The Book Eaters(107)
Devon had to refrain from snatching it out of his hands. “And it definitely works?”
Cai said, simultaneously, “What if the batteries run out?”
“Smart lad!” Jarrow took out a second, near-identical black device, holding both out. “I’ve built you a spare, which your mother can carry on her person. Keep batteries on both of you, always have one on when you’re replacing batteries on the other. The closer this gets to crunch, the more likely Ramsey is to use his trigger.” To Devon he said, “Yes, it will work. I’ve tested and tested this signal blocker across the past six months. Swear on my grave, Dev. No satellite signal or mobile signal will get through that. Make sure he keeps it on his body or very close by, at all times.”
He held out the blockers, one to each of them. Cai flicked the switch to On and inspected it closely. Devon did the same. She willed her hands to stop shaking and when that didn’t work, she settled for squeezing the signal blocker tightly.
It was extremely unlikely that Ramsey would set the thing off within the next few hours, not unless he wanted to alert the Ravenscars that something was drastically wrong, but she felt miles better for having the blocker in place all the same.
“As for the other things we talked about, it took me almost eight months, but I’ve learned to drive and got a fake license, at excruciating cost. We can take off for Ireland. I couldn’t get you one without a photo—”
“Aye, it’s fine. I knew that was unlikely.”
“—but it’s easy enough to get you and Cai across to Ireland itself. Hide in the car and we’ll take the big ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast. Only person they’ll check at the border is me.”
“This is incredible.” She was welling up. “What you’ve done … I’ll never be able to pay you back.”
“Love doesn’t have a cost,” he said, and gave her a squeeze around the shoulders with one arm. “You taught me that, Dev. Nothing’s owed. No debt. What’s the phrase you Northerners say? Oh, I remember. It’ll—”
“—be reet,” she finished, and they both smiled.
“What is our schedule?” Victoria hovered with nervous energy.
“Sorry. Schedules, yes.” Devon ran a hand through her short hair. “Ramsey will be here around eleven P.M.”
“You’re sure of that?”
“Aye. He texted to confirm time and location yesterday, and I’ve replied to him, with Cai’s help.” She tapped her mobile phone. “The Redemption for Cai will be ready at seven P.M., courtesy of a human assistant who works in that house.”
“A human?” Jarrow raised a doubtful eyebrow. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, to involve other people?”
“If he doesn’t come through, I’ll sort things myself, but I do believe he is motivated to assist us,” Devon said. “It’s a long story, that one, so you’ll have to trust me.”
“Take things on trust? From you? What else is new,” Jarrow said wryly.
“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I hope that we can all be leaving once we’ve picked up Redemption. If you could pick us up with your car at that bridge back there, I’d be grateful.” She hesitated. “And if things go wrong, if we don’t turn up, then don’t wait, all right?”
“I’ll hang around till dawn, or till I see some sign of knights,” he said gently, “whichever comes first. No later than that. But I’ll give you every chance if I can.”
“You already have, Jarrow.” She rose to her feet. “I’m sorry to leave, but I have some things I need to buy in town before our journey. We’ll get going and see you tonight, if that’s all right.”
Jarrow stood, too. “See you tonight, my friend.”
* * *
“Are you worried?” Cai said as they tronked along the road into Innerleithen, feet still wet from the river. “For real, I mean. I know you told Jarrow you weren’t.”
“Worrying is my way of life. It keeps me alive, and you, too. But we deal with one thing at a time, and right now I’m worried about buying all the things we need. I want to pick up books for the journey, clothes that don’t make me look like an idiot, and shoes, for heaven’s sake. Can’t keep going everywhere barefoot.” She clambered up the bank to increasingly dryer ground, angling a route across an unkempt playing field. “This way, love. Town’s up to the east.”
“Oh.” Cai poked her side, needling at her ribs. “What about your girlfriend?”
“She isn’t my girlfriend. I’ve only known her two days.”
“I think we should buy her a card or something,” he said doggedly. “You don’t have a lot of friends. It’s not smart to let them go so easily.”
“Who raised you to be such a cheeky sod?”
“Just saying.”
“Sure you are.” She ruffled his hair in revenge to wind him up. “Maybe if I see something suitable.”
The path evolved into a concrete sidewalk as they followed it into town, buildings springing up like weeds. Innerleithen’s high street wasn’t much of anything: a church, some stores, a few houses scattered between, and essential things like bigger shops or specialist services. It would do.