Defy the Sun (Beware the Night #2) - Jessika Fleck Page 0,70

the Sindaco moves to the box, a switch on the top of it. He flips it on, a green light bleeps, then the Rovina cranks and lurches to life.

Like it’s a reflex, Dorian throws his arm out in front of me while I stumble over my own feet taking several hasty steps back.

The weapon blasts a cloud of steam from the undercarriage and then coughs as each of the explosives pop like firecrackers.

The damage is minimal, and I’m left part relieved and part confused. The showing was anticlimactic at best.

The Sindaco strides across the cave to pick it up. He lifts the length of still-smoking wires without ceremony and rejoins us. “Now, this is just a sample. What we’ll actually use will be much more destructive.”

“What do you plan to use?” I ask.

“Ah…” He taps the side of his head. “Still in development. You two will be the first to know when we have it all worked out, though.” He strides back to the weapon and turns the switch to the off position. “This is nothing we’ve dared try before, but once we can get the mechanisms right, be sure it’s timed and rigged so the explosives don’t go off before they’re placed … It could change the course of this war.” My Moon. “We plan to do a full test tomorrow.”

Wait. What? “Where?” I ask. Because if this thing is half the destroyer he says it is, he can’t detonate it down here.

“On the beach. We’ll test it by the water. That way, it’s safe and all the better for the Imperi to get word of it. Intimidate Raevald a bit.”

“That makes sense. Because if it were to go off down here…” I glance around the small cave, motion toward the tunnels it leads into, the low ceiling.

“Yes, yes … I’m aware. You’re so much like Dorian. All concern, all the time. I wouldn’t do anything to put my people in danger.”

I nod. “Of course.” Just like you would never lie to them all about something as important as, oh, I don’t know, a girl leading them to revolution.

With the demonstration over, Dorian and I turn to head back.

“Sir?” Dorian motions from the Sindaco to the door.

“Not yet, thank you, Dorian. I’m going to stay and observe for a while longer.”

We leave the cave, but I can’t help noticing how Dorian’s eyes linger on the Sindaco a beat longer.

This coupled with what he explained earlier, that he actually drugged the Sindaco, it’s obvious he’s suddenly not so trusting of his faithful leader.

And I intend to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

DORIAN AND I walk back from the Crag. Slowly. My strength isn’t returning as quickly as I’d like, and he’s definitely noticing but kindly not saying anything.

“Drink?” he offers, pointing his canteen at me.

“I’m fine.”

He glances down at me, part concerned and part like it’s so obvious I’m not all right. “Clearly.” Ah, there it is.

I glare playfully then force myself to switch to a much more uncomfortable subject. The unspoken hole stretching between us. “So … last night … you didn’t happen to come across a letter I wrote, by chance?” I keep my eyes ahead of me because if I make direct contact with those blue-agate eyes of his, I will definitely chicken out.

“Uh…” And suddenly he’s without words.

“Yes?”

He stops, stares, mouth agape. “You don’t remember, do you?”

Oh no, what am I not remembering?

My silence makes him laugh.

“What?” I ask.

“You woke me up by literally setting the letter on my face, then you asked me to get it to Nico. At all costs.”

“Dorian Winters, I did not…” Yet … It’s hazy, a moonroot fog orbiting around my brain. But with him mentioning it, the smallest crumbs of memory come floating back. Dorian’s watching, waiting, his eyebrow quirked up in interest and probably humored satisfaction. Then, “Ooooooh.” Shit.

“Yeah.”

It all comes tearing back into my conscience like a tidal wave. I’d stumbled up off the mat, written several versions of the letter, looked and then crawled around the cave for a way to deliver it, and then, when all was lost, I smacked Dorian in the face with it.

“Get this to Nico, mmmkay?” I’d said.

Dorian, almost as groggy as I was, stared back at me, one eye open. “What? Now?”

“Now. At all costs. It’s of the utmost importance.”

“Can I read it first?”

I jerked it away from him. Then, yes, tucked it into my shirt. And there was a moment when he wasn’t sure … When he thought