Silver Basilisk - Zoe Chant Page 0,37
but there is plenty of talk. One interesting rumor among them is that the red dragon is getting pressure from someone else.”
“Names?” Mikhail asked.
“Not so far. So what I’m thinking is this. We keep the pressure on at our end. Cang is desperate to get at what he thinks is the Oracle Stone, desperate enough to have paid for whatever it is he’s using to make those pairs of shamblers. It can’t be easy.”
Nikos leaned forward. “I see two possibilities here. One, we wait to see if Cang’s trouble fractures his group.”
Joey said, “That was my thought.”
Nikos said, “Second, we try to find out where he got that zombie charm, or whatever it is, by inserting someone closer inside his group.”
Joey hesitated.
Doris shook her head. “Joey’s volunteers are all mostly college age. They’re all gung ho as people can be at that age, but they’re students. Not trained spies.”
Nikos raised his hand. “I was going to suggest we call for volunteers from my hetairoi—I don’t know the word in English. My honor guard, you could call them. We could put one among the young students. A powerful mythic shifter, very well trained in martial arts. One who could perhaps be hired in as muscle—who claims their English isn’t very good, so they don’t understand a lot, which might encourage the enemy to talk right in front of her.”
Jen grinned. “I know exactly who you’re thinking of. Bryony would love it. And judging by the quality of those scrappers we fought with that night, she could account very well for herself if things went south.”
Everyone turned from Joey to Mikhail, who gave a slow nod. “I would like to meet this person. I would like to assure myself she’s qualified before she willingly goes into danger for us.”
Joey said, “That was my thought as well.”
“Done,” Nikos said.
Nikos, Jen, and Mikhail got up and went off to the other end of the terrace, talking quietly.
Doris said to Joey, “I guess the plan is to wait and see?”
Joey gave a nod, and began talking over his volunteers, none of whom Rigo knew. His attention slid from them to Godiva, who hadn’t moved from her chair, her hands still cradling a cup of coffee that she had scarcely touched.
She had that thousand-mile stare. He wondered if he should interrupt her or just wait—how to approach her on that still-rickety bridge of communication (far too early to call it trust) that he’d tried so hard to build the night before.
Then Bird stepped up to her. “Godiva, that coffee looks like it went cold. Would you like me to refresh it?”
Godiva blinked and set down the cup. “No thanks. I’ve drunk about a gallon this morning. But it’s done its job. It seems like you people have everything locked down here, for now.”
Bird said, “Do I hear a but?”
“Not a but. A so,” Godiva said.
Doris and Joey turned. Rigo stood, unsure whether to stay, move, speak or remain silent.
Godiva then said, “And so, it seems to me that it’s time for me to make a road trip.”
The conversation at the far end of the terrace stopped. Everyone turned Godiva’s way. Rigo could see the respect they held for her as they all waited for her to speak.
“Road trip?” That was Doris.
“Yep,” Godiva said, rising. “I’ve got a post office box to check.”
“A post office box? Can I give you a lift?” Doris asked.
Godiva’s quick grin flashed. “This one is just outside of Chicago.”
And Rigo heard himself say, “I’ll take you.”
He held his breath. He sensed the circle also holding their breaths—the entire world stilled for a breathless moment, then Godiva said, “You’re on.”
Chapter 9
GODIVA
Godiva surprised herself with that “You’re on.” Surprise—doubt—relief—curiosity. Each unraveled through her head like a ball of yarn, tangling into a mess.
Her first thought had been of the discomfort of all-night trips on the Greyhound bus, being woken at two and four in the morning for stops. Then she remembered that she had enough money to travel comfortably now, but the words escaped anyway.
She looked at him to see if he’d meant it, or . . .
A smile lightened his expression, like sunlight striking water.
She tested her response to that smile cautiously, a little like poking a sunburn. To test him a little, she slapped her hands on her thighs and said, “Well, then, let’s get cracking.”
Rigo shot a glance Joey Hu’s way.
Joey smiled. “Since we’ve agreed we’re in waiting mode, I think between the rest of us we can cover flyovers while