Secret of Betrayal: Book Two of The Destroyer Trilogy (22 page)

Slipping his hand into his jacket pocket—an act
which makes everyone but me tense up again—Braden pulls out his phone. Lance
relaxes at the sight of it. I throw him a withering look for even thinking
Braden was going to hurt us. Was he really expecting him to pull a gun on us in
Milo’s living room? Last night, Lance was practically begging me to let Braden
join our team. He pretends not to notice me and instead leans forward to see
Braden’s phone. The phone is turned only to me, though. In the second it took
me to reprimand Lance, Braden has pulled up a lovely collection of random lines
and shapes on his phone. I stare at it blankly for a few seconds before I
realize what I’m looking at.

“Are those schematics?” I ask.

For the first time since arriving, our eyes
meet. In the brief moment of a single breath, I see the indecision in him
waver, worsen, and finally disappear completely. I don’t know what he sees
reflected in my expression that convinces him to help us, but I try to keep it
up. The screen of Braden’s phone turns so that everyone crowded around him can
see. Lance and Mr. Walters lean in immediately while Milo stands back. It takes
Lance yanking the phone out of Braden’s hand and whistling at the images to
break though Milo’s mistrust enough to bring him forward. He pulls the phone to
where he can see it, his eyes darting back and forth hungrily over the tiny
screen.

“Are these really the plans for a Guardian compound?”
Lance asks.

“It’s the schematic for every non-training
Guardian compound on the planet, actually. Every detail of their stronghold is
right there in the palm of your hand,” Braden says.

Braden says “their” instead of “our,” as if he’s
no longer really a part of the Guardians. The subtle change seems to go
unobserved by everyone but me and the only other former Guardian in the room. I
have a mixed reaction of relief and fear. If he’s really given up on his
profession, then he will be a tremendous asset to us. If he’s honestly
convinced we’re doing the right thing I won’t be able to hold off his Oath much
longer.

“So, do you actually have a way to get the
Ciphers out, or is this just somewhere to start?” Milo asks seriously. He
sounds as if he’s still miles away from trusting Braden, but he’s at least
willing to take what is being offered at the moment.
It’s
way better than how this night started, but if there’s one thing that will get
Milo to change his mind about something, it’s an improved chance at destroying
the Guardians.

“It took me most of the day just to find these
and figure out a way to get them off the mainframe without being spotted,”
Braden admits. “I took a preliminary look at the Cipher chamber and saw some
promising options, but it will take more time to finalize an escape route. I’ll
keep working on it, though. We’ll find something.”

“Take a closer look at the nutrient lines,” Mr.
Walters offers. “There is a flaw in their design. We can discuss it later.”
Braden’s quiet agreement makes me wonder if he might have already been thinking
the same thing.

Milo looks away from the phone to consider
Braden. “It will take more than these plans to get the Ciphers out. We need to
know the guard rotation schedule, the security measures in place, a way to get
them away from the compound to a safe house. We’ll need a safe house, and a way
to go collect everyone.”

“I’ve got the collecting covered,” Lance breaks
in, “and possibly the safe houses.”

“You talked to Inquisitor Moore, then?” I ask.

He nods. “Yeah, he was more than willing to
help, even before I explained everything. I think he still feels pretty guilty
about bailing on you after your Inquest. He said there’s a standing order at
his private hanger that we can have use of his jet whenever we need it, as long
as we’re discreet about it, of course. And he said he’d quietly spread word of
what’s going on with the Ciphers to other Inquisitors he thinks he can trust.
Most of those guys are so loaded they have multiple houses and Inquisitor Moore
thought some of them might be willing to let us use a spare mansion as a safe
house.”

“And what about new Ciphers?”
This is even more important than the jet and safe houses. I know the Guardians
aren’t bringing any more Ciphers into their compounds. They are quietly dying,
alone and terrified.

“He’s going to try to convince as many
Inquisitors as he can not to turn them over to the Guardians. He can only
suggest it to people he really trusts, though. We won’t save them all, Libby,
but we’ll get as many as we can.” Lance shrugs in apology, but I know we’re
lucky to even get that much of a promise. At least there aren’t very many
Ciphers that pop up every year.

Everything’s out in the open, well almost, and
everyone’s behaving relatively well. It’s time to move forward. I’m terrified
of what that means, but it feels so good to finally have a purpose and a
direction.

“Okay,” I say, “so we have a pretty rough
outline of what we’re going to do, but it will take a lot of work to turn all
this into something we can actually use. So here are everyone’s assignments.
Lance, Milo, and Mr. Walters, you’re going to work with Braden on finding an
escape route out of the compound. Braden, keep working on finding out who the
Guardians are going to take next. Let me know the second you figure anything
out. Milo,
me
and you are going to focus on getting a
handle on our Spiritualism and Concealment so you can help me with the Ciphers.
I want you to be able to perform an Inquest as soon as possible.

“Casey, you’ll need to go with us to the spirit
world, too. I want you to be able to help me train the Ciphers before we
release them. Mr. Walters, I also want you to specifically look into whether
it’s possible to perform an Inquest on more than one person at once. Celia and Mrs.
Hanover, you two are going to work on figuring out what on earth we’re going to
do with all the Ciphers after we rescue them. Celia you’re also in charge of
dealing with the Cipher families for the time being. Don’t post anything
sensitive, but see if any of them really can help with housing and transport as
quietly and offline as possible.”

“Wait,” Celia says, “why do we need to find a
place to keep the Ciphers? Can’t they just go home once you get them out of the
spirit world?”

I shake my head. “No, not right away at least.
They’ll be targets for the Guardians if they all go home. We need to keep them
hidden until they’re all fully trained and ready to defend themselves if the
Guardians do come after them.”

“But their families are going to want to see
them. They already want to see them. They ask every day when we’re going to get
them out,” Celia argues.

“I know, but unless they want their
newly-rescued family member killed before they get to see them again, the
Ciphers need to stay under our protection.” I take a deep breath, knowing
Celia’s reaction to this news is very mild compared to what the Cipher families
are going to throw at me. “Tell them we’ll make sure they can see the Ciphers,
contact them in some way. We’ll work out something, but we can’t have Ciphers
fanning out all over the globe completely unprotected. I know it’s hard, but
this is how it has to be right now.”

Thankfully, everyone else agrees with me. Mrs.
Hanover promises to help explain everything to the Ciphers and work out a way
they can visit or communicate. I hand the project over to her, feeling a little
guilty to be passing it off. I never did like being in charge of much of
anything. My mom always complained that my extracurricular activities were so
lacking. Oh well, it’s not like I’m going to be trying to impress anyone on
college applications at this point.

I glance around the room once the conversation
about the Cipher families dies down. Nobody else objects to their assignments,
so I let my exhaustion overtake me. “Well, unless somebody objects, why don’t
we all take a break for the rest of the night?”

“I second that. I really need some sleep
tonight,” Lance says. Milo’s sour mood returns full force. Before Milo can say
anything, Lance stands
up,
thanks Mrs. Hanover for
letting us commandeer her den yet again, and takes his leave. Mr. Walters and
Casey follow soon after. Milo’s mom ushers Celia up to bed and excuses herself
to the kitchen for some tea. Despite most of the group leaving, the room still
feels very crowded with Milo and Braden sitting across from each other. Saying
I feel awkward sitting between the young man I love, and Braden, someone I
can’t explain how I feel about, is a gross understatement.

When Braden finally stands, I hold my breath.
Will he slip up, now, as he’s forced to say goodbye? Leaving me in the hands of
someone else doesn’t seem to be his strongest suit. He barely even glances at
me. He turns instead to Milo.

“I know you don’t like me,” Braden says, “and I doubt
you ever will, but I hope you know that I am committed to helping Libby free
the Ciphers.”

Milo doesn’t look at all convinced. “Why
are
you helping us? A couple weeks ago you had no problem trying to capture me and
haul me off to your compound.”

I have to stifle a groan. Please think before
you speak, Braden.

“It was Libby,” he says.

My eyes close as I contemplate running away.
Fast.

“What do you mean by that?” Milo asks.

Braden has to fight to keep the smile off his
face. “The second I met Libby, I knew she could never purposely harm anyone
unless she was defending her own life or someone else’s. Destroyer, or not,
she’s going to try and make the world better, not worse. And after the last few
weeks spent learning more about why Libby’s doing all this, I can’t keep
hunting Ciphers and locking them away.”

Milo considers this and eventually nods. “Fine,
but the first hint of you betraying us and I will make sure you never get the
chance to follow through.”

Despite his doubts last night, Braden nods.
“Of course.”

“But just to make sure, you need to remedy one
thing for me,” Milo says. “Libby mentioned that you promised not to tell your
captain about all this, but that’s not enough. I want your promise right now
that you won’t speak a word of this to anyone outside our group without the
group’s permission.”

For the first time tonight, Braden bristles. His
fingers snap to his emblem, the words cutting the air with their razor edge.
The promise is made exactly as Milo demanded. Milo’s steel expression never
falters, and I have to admit a chunk of worry is lifted from my mind at
Braden’s words as well. Then, apparently done with Milo, Braden turns back to
me.

“I need to speak to you outside.”

Chapter 1
7

Intertwined

It’s a miracle in itself that Milo doesn’t
forcibly stop me from going outside with Braden. He doesn’t give in easily.
Braden waits outside as Milo reminds me that Braden still isn’t worthy of
trust. I don’t fully agree, but arguing with him is difficult because I know
this night has been hard enough for him already. I don’t know what Braden
wants, but I convince Milo to let me go by promising to relay whatever Braden
tells me and remind him that he can watch us from the window. He doesn’t see
why Braden won’t talk to me inside. In the end, I think it’s his desire to get
Braden away from him that makes him give in.

 If he had any clue about Braden’s feelings
for me, his reaction would have been drastically different. This whole night
would have been a catastrophe. That is one secret I will keep from Milo until I
die, if at all possible. I give him a quick but heartfelt kiss that he doesn’t
fully return, and then go after Braden.

Cold blasts me as soon as I step outside. I wrap
my arms around myself and groan when I see Braden waiting several feet away
from the relative shelter of the front porch. Still sensitive to the cold, I
start shivering. The calm Braden has held all night almost shatters. He stops
himself from pulling me to his chest, but only barely. The memory of his
soul-deep warmth is so tempting. Suddenly, I agree with Milo about what a
stupid idea coming out here was.   

In an attempt to distract us both, I ask, “How’s
your face?”

“Fine.
She didn’t hit
me that hard.” He shakes his head. The clenched jaw I saw inside returns.
Distraction failed.

“That,” Braden says, jamming his finger back at
the house, at Milo, “had better not happen again.”

“What? Meeting with everyone to plan?”

“No, your boyfriend forcing me to make Guardian
promises about everything. He doesn’t trust me at all.”

I stare at Braden, dumbfounded. “No kidding.
What did you expect him to do, fall all over you for suddenly wanting to redeem
yourself? You tried to arrest him. Your men almost killed him!”

“No,” Braden says, “but I expected him to give
me the benefit of the doubt after giving you the schematics and helping you
break your block. I’m risking my life to help you!”

“Braden, you have no idea what the Guardians
have put him through.”

His jaw tightens as his fingers flash across his
chest, an unconscious desire to feel the scars still healing there. “Doesn’t he
at least trust you, Libby?”

“I …” His question pokes at me. “To be honest,
after tonight, I don’t know how much Milo trusts me. He controlled himself
around you, but he was really, really angry at me the whole time. He still is.”

“Even so, he trusted you enough to even let me
in the door.”

“I don’t think that had anything to do with
trusting me. It had more to do with getting a better chance at killing
Guardians.”

That gives Braden a moment’s pause. “At least
some of it had to do with him trusting you. Hatred like Milo’s runs too deep.
You vouched for me, but he still demanded I promise not to reveal any of this
to anyone without permission. Does he even realize how much he’s limited me?
How am I supposed to find out anything about the disappearing Ciphers?”

“Were you really planning on telling anyone what
you’re looking for? I should have made you make the same promise to me last
night! I was stupid not to. Milo was only following up on my mistake.
No you can’t tell anyone else about any of this!
Who were
you really planning on going to for help, anyway?
Your
friends?
Do you actually expect them to help you?” I ask. He seemed so
sure inside, but does he really know what he’s in for? “I’m sorry, but if you
really want to join me you’re going to have to accept the fact that everyone
else in your life is going to turn against you. The minute you throw in with me
is the minute you lose everyone in your life
but
me.”

“You’re the only one I want, anyway,” he says
quietly.

My sigh brings a puff of mist that seems to
linger in the cold. “Braden, I’m serious about this. If you really want to join
me in rescuing the Ciphers, it can’t be for the wrong reasons. You’ll be giving
up everything. You have to believe in what you’re doing or you’ll regret it.
You’ll hate me for taking everything away from you.”

Despite knowing Milo is hovering at the window
in full view of us, Braden steps closer to me. I want to step back, but Milo
might see it as a sign of distress and feel the need to rescue me. I hold my
ground and my breath.

“Libby, I’ve already given up almost every
friend or contact I had in the Guardians. I’m an outcast because of what
happened at the theater. Even with Milo’s new diktats, I never should have let
you leave with him. I had orders to bring him in and I disobeyed them,” he
says.

I’m standing between him and Milo, so there’s no
way Milo can see him take my hand and press it between both of his. I want to
stop him from touching me but I can’t. I feel lightheaded and am forced to take
another breath. It only comes in shivering pulses that draw Braden’s warmth and
scent even deeper into my body. The tipsy feeling is getting worse.

“I’ve already given up everything for you, Libby.”

“What … what about your family?” I ask,
desperate to buffer his breathtaking honesty and presence with some kind of
distraction.

“I don’t have any family.”

“None?
What about your
grandfather?”

He shakes his head. “My grandpa had multiple
sclerosis. He was too frail to take care of me. He passed a few years after his
heart attack. The only time we could really be together was in the spirit
world.”

“What about your parents? You have to have
somebody,” I say. There must be at least one person in his life he isn’t
willing to give up.

“My mother died of cancer six months after I was
born. My dad raised me and my older brother on his own until the three of us
were hit by a drunk driver. I was only ten years old, but my Strength was
already pretty strong. It was the only thing that saved me. My dad and brother
weren’t so lucky.”

My heart breaks for his loss, and my hope for
escape from him shatters. “Where did you go?” I ask.

“Foster care. It wasn’t bad. I was lucky, but I
never really bonded with any of them. You’re the first person I’ve met that
I’ve felt any kind of connection with in twelve years, Libby.”  

“It’s not enough,” I argue. I’m finally in
control again enough to gain some distance, slipping my hand out of his as I
do.

Braden frowns but doesn’t try to move closer.
“As impossible as it is for me to turn away from you at this point, I finally
understand why you’re doing this, why you’re freeing the Ciphers. I’ve spent
the last four years putting them there, but I thought I was protecting them. I
knew the other option was letting the Guardians kill them outright. When you
first told me what you were planning, I thought you were only going to hurt
them even more. I’ve spent all day debating whether your plan is worth the
risk. Every time I try to tell myself it isn’t, I feel the hope I felt in the
Ciphers last night.
And the anger.
They don’t belong
there. The Guardians shouldn’t be allowed to steal lives the way we’ve been
doing. It has to end.”

“It will.”

One of his bare hands briefly brushes against
mine as he brings it up in front of him. Blessed warmth spreads through my body
at even that small touch. “Libby, what I’m really telling you is that I’m ready
to give you my Oath, and for the right reason.” He pauses and smiles.
“Although, I thought my first reason was already pretty good.”

My insides scramble into a sickening knot. His
fingers move to push back his sleeve. Panic snaps my hand to his wrist. My
Strength outweighs his in raw power, if not finesse, and his fingers stop
moving. He looks at me questioningly and tries to pull my hand back. Out of the
corner of my eye I see Milo move away from the window. I drop Braden’s hand and
take a step back, praying Milo will take it as a hint that I’m in no danger and
will stay in the house. I never should have agreed to come out here.

“No, Braden, please don’t do this,” I beg in a
panic.

The hurt in his eyes tears at my soul.
“Why not?
You said when …”

“I know what I said. Just, please don’t.”

“I don’t understand. I want to join your team.
Don’t you want me?” he asks.

“No,” I say quickly, terrified Milo will come
out and overhear even a second of this conversation, “I mean, yes, I want you
on the team. I want you helping us, but … I don’t want you in any other way,
not like you want.”

My honesty cuts him deeply, but it doesn’t make
him back down. “I’m not asking for that, Libby, not yet. I want you, yes, but
what I’m asking right now is just for you to accept me as your Guardian. You
said you’d never be able to trust me fully until I gave you my Oath. It will be
more of what happened tonight, forcing me to make promises about every little
thing, wondering if you’ve covered all the loopholes.”

My moment of doubt earlier tonight drills guilt
into me. Milo’s shadow settles in the entryway window.

“Libby, let me give you my Oath. Let me give you
my protection even if you won’t let me give you anything else,” Braden says.

“You can’t have one without the other, Braden,
not between us.”

I watch his reaction carefully. I watch Milo’s
shadow as well. I didn’t want to explain this to Braden yet, but I don’t feel
as if I have any other choice. I can’t physically stop him from giving me his
Oath. Confusion knits his brows together for a moment before understanding
dawns. The hand that was trying to get to his Guardian emblem a few minutes ago
drops back down to his side. He shifts his stance to block Milo’s view, whether
on purpose or not, and lets the back of his hand rest against mine.

Braden’s eyes close as he meditates on the
electric hum of our bare flesh coming into contact. “I didn’t even consider
what our being
being
Spiritual Companions would have
on the Oath.”

“You already know about that?” I ask weakly.

“Looked it up as soon as I got
home last night.”

I’ve been dreading him finding out about this,
but suddenly I realize there might be an upside to his knowing. So long as he
didn’t have too much time to read up on the subject. I’ll hope for that. I’ve
got to try something. Wrapping my arms around my shivering body, I give it my
best shot. “If you know what a Spiritual Companion is, then you have to know
that how you feel about me isn’t real. Maybe you like me, but it’s just this
weird connection that’s tricking you into thinking it’s anything more than
that.”

His laughter ripples through the cold night air.
“Nice try,” he says. “I read everything I could get my hands on about Spiritual
Companions, and just because I don’t have Perception doesn’t mean I don’t know
anything about it. You can’t fabricate emotions out of nothing, Libby. You know
that.”

He left me at four in the morning! What kind of
crazy person spends his predawn hours looking up stuff on the internet instead
of sleeping? Is it really too much to ask for one small break? I have to
convince him. “Even so, Braden, it’s not …”

“It’s not what?
Real?
My feelings aren’t as deep as I think they are?” he asks.

“No. They aren’t.” My firm words have the wrong
effect on him. His body tightens in coiled frustration.

“You’re going to need me, Libby!”

“Would you keep your voice down?” I hiss. My
eyes snap over to Milo who has yet to reach for the door, but given how long
I’ve been out here I’m sure he’s on the verge of stepping out to make sure I
come back in alive and well. Braden’s eyes flick over to Milo as well. I expect
concern, a sudden realization that this isn’t the best time. All he does is
look back at me more determined than ever.

“At some point you are going to need my power to
survive all of this. You know that’s true! You’re putting everything at risk
because you won’t just let me give you my Oath,” he accuses. His hands clench
into fists as his frustration mounts, no doubt in an effort to keep them from
grabbing me and shaking me until I agree with him. The ache in his voice begs
me to give in. “Would it really be that bad, anyway? You know you feel
something for me. Is the idea of being with me that repulsive to you? Don’t you
understand how happy I can make you?”

Trembling under the force of his pleading, I can
only whisper, “It’s not real.”

Braden softens his voice, but not so much that
it can’t still reach my ear. The silkiness of it leaves a trail of tiny shivers
on my skin.

“When I touch you …” His voice practically
caresses my cheek, making my chin quiver.

“When I kiss you …” My knee trembles when I
remember the feel of his lips on mine.

“When I’m near you, Libby, every cell in my body
screams at me that I need you. Not just as a lover, but as a friend, a guide, a
partner, a leader. The years I spent alone fade from my mind when I’m around
you because I know our futures are intertwined, and that the impact we will
have on the world will be worth all the painful nights I’ve spent alone,
wishing for someone to stay by my side.”