4

Treva held up a hand. “I’ve heard about some of your antics here in TicCity. Let me guess. A proposition with you includes Selah giving up a blood sample.”

“I think what I have for Selah is more important than what I want from her,” Brejian said.

“From Selah? You realize she’s leaving in a matter of hours,” Treva said. “I don’t think there’s anything she could do for you, considering her current status.”

Brejian glared at Treva. “Yes, I read the daily bulletins. I know her status—”

Selah crossed her arms over her chest. “What do you want from me?”

Brejian turned to Selah. “I want to leave here with you.” She pulled them to the other side of the hall. “I seem to have stumbled on some very damaging information about the present administration and their dealings with novarium. I’m relatively sure they will eliminate me when they find out what I know.”

Selah straightened. Was this some kind of trap? She glanced down the length of the long hall for Bodhi. He stood with Mari at the doorway. She relaxed. “What kind of information?”

Brejian shook her head. “I’m not saying anything until I’m safely out of here.”

“Why should Selah believe you?” Treva pressed her fists to her hips. “You could just be exaggerating to get a ride, and then have nothing to back up your proposition.”

“That information is not part of my proposition,” Brejian said.

“Then what are you offering her?” Treva moved closer, invading Brejian’s space.

Selah stretched out an arm to hold Treva back. “What are you offering?” she echoed.

Brejian lowered her voice. “The Repository.”

“What? Access to the Repository? What’s your angle? You’re smart enough to know if you give me access to Repository files, you can’t be sure I’d follow through and take you with us.”

“You misunderstand me,” Brejian said. “I’m not offering access to the Repository. I’m offering you the Repository.”

Selah’s brows drew together. She could feel the woman’s sincerity, but she still wasn’t sure if she could believe her.

“Selah doesn’t have a lot of time, and you’re talking in circles. Either tell her in plain words what you mean or we’re out of here.” Treva motioned Selah toward the front doors.

Brejian grabbed Treva’s arm. “I’ve been compiling the files on data cubes. I have a complete copy of the Repository, and I will trade it for passage out of this place and into someplace safe in the West.”

Selah stared at Treva and then at Brejian. Her thoughts jumbled. She needed this mental storm to pass. “You have everything from the Repository, and you’re willing to tell us what you found about this Council and the novarium?”

“Yes—wait! I didn’t include the Council actions in the deal.” Brejian looked nervous.

“If you’ve actually got the Repository, then I would definitely consider letting you travel with us.” Selah heard the familiar clomp of Bodhi’s boots coming up the hall. He slowed and stopped behind her. Even without hearing him, she’d have known it was him by the smell of his shaving scrub.

“Is there some kind of problem?” Bodhi leaned in, and Selah felt his breath on her neck as he spoke. She shivered.

Selah stared at Brejian but answered Bodhi. “We have now brought on a healer for our trip west.”

Treva frowned. “But—”

“No buts,” Selah said as she turned to Treva. “I’ve made a decision. You’ve already made your decision to stay here.”

Treva winced.

Bodhi moved between the two. “What’s going on here? And when did the healer join us? I have strict limits on our supplies—”

“Are you taking a food processor?” Brejian asked. “I have a year of food packs set aside. I will supply my own.”

Bodhi pulled Selah to the side. “Are you crazy? What if she’s some kind of plant from the Council just to keep tabs on you?”

“She said she has a copy of the Repository. I consider that more important than worrying about the Council. When we leave here they’ll be the least of our worries, but if I can get the files in an uncorrupted form, I may be able to find a cure for your problem,” Selah said.

“My ‘problem’ has plateaued. It’s your problem that is ongoing, so if it’s not going to help you, I think it would be better to leave her here. We know nothing about her,” Bodhi said.

“She says there’s information about this Council and something to do with novarium,” Selah said. “I wouldn’t be so willing to trust a stranger, but this is our last chance to get anything from those records, and we know Glade inputted the majority of the Repository. Can we afford to leave it behind?”

Bodhi walked back and forth a few times and ran a hand through his blond curls. “I don’t know. We don’t know this woman at all, other than as a healer.”

The front door opened and muffled voices drew their attention. Bright light streaming from the windows in the doors cast a halo around the approaching shadow in the dark hall. Mojica emerged into the light and strolled to Brejian. They clasped each other’s arms above the wrist.

“This woman wants to come with us to the West. She says she has the Repository and she’s willing to trade it for passage. What would you say about that?” Selah said to Mojica.

A broad grin spread across Mojica’s face and she clapped Brejian on the back. “You’ve done it! Outstanding timing.”

“Is there something I should know?” Selah glanced between the two.

Mojica tipped her head. “I thought you’d have noticed by now. We’re of the same clan.”

Bodhi stepped closer as if to protect Selah from an unseen predator while Mojica and Brejian bared their right arms. Each woman had a tattoo of an exotic bird with long tail feathers that began at the back of their right hand and snaked up their arm to their shoulder.

Treva’s mouth dropped open. She motioned to Selah. “We saw this tattoo in the Mountain on that young man and his crew who saved us from the gang.”

Selah looked at each arm in turn. “I don’t understand. Why am I beginning to see so many of these? What does this mean?”

“It means there’s always been someone watching over you as the novarium. We are of the Kinship,” Mojica said.

Treva stumbled back. “But that group is like the Blood Hunters. They’re splinters!”

“Ladies, we’ve known Mojica from the beginning, and then Taraji, so if Brejian is of the same clan, I guess she’s fine with me,” Bodhi said, raising both hands in mock surrender. “I came over because Mari called, but I’ve got a lot to finish. I’ve set our departure for tomorrow noon whether Taraji is back or not.” He looked at Brejian. “Have you heard anything about Taraji yet?”

The healer shook her head. “Not a thing. It’s total communications silence.”

“See! We need to wait another day for her,” Selah said. “And I have so many things to gather. I need to see Amaryllis.”

Mojica shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t like the looks of some of the men I’ve seen congregating in the courtyard, and I doubt TicCity Council will give us help if there’s trouble.”

“Mojica, you stay with Selah, and I’ll finish the arrangements. We’ll meet at your quarters in two hours.” Bodhi strode down the hall and out the door.

Selah watched him go. Even in his weakened state Bodhi remained clearheaded and sure about his decisions, while she felt a growing apprehension at the confusion that assaulted her, sometimes lasting several minutes or more. “You know he left you here to deal with me and my insistence on seeing Amaryllis,” she said to Mojica.

Mojica screwed up her lips. “Yep, I saw that caged-animal look in his eyes when you said her name.”

“Excuse me. Does anyone remember that I’m still waiting for an answer?” Brejian looked annoyed, though more confident than she had ten minutes ago.

Mojica’s communicator went off, and she turned away to answer it.

“Yes, you can come with us. You can help me with the files,” Selah said. “Be ready to go by noon tomorrow. Treva will help you get ready. She knows how we—”

“Selah, we have a problem. We put an auto-relay on Glade’s communicator until we left here. A message just came in to Glade’s estate from the Bantors. They heard of Glade’s passing and want a larger payment to keep Amaryllis,” Mojica said.

“The East Creek Bantors?” Brejian asked. “They’ve gained quite a reputation lately as smugglers.” Her face flushed and she lowered her eyes. “I’ve bought several black market compounds from them. And word has it the Blood Hunters are using their property as a way station.”

Selah stiffened. “I don’t know about any payments Glade was making. But if they’re doing anything illegal I don’t want Amaryllis near them.” She threw her hand up. “Blood Hunters! This is crazy. I have to go get her.” Would Amaryllis hate her for forcing her to leave? She dreaded taking the girl from people she had bonded with so well over the last few months, but for her own peace of mind, Selah couldn’t leave her there.

She charged toward the doors, but Mojica grabbed her arm. “It’s not safe. Just like in the Mountain, if they’re that much into contraband, they’ve got a pulse on Council activity so they know where enforcement is at all times. They may know about your new status, and this could be a trap to catch you.”

Selah tried to pull away. Mojica didn’t let go. Selah stared down at the hand clamped on her arm, then glanced up at Mojica. “Are we really going to come to blows on this?”

Mojica pressed her lips into a scowl but released Selah’s arm. “Selah, you can’t go alone.”

Selah marched toward the doors again but yelled over her shoulder, “Then you’d better come with me because I’m going to get her right now.”