Dead Man's Deal The Asylum Tales - By Jocelynn Drake Page 0,133

by a dozen others as all the kids were now on their feet and decidedly against being separated.

I held up my hands and silence settled back over the room. “It’s for the best. The Towers are looking for five kids. Not one or two kids in a single household. You’ll be better protected if you’re separated.”

Just as the arguments started again, Étienne said, “He is right.”

They fell silent, but I saw Alice’s hand tighten on James’s. She hadn’t escaped with Étienne. She had gotten out of the New York Tower on her own with her brother. There was something mutinous in her stare. The warm, bubbly girl wielding the baseball bat had melted into a young woman of hardened determination. I had a feeling that she had been willing to follow Étienne because it meant there was someone else to help protect James, but she would run if someone tried to separate her from her younger brother.

I smiled at her and gave a little nod. Some of the tension eased from around her eyes. I’d talk to Gideon. James and Alice needed each other. They had escaped together, been through a similar horror.

“It’s going to take me a little while. I need to talk to some people. They may need to strengthen defenses and such,” Gideon said, seeming to talk more to himself than to me.

“I want them to continue their training,” I added.

“Are you insane?” He jerked out of his chair, standing a couple feet away from me. “They left—”

“And they’re still being hunted. They need to be able to defend themselves, as well as have excellent control—the whole reason for being taken to the Towers in the first place.” Gideon’s mouth thinned to a hard line, but he didn’t argue. He knew I was right, but I was asking a lot. The families that took them in would need increased security. Training the kids would demand even more protective spells to cloak the activity.

I shrugged at Gideon. “We could find someplace and meet once or twice a month for a few hours. Just some defensive spells.”

The warlock made a sound of disgust and shook his head as he returned to his seat. “Are you going to be the one to train them?”

My smile slipped. “You think that’s wise?”

“I don’t think any of this is wise, but it needs to be done,” he said. “I’ll get started. If you survive the next few days, I’ll get back to you when something has been decided.”

“Sounds good.” I pushed away from the wall and stood in front of Étienne, who rose from his chair. “Can you keep things under control here for a little while longer?”

He nodded stiffly. “Of course.”

I was impressed with the young man. Not once had he argued about putting the kids in families, or about me stepping in to take control. They may have been his responsibility, but he knew that the group couldn’t continue as they were indefinitely.

“If there’s an emergency, you know where to find me,” I said, a part of me hating to leave them unprotected and vulnerable.

“Yes.”

I extended my hand to him and he shook it.

Gideon shook his hand before we turned toward the door. The warlock paused and looked at me with a frown. “You are going to take care of the other little problem first?”

“Very soon. I’m waiting for some information from a very resourceful hobgoblin.”

He rolled his eyes and left the house without another word. I think Gideon had had all he could stand from me for one morning. Smiling, I turned to find Sofie curled up on Paola’s lap as the girl stroked her fur. Alice was scratching her head.

“Sof, are you staying or going with me?” I asked with a chuckle.

The cat rolled off the girl’s lap and stretched her entire body before walking over to me. Picking her up, I paused at the door and said good-bye to my would-be saviors. I didn’t know if my plan was going to work. I didn’t know if these kids were going to have something that resembled a normal life or if I was putting more people in danger. But they deserved a shot at it. We all deserved a chance at normal.

25

HELL BROKE LOOSE when I stepped out the door. I didn’t think to scan the area to see if anyone else was about. Gideon had left less than a minute before me, and I was sure it was safe. I could use a thousand excuses like I was