Edge of Truth (9781310978142)

by Hanova, Natasha

  “When you wouldn’t let me get down from the roof by myself?”

  A crooked grin spread across his lips. “Nah, after you put sunscreen on my back then tried to kiss me.”

  “What!” She let go of the stick and took a sideways step.

  “See, I knew that would get you to let go of my walking stick,” he said with a wink.

  She stormed ahead of him, crushing leaves and cracking twigs beneath her feet. “You’re such a bodink!”

  “Aw’right, if it means that much to you, I’ll give you a kiss. C’mere.”

  She spun to face him, ready to give him a piece of her mind, but the instant she saw his silly kissy face and out-stretched hands, she busted out laughing.

  “See, now that’s much better. I like hearing you laugh.” He walked up next to her and handed her the stick.

  He was doing it again, lifting her spirits up to where they should be, and making her laugh in the middle of a situation like this. It kept her emotions in check and lessened her worry about accidentally setting off an earthquake. She felt lucky to have him here. Lucky he didn’t turn her away when he had the chance.

  It made him attractive on whole new levels.

  She leaned against the stick, gazing into his contrasting colored eyes, remembering the tug of his hands in her hair, the taste of his mouth, the way he looked earlier that morning bathed in sunlight. The magnetic heat rolling off him drew her closer.

  Nevan shoved his hands in his back pockets. “You’re doing it again.”

  She blinked. “What? Nothing. I’m not. I uhh...”

  “It’s okay, Lil’ Mama,” he said as he started walking. “I think about it, too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Nevan stood at the base of Rotting Tree, his nose and eyebrows scrunched as if that would keep out the repugnant odor. His hands glided over the black bark. Despite its rough appearance, she knew the ridges tickled his palms.

  “Astounding,” he whispered, as he knelt and reached for one of the white flowers.

  She smacked his hand away before he touched it. “Don’t!” Her cheeks heated when she realized what she’d done. “Sweet Mother, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to swat you like a toddler. It’s just those flowers are beautiful, but if you touch them, your hand will stink for days.” She rubbed her palms on her pant legs.

  He straightened, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he peered at her.

  Her face burned hotter. “Let me show you the best way to climb it.”

  She bit her lip as she walked around the trunk to a place where one of the roots curled up like a footstep. With a hold on a branch no thicker than her arm, she pulled herself up. As Nevan moved into position, she climbed up to the thick limb that curled over the wall.

  “Think this’ll hold me?” he asked.

  “Are you kidding? This is the toughest tree in the forest.”

  He tugged on the branch, testing it. When he started to climb, his biceps flexed under his weight and his thigh muscles strained and shifted beneath the material of his pants. Standing on one tree limb, Rena leaned against another, slack-jawed as she watched him weave through the branches with a feline grace. The extra weight of the backpack didn’t slow him. Her stomach tightened as he neared, and she had to force herself to breathe.

  “This tree is amazing.” He stopped next to her with one hand on the limb above her.

  She struggled to think of a response, but the only thought in her head was, ‘No, you’re amazing.’ She pressed her lips together to keep the words inside as she stared at him.

  “I see why you like it.” He met her eyes and she nearly fell.

  She grabbed the branch to steady herself. How many times had she perched in this very tree dreaming of Nevan? Yet, she couldn’t enjoy the moment. Not with Blaze out there in danger. The thought doused the heat simmering inside her. She stepped onto the wall and gazed at the landscape.

  Nevan joined her. “The land looks devastated.”

  “Most of it is. It’s worse by Crimson.” Rena crawled down to the hooked part of the branch, which curved over the wall.

  “Let me help you get down.”

  She peered up at him. “Haven’t we been over this before?” Without giving him time to argue, she hopped down.

  As it turned out, Nevan was better at jumping off trees than ladders. It took an hour to cross the barren land between Ugly Forest to the patch of woods. Rena and Nevan walked along the edge of the small forest, sticking to the shade as long as possible.

  Between the tree trunks, Rena studied the dried riverbed, and beyond that, the cement graveyard of the old city pockmarked by craters. She wondered about the people who had lived there before the war brought the city to the ground. Did the children watch their parents die struggling to make life easier for those left behind? Did they feel forgotten? Did they get taken, too?

  “I think they came this way,” Nevan said, drawing her attention back to the present. He stood next to a shrub examining the leaves.

  She walked back the few steps that separated them. “Care to fill me in on what we’re looking at?”

  “These leaves aren’t facing the sun.”

  “Okaay.” She nodded feigning understanding, but by the smirk on his face, she knew he saw through it.

  “The lighter undersides have been disturbed, which means somebody came through here recently,” he explained

  Rena’s stomach went cold. “Blaze is so far away from where she’s supposed to be,” she whispered.

  “Rena,” Nevan called from a few yards away. When had he moved, she wondered as she joined him.

  “More clues?”

  “Yeah. These vines are pointing in that direction.” He motioned toward the dried riverbed. “Looks like they crossed here.”

  She used her heels to take her sandals off as she peered across the wide-open space.

  “Why are you taking off your shoes? The rocks are probably hot.”

  “They’re not that hot.” She picked up her sandals, then stuffed them inside her backpack. “Yet.”

  “Okay, but that still doesn’t explain why you’re barefoot.”

  “We’re about to enter the bomb crater zone. Some are only six feet deep, but most could easily swallow a one-story house. If the ground shifts, I don’t want any distractions. Who knows when a crater might crumble or how many undetonated ones still exist.”

  He adjusted the backpack straps. “Should we cross someplace else?”

  She watched Nevan to gauge his reaction to what she was about to say. “We could, but it’d cost us a day.”

  He traced the crease between his bottom lip and chin. Then, nodded. “Crater zone it is.”

  Rena picked up her walking stick before strolling to the tree line. She gazed across the dried riverbed toward the rocky bottom of the mountain range. The tallest mountain cast a slim shadow near the base, but as the day progressed, the shade would disappear. She reshaped her hat against the rising sun.

  “See the shade by that rock formation that looks like a square head? That’s home base.”

  Nevan nodded as he walked up next to her. “What about sharp rocks?”

  “Don’t step on them.” She moved into the sunshine. Sweat instantly coated her skin as she started on her way.

  “Hey, wait up.” He scramble across the gravel.

  “You sound like Blaze.” She glanced back, noticing he’d found another walking stick. “I’ll tell you what I tell her: Keep up.”

  “You challenging me, Lil’ Mama?” She heard the smile in his voice.

  “Maybe.” Rena picked up her pace, hopping across the rocks with her usual confidence. Her hat flew off and she knew she’d pay for it with a headache, but she didn’t slow down to fix it. The competitor in her couldn’t let Nevan win. The hot sunrays pounded down on her dark hair, which soaked up the heat like a sponge.

  Nevan jumped across the rocks, his long legs giving him a slight advantage. She chuckled at the sight of him struggling to
keep his balance. “Watch out for the craters.”

  “I got this. Don’t you worry.”

  Rena mapped out a strategic path to the Jordan Mountains. Even at her fast pace, she easily surmised which rocks were close enough to jump and which ones she needed to avoid. The thrill of Nevan’s challenge kept her mind off her sweat drenched clothes, dry mouth, and throbbing headache. The closer she got to the shade, the faster she moved. As soon as she reached the square head shaped boulder, she crumpled to the ground, trying to catch her breath.

  “Hurry up. I need a drink,” she called to Nevan.

  “Yeah, see that’s why you won,” he said between huffs, slowing his pace as he sauntered into the shade. He swung the backpack off and set it down before he collapsed next to her. “You didn’t have to carry no heavy backpack.”

  “Excuses, excuses.” She unzipped it, pulled out a bottle of water, and took a drink. “Admit it. I won. You didn’t.”

  He snatched the bottle out of her hand and took a healthy swig. “Aw’right, I’ll let you have this one.”

  “Let me have it,” she mumbled under her breath. “I earned it fair and square. And if we had time, I’d race you back across while carrying the backpack to prove you wrong.”

  “Once we find your friend, I’ll take you up on that.”

  “You got it,” she said as she put on her sandals.

  Rena allowed herself a few minutes to catch her breath and wanted more time, but she’d have to wait for a real rest after she rescued Blaze. She stood and shouldered her backpack. “We should keep going.”

  She started walking south before Nevan stood. He jogged to catch up. “Is this the way to your cave?”

  “No.”

  He paused. “Then we need to turn around.”

  “Nope. I know my best friend.”

  “Are you sure?” He walked beside her. “Cause we don’t have much time before the Burning. I don’t want to end up spending the night in the badlands.”

  “Trust me, Nevan. I know how she thinks.”

  Heat radiating off the sun-drenched boulders baked Rena. The hot, thin air made it hard to breathe, but at least they still had a sliver of shade.

  “See,” Nevan said, drawing a slow breath. “This is why we go inside when the Burning nears. This is ridiculous. Why can’t it rain right now?” Sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped down his chin. He lifted his braids to air out his neck and peeled his shirt away from his chest.

  Years of playing ‘mom’ to her brothers made her unable to hold her tongue. “You need to hydrate.”

  His eyes smiled in quiet appreciation for her concern. “Nah, we should save the water for the return.”

  “Hopefully, we’ll be able to get refills.”

  “From where?” His palms faced up. “We passed Market hours ago.”

  “Always get this cranky when you’re hot?”

  “I’m not cranky. I’m tired. Hungry.”

  “Can you imagine how Blaze must feel?” She tucked her walking stick under her arm and twisted the cap on her bottle. She felt a tap, tap, tap through the ground. The pattern was too predictable to be a natural occurrence. “Wait a minute.” She stopped. Her eyes filled with moisture. “It’s her. I think.”

  He squinted at the horizon. “Where?”

  She closed her eyes, following the sound trail. “On the other side of that rock wall up ahead.”

  “She alone?”

  “Can’t tell.” Rena bent down and touched the ground. “There’s this thump, thump, thump.”

  “She know about your skill?”

  She nodded as she splayed her fingers over sharp pebbles. “Doesn’t feel like someone walking or anything. Only a slow, steady beat.” She stuffed the water bottle in the bag and stood. “We should get closer.”

  Not waiting for him, she moved toward the bend blocking her line of vision. She felt his footsteps through the rocks as he rushed to keep up. Suddenly, she heard a loud whack and then Blaze cried out. The shrill stopped Rena in her tracks. She dropped the backpack and rushed forward. Before she reached the rock wall, Nevan’s hand closed over her shoulder. He spun her around to face him.

  “We need a plan.”

  “Let me go. I have to help her.” Her voice came out in a frantic whisper.

  He grabbed her other shoulder and held her back. “We can’t go charging in.”

  “You were wrong.” Anger burned away the teardrops before they fell from her eyes. “He’s not protecting Blaze. He must’ve hit her. Why else would she cry like that?” She continued in a low, assertive tone. “I won’t let him do it again.”

  “I’m with you on that, but we gotta be smart about this.”

  Blaze screamed, once more. The echo reverberated through Rena down to the bone, causing goose bumps to pop up along her arms. She shook with anger that somehow never reached the ground. If she triggered a quake now, she’d be putting Blaze in danger. Again.

  “Rescue now. Talk later.”

  She lifted her hands above her head and brought her elbows down hard on top of Nevan’s arms. The instant his grip broke, she sprinted toward the bend. Gravel crunched under her sandals. Her toes cringed against the sensation, which made it difficult to run. She concentrated on her destination, instead. In about twenty-four yards, she’d reach the last barrier between her and Blaze. Not wanting to alert the kidnappers of her presence, she slowed once she neared the bend.

  Swallowing hard, she pressed close to the rock, leaned to the side, and peeked around the edge. Her heart broke at the sight of Blaze sitting on the ground, legs crumpled beneath the skirt of her Solstice costume from two days ago. She buried her face in her palms and sobbed while Topaz paced in front of her. His tone was harsh, but Rena couldn’t decipher his words.

  Rena’s hand twitched. She wanted to hurt that man. Bad.

  Nevan sidled up beside her. When his hand brushed against her, a spark shot from her hand and zapped him. Remembering how the Syns had reacted, her gaze riveted to his face. He focused on Blaze, and other than looking flushed from running, it appeared as if the jolt hadn’t affected him.

  “That the guy we’re after?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she answered in a furious whisper.

  Blaze scooted away from Topaz.

  “How you wanna do this thing?” Nevan asked.

  Rena drew a shaky breath, exhaling slowly between pursed lips. “You stay here.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t like it already. Jelani men—”

  “Listen, it looks like…” She peeked around the corner, “it’s only Topaz and Blaze.”

  He put his hand on the rock wall above her head and leaned to the side to peer around it. His nostrils flared. “He’s been hitting her.”

  Rena pushed away from the wall.

  “Can’t let you put yourself in danger. Let me get her. I’m bigger than that jerk. Could take him down.” He punched his hand. “Easy.”

  “Won’t work if he sees you coming. I’ll go in first. Alone. I’m not gonna budge on this so don’t even try to talk me out of it.”

  Nevan nodded. “You’re the distraction. I’m the surprise.”

  “Exactly.” She started to turn, but he caught her hand. She felt another spark pass through into him. His pupils dilated, but he didn’t wince.

  “Be careful, Rena.”

  “You, too,” she said as she squeezed his hand.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Sunday, June 25

  Late Morning

  Rena closed her eyes and envisioned a path to the nearest large boulder. She let her power seep into the ground and create tiny echoes to determine which rocks were wedged tight against another, and which ones were loose and likely to shift when stepped on. With her mental map, she confidently crept out from behind the bend, treading only on safe rocks. The boulder acted as a obstacle for Topaz’s line of sight. Once she reached it, she repeated the process until she ran out of boulders large enough to hide behind.

  She stepped out
into the open and snuck halfway to Blaze before Topaz spotted her. He yanked Blaze to her feet by one arm, his movement so sudden, she didn’t see the knife at Blaze’s throat until a thin drop of red tainted the silver blade. Blaze gripped Topaz’s arm but made no effort to break free. Her shoulder, the one exposed by the design of her top, glowed bright red from sunburn, as did her face. Fear radiated from her pale green eyes, begging Rena for help. Her lips remained clenched.

  Hands up in the air, Rena continued forward without looking down at the rocks beneath her. Her peripheral vision winked in and out in time with her pounding heart.

  “I came to make a trade,” Rena said.

  “Who’s that?” Topaz’s lips brushed against Blaze’s ear, yet he focused on Rena. When Blaze didn’t answer, he dug the blade deeper; and the droplet became a trail.

  “She can’t help you.” Rena’s voice remained calm, controlled as she slightly quickened her pace. She needed to get to her best friend before that crazy man did something irreversible.

  Topaz tightened his grip. “What’s she talking about?”

  “S-she doesn’t know what she’s—”

  He grabbed a fistful of Blaze’s hair and jerked her around to face him. “I have had enough of your lies.”

  She now stood close enough to see Blaze’s dry, cracked lips and the dark circles beneath her eyes. Topaz, on the other hand, had managed to stay well protected from the sun in his impossibly white linen suit. How on earth had he managed to keep it clean out here?

  Her gaze flicked to the opened duffle bag on the ground. The sunlight glinted off the clear plastic of something rectangular and white, the same pristine-shade Topaz currently wore. So, he’d brought shrink-wrapped clothing for himself, while dirt caked the tattered hem of Blaze’s blue dress and her hair fell in a tangled mass around her reddened, puffy face.

  A tremor shot from Rena in to the ground. She paused, sensing for reverberations. Nothing.

  “I’m the one you want.” She continued forward, making a wide circle around him. She had to keep him talking, keep him distracted. When he turned his back to the rock wall where Nevan hid, she stopped, arms lowered to her sides. In her peripheral vision, she saw Nevan slinking across the stones like a panther, despite the added weight from the backpack. It took all her restraint to resist making eye contact. She needed that comfort that Nevan gave with a simple look, but couldn’t take the risk. She shifted until Topaz blocked her view. She detected Nevan’s footfalls. It would have to be enough.