is inside before we bother speaking with anyone. If we determine that negotiating is worth the attempt.”
She nodded. Salvo obviously knew more about this sort of thing than either Caster or her. “Is the Stireton warden one of the reasonable ones?”
He glanced at her then shook his head. “Not even close.” Without further explanation, he motioned her from the workroom. They reached the end of the corridor and he touched her shoulder. “Natalie, this is not how I wanted to spend tonight. I was hoping for some time alone with you. I want to know more about you.”
“I do too.” Their conversation had just started to get interesting when Caster interrupted. “But this is important. Dellia needs our help.”
His first response was a deep sigh, then he said, “This is Ghost City. There will always be those who need our help. I learned long ago that it’s impossible to help them all.”
“So we shouldn’t help any of them?”
“I didn’t say that.” He indicated the case. “Clearly, I’m willing to help. I’m just warning you to keep your expectations realistic. We’ll do everything we can for as many as possible, but I’ve been at this long enough to know that we’ll lose as many as we save.”
“If it were just us I’d agree, but the Shadowborn Rebels are determined to enact sweeping changes, and they have the support of the Outcasts now. The common Sarronti have been at the mercy of the elite far too long. That’s about to change. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.”
A slow smile gradually parted his lips as he raised one hand to her face. “Do you realize how badly I want to kiss you right now?”
Tingling heat cascaded through her body as she gazed up at him. Shimmering like pale-blue diamonds, his eyes clearly communicated all of the things he was not comfortable saying. Their connection was mutual and full of possibilities, a smoldering fire waiting for the slightest breeze to ignite the flames. “Don’t start something we can’t finish right now.” If he kissed her again, she knew she’d want more, a whole lot more. So it was better if they waited until they could focus on each other. “We need to get moving.”
He nodded and slowly lowered his arm. “Stireton is about a twenty minute walk from here. I have a glider, but it will draw less attention if we walk.”
“You’re a sentinel. Why would you need a glider?”
“It takes massive amounts of energy to use any of our abilities. If we use the gift too often, or too many times in a row, it can fail. For me that means I’ll be stranded for a few hours or a few days.”
She’d had no idea Sarronti powers could black out like that. The few she’d seen live seemed pretty damn omnipotent. “What’s the longest you’ve ever been stranded?”
“Sixty-two miserable days. I was still rather young, stranded on an unfamiliar planet, and terrified that my gift would never return.”
“That sounds really traumatic.” She started to touch him then froze. It was hypocritical not to follow her own advice. Reluctantly, she lowered her arm and slipped her hand into her pocket. His ability fascinated her, but now was not the time for a comprehensive discussion. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. A walk in the moonlight sounds wonderful.”
Pausing long enough to work his long silver hair into a thick braid, Salvo bound the end with an elastic band then led her from the apartment. He nodded to the neighbors they passed, but didn’t introduce her to any of them. None said anything to them either, so his reaction seemed to be the norm. She’d only spent a few days in Riverside, but it projected the subtle arrogance of a prestigious capital. Lake Walker seemed laidback and welcoming. Ghost City reminded her of the industrial meccas of the past now in desperate need of urban renewal.
The street was dark and eerie. They’d entered his apartment directly, so she hadn’t realized that the area was so dilapidated. The building containing his apartment and the two adjacent seemed to be the only ones on the entire street still in use. Sections of the sidewalk had deteriorated completely, leaving rough patches of rocky dirt many with sizable sinkholes. She slowed considerably each time the sidewalk ended, and Salvo lightly grasped her upper arm until they reached the next section of sidewalk.
“Thanks,” she whispered, feeling strangely restless. “What will we do with Dellia if we find