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arage。 “You’re brave；” he mented in a very low voice。 “Or really trusting。 I thought it would be more work to get you upstairs with the sun up。” Whoops。 I should have been more skittish。 Too late now。 I
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shrugged。 “So you and Diego are pretty tight； right？” he asked； just breathing the words。 Probably； if everyone were silent in the basement； they would still be able to hear him； but it was pretty noisy down there right now。 I shrugged again。 “He saved my life；” I whispered。 Riley lifted his chin； almost but not quite a nod； and appraised。 Did he believe me？ Did he think I still feared the day？ “He’s the best；” Riley said。 “The smartest kid I’ve got。” I nodded once。 “We had a little meeting about the situation。 We agreed that we need some surveillance。 Going in blind is too dangerous。 He’s the only one I trust to scout ahead。” He exhaled； almost angrily。 “Wish I had two of him！ Raoul’s got too short a fuse and Kristie is too selfabsorbed to get the big picture； but they’re the best I’ve got； and I’ll have to make do。 Diego said you were smart； too。” I waited； not sure how much of our story Riley knew。 “I need your help with Fred。 Wow； that kid is strong！ I couldn’t even look at him tonight。” I nodded cautiously again。 “Imagine if our enemies can’t even look at us。 It will be so easy！” I didn’t think Fred would like that idea； but maybe I was wrong。 He didn’t seem like he cared anything for this coven of ours。 Would he want to save us？ I didn’t respond to Riley。 “You spend a lot of time with him。”
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I shrugged。 “Nobody bothers me there。 It’s not easy。” Riley pursed his lips and nodded。 “Smart； like Diego said。” “Where is Diego？” I shouldn’t have asked。 The words just ripped out of their own accord。 I waited anxiously； trying to look indifferent and most likely failing。 “We don’t have time to waste。 I sent him south the second I found out what was ing。 If our enemies decide to attack early； we need the advance warning。 Diego will meet up with us when we move against them。” I tried to imagine where Diego was now。 I wished I were there with him。 Maybe I could talk him out of doing Riley’s bidding and putting himself in the line of fire in the process。 But maybe not。 It seemed like Diego was thick with Riley； just like I’d worried。 “Diego wanted me to tell you something。” My eyes snapped to his face。 Too fast； too eager。 Blew it again。 “Sounded like nonsense to me。 He said； ‘Tell Bree I’ve got the handshake figured out。 I’ll show her in four days； when we meet up。’ I have no idea what that means。 Do you？” I tried to force a poker face。 “Maybe。 He did say something about needing a secret handshake。 For his underwater cave。 Some kind of password。 He was just kidding around； though。 I’m not sure what he means now。” Riley chuckled。 “Poor Diego。” “What？” “I think that kid likes you a lot more than you like him。”
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“Oh。” I looked away； confused。 Was Diego giving me this message as a way to let me know I could trust Riley？ But he hadn’t told Riley I knew about the sun。 Still； he must have trusted Riley to tell him so much； to show Riley that he cared about me。 I thought it would be wiser to keep my mouth shut； though。 Too much had changed。 “Don’t write him off yet； Bree。 He’s the best； like I said。 Give him a chance。” Riley was giving me romantic advice？ This could not get weirder。 I bobbed my head once and muttered； “Sure。” “See if you can talk to Fred。 Make sure he’s on board。” I shrugged。 “I’ll do what I can。” Riley smiled。 “Great。 I’ll pull you aside before we leave； and you can tell me how it went。 I’ll keep it casual； not like tonight。 I don’t want him to feel like I’m spying on him。” “Okay。” Riley motioned for me to follow and then headed back to the basement。 The training lasted all day； but I wasn’t part of it。 After Riley went back to his team leaders； I took my spot beside Fred。 The others had been divided up into four groups of four； with Raoul and Kristie directing them。 No one had picked Fred for a side； or maybe he’d ignored them； or maybe they couldn’t even see that he was there。 I could still see him。 He stood out the only one not participating； a big blond elephant in the room。 I had no desire to insinuate myself into either Raoul’s team or Kristie’s； so I just watched。 No one seemed to notice that I was sitting out with Fred。 Though we must have been somewhat
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invisible； thanks to talented Fred； I felt horribly obvious。 I wished I were invisible to myself that I could see the illusion so that I could trust it。 But no one noticed us； and after a while I could almost relax。 I watched the practicing closely。 I wanted to know everything； just in case。 I wasn’t planning on fighting； I was planning on finding Diego and making a break for it。 But what if Diego wanted to fight？ Or what if we had to fight to get away from the rest？ Better to pay attention。 Only once did anyone ask about Diego。 It was Kevin； but I had a sense that Raoul had put him up to it。 “So； did Diego end up getting fried after all？” Kevin asked in a forced joking tone。 “Diego’s with her；” Riley said； and no one had to ask who he meant。 “Surveillance。” A few people shuddered。 No one said anything more about Diego。 Was he really with her？ I cringed at the thought。 Maybe Riley was just saying that to keep people from questioning him。 He probably didn’t want Raoul getting jealous and feeling second best when Riley needed him at his most arrogant today。 I couldn’t be sure； and I wasn’t going to ask。 I kept quiet； as usual； and watched the training。 In the end； watching was boring； thirsty work。 Riley didn’t give his army a break for three days and two nights straight。 During the daytime it was harder to stay out of the mix we all were crammed so tightly into the basement。 It made things easier in one way for Rileyhe could usually catch a fight
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before it got ugly。 Outside at night； they had more room to really work around each other； but Riley was kept busy darting back and forth to catch limbs and get them back to their owners quickly。 He kept his