Alterant (Belador #2)(84)

She wasn’t agreeing to anything now that she knew Tristan had a sister in here to rescue. “Still listening.”

“As for getting through concrete, the minute you’re far enough away from Kizira, call Tzader or Quinn telepathically and first make sure they’ll protect these Alterants then tell them to bring in Sen, who can teleport in where we entered and take you out. Tell everyone my sister is an innocent bystander, that she was dragged into this by mistake.”

“That’s your plan for me to escape?”

He pulled back. “Yes. Why? What’s wrong with it?”

“I can’t use telepathy in here. I’ve been battling to keep my mental shields in place to block out any Belador telepathy since I got back to Atlanta. The minute you brought me into the maze the attack on my shields stopped. I lowered them to see if anyone’s voice came through. Haven’t heard a peep.”

“Maybe the Tribunal won’t allow anyone to contact you.”

“Nothing would stop Tzader or Quinn from trying to find me, and Trey has been trying to reach me nonstop. He’s so powerful that his telepathy thumps against my shields. Trey’s like a supernova of telepaths. If he can’t get through, no one can.”

Tristan had that sick kicked-in-the-balls expression again, but it was his own fault this time. He should have discussed this with her earlier.

She cocked her head, arms crossed. “Here’s my plan. I say we rescue the hostages and get out of here using your teleportation once we make it back to the access wall. If you can find the right spot again.”

His body practically vibrated with the need to head toward the hostages. “I’m sure I can find one of the places to teleport out if the ghosts don’t block us.”

“Sounds like they’ll help us if it means Kizira goes, too.”

“The question is what you intend to do when we land on the other side?”

“You give me the three Alterants—”

“Here we go again.”

“Let me finish. I will have Storm go to Tzader, since I can’t be seen, and Tzader will contact Brina about the Alterants. She’s already agreed to guarantee their safety and a chance to speak to the Tribunal. I can’t tell you all that transpired at the Tribunal meeting, but Brina will help if it means me showing up with three Alterants.” Evalle had worded that carefully, because Tristan had it in for Brina. He didn’t need to know the Tribunal would punish Brina if Evalle failed.

“What about me and my sister?”

If the Tribunal wanted to pin the responsibility for his escape on Evalle, she would argue that they failed to forbid her from helping him escape.

Use their own twisted logic on them.

And hope Brina could make it stick.

She told Tristan, “I won’t say a word about you or your sister, but in return I want your help with finding out more about Alterants.” Something pinched her arm. She jumped, spinning around to find nothing there.

A hollow laugh bounced around her.

Why couldn’t these things have been demons? She could kill those. “Think it through, Tristan. There’s already a neutralize order out on all of us. With the massive Alterant problem across the country right now, VIPER will probably bring in Dakkar. He’s a mage that runs bounty hunters. He’ll find out you have a sister. You’ll never be safe, and neither will she.”

“There’s not going to be anything to discuss if we lose those hostages.”

She didn’t say a word.

“Fine. If you can get those three hostages to the other side of the wall in the train tunnel safely—without VIPER killing them—I’ll go along with you.”

She was running tight on time, but she had to believe that Storm would be there to help her with this. He wouldn’t let anyone from VIPER draw down on them. “Agreed. Get moving.”

Tristan took off as fast as a gunshot, with her right behind. The lanterns the soldier had promised appeared along the way.

When a glow filtered out through a garage-door-sized opening in the wall on her left ten steps ahead, Tristan slowed and crept up to the opening.

Evalle tucked her back close to the wall of rock and sidestepped until she was next to his shoulder. She couldn’t call out to Tzader from here, but she should be able to speak telepathically with Tristan, since it had worked in the jungle. You know I won’t shift into my beast state, but you can, which will give us an edge.

He told her, No, I can’t either. If I shift it might trigger the other four to lose control and change.

Evalle angled her head to the left to see his face. Four?

Chagrin over having to share something significant bathed his face. My sister is an Alterant, too.

Two in one family? What—

Can we discuss genetics and heritage later, Evalle? Tell you what. If we get out of here alive and I can put my sister somewhere safe, I’ll explain how I think Alterants are connected. We aren’t anomalies. You’re right. We should be a recognized race, and I think I know enough to prove it. Satisfied for now?

I’m good. More than good. Her heart raced from adrenaline and hope. She’d face an army of Medb for the chance to get that information from Tristan. How do you want to work this?

Stay here until I need you, and follow my lead. Tristan stepped away from the wall and entered the room.

Tristan! she hissed at him.