Page 81 of House of Kallan
Jasper didn’t want to. The tears in his eyes as he stared at me said that he’d like nothing more than to refuse. But the son he still had in his arms clung to him, even as he looked back at his siblings longingly.
“Okay,” he said at last.
For a minute, I watched as they fell into line with the nurses, and each helped a terrified woman out of their rooms and toward the door. Turning back, I realized that I was the only adult left on the third floor.
“Miss Tatum?”
I looked for the little voice who said my name. Leven, with his molten eyes and webbed fingers, was standing in the door looking at me. “Yes?”
“What do we do?” he asked.
Jasper’s triplets looked at me, waiting for directions. Taking a breath, I moved in among their ranks. “You listening, Shadow?”
His little head turned my way, and he gave me half a smile before giving his attention back to the hybrids trying to breach the wall. He wasn’t the only one fighting. Bael’s wails were just as much a barrier as Shadow’s shadows. Solana continued his reign of sunshine terror, burning his name into them when they fought long enough. His name. Not the number he was assigned.
“Okay,” I said, crouching down. “We need something to keep them busy and distracted so we can evacuate with everyone else. I’m sorry to tell you that my abilities work bestaftersomeone has been hurt. As much as I hate to say this, besides some fun weapons I have on me that require close combat, I’m relying on you. What can we do to distract them?”
“I can do it,” little Cera said as she got to her knees. “I can create illusions.” All around us, the entire room filled with replicas of the kids sitting around me. They lasted a few seconds before fading away.
“How long can you keep it up?” Apricot asked.
Cera shrugged. “Don’t know. But they’re just illusions. They don’t do anything.”
Apricot looked at her younger siblings. “Rieen, take a dozen kids and head down. Protect them with everything you have.” Rieen nodded. “Tobi, take the next.”
“Okay.”
Apricot looked around and then met one of her triplet brother’s eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll take the next quarter,” he said, rolling his eyes.
Apricot smiled. “Thanks, Otto. That leaves us with the bareminimum. Our little illusionist stays. The kid screaming and the one using the darkness to tear everyone apart, they stay. And sunshine boy. Everyone else needs to go.”
“Leaving now,” Rieen said.
I quickly gathered up a dozen kids, pairing some older with a few younger. Before they left, I said, “Protect yourselves at all costs, okay?” I received nods in return. “You’ll know the Silence when you see them, probably better than anyone else. Be safe and we’ll meet you there as soon as we can.”
“Be careful, Miss Tatum,” Wayway said.
I touched his nose. “I will. Go.”
I watched them leave, staring after them. Disbelieving that I just sent a dozen kids off in a war zone with a preteen. I’ve clearly hit desperate measures.
Five minutes later, we sent the next crew with Tobi. Another five and Otto took another dozen. That left us with the barest skeleton.
“Mayr, bring Bael here, please.”
Mayr glanced at me. He leaned over the edge of the wall to look below them and then turned. Bael was nearly as big as he was. I took him into my arms and hugged him tightly. “Keep crying, sweet thing,” I murmured, and his wails picked up again. I felt the shift in his tempo and new cries of agony from just outside the openings reached us.
“Okay, here’s the plan,” I said. Everyone left huddled in closer. It was more to hear me over Bael than it was to not be overheard. “Apricot, can you create something that will keep them busy?”
She looked at her remaining brother. “Yep, we can do that.”
“Good. Coordinate with Cera. Cera will fill the room with kids, you create the distractions. Shadow, when I tell you to, run to me, okay?”
Shadow glanced back, but I had no idea whether he agreed or not. I was just going to have to assume he would.
“As soon as you two set it in motion, we’re going to run forthe stairs and get to the basement as fast as possible. Any questions?”
