more than that to get at us, right?” The boy’s confidence did not falter.
Mars charged over, and by the way the child acted, it was evident he was a lot older than Mars.
“So you are saying,” Mars shouted in his face, “that Ben’s life doesn’t matter? That the concept of him possibly being in serious dangerisn’tenough?”
The boy didn’t flinch.
“What constitutes asenoughfor you?” Mars pressed.
“He is just one person,” the confidence rolled off his tongue: fearless. And to Mars’ surprise, a few others joined in with nods.
Mars gasped, glancing around in disbelief at the others, Lawrence stood in the same state of shock with his arm around Francesca, her heart thundering in anger.
“How can you say that?” Mars’ voice turned helpless and unsteady as a tear formed in the corner of their right eye.
“Enough,” Marianne asserted herself. “We’re not going to debate this. Don’t think it’s relevant? Then leave. I won’t stop you. But Thorns don’t leave each other behind and rest assured I will remember this. When the time comes that you,” she looked at the boy and the crowd that had formed around him, “find yourself in difficulty,” her eyes narrowed, voice deepening, “I will never forget.”
The room fell silent. No one dared argue against her.
After a long minute, the blond-haired boy stood and walked head-high from the room. A handful of others followed slowly and possibly reluctantly, but it was difficult to tell.
Mars glared at them in dismay. Marianne’s expression mirrored theirs. How could her own Thorns still be so careless after everything she had done for them?
“Casper is still out there, isn’t he?” Francesca asked quietly once the room emptied slightly.
“He’s been out all night, I just got back from helping him.” Marianne was pacing; shocked at what had transpired. I breathed in her scent, noted with the pungent smell of guilt. She was so easy to read.
“He thinks it too, doesn’t he?” Lawrence asked the room.
“Oh, he knows it. He knows Ben better than anyone in this world. Knows his scent like the back of his hand. He won’t rest until he finds him.”
Love does things to you, doesn’t it? What a shame Arlo will never feel what that is like.
But I do.I ignored him.
“He’s been back to the site where we last saw Isiah… the abandoned church. He said he smelled him and that he was not long gone,” Marianne confirmed.
“Which means shewasthere. She knows the significance of that place,” Mars added.
