“No,” Zeke interrupted. He couldn’t risk that. Wouldn’t. It killed him to let a young boy die, but he wasn’t about to trade Liz’s life for anyone’s.
Kele turned to Zeke. “Maybe we could bring Pedro here.”
Isabel frowned.
“No,” Diaz cried, “the trip would kill him.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Jacob said.
Diaz shouted, “How can you say that and claim to be a man?”
“Easy,” Jacob said, unfazed by the outburst. “Even if your cousin dies, Dr. Munez can reanimate him.”
A moment passed before Diaz reacted, his eyes rounding. “What?” He gripped the lip of the table and leaned forward. “He and Liz can bring back the dead?”
“Not Liz,” Zeke said. “She can’t help you.”
“Yes, I can.”
Zeke turned at her voice, stunned to see her standing in the doorway to this room. How long had she been there? How had she even found this spot? It was supposed to be impenetrable behind a maze of halls.
He pushed out of his chair so quickly, it rolled away from the table on its casters and smacked into the limestone wall. The lighting in the room brightened momentarily from the furniture’s contact with the stone.
Liz’s expression noted that and the stains on Zeke’s jeans from Carreon’s man spitting at him, before she again focused on Diaz. “Where is Pedro?”
“No,” Zeke snapped. “You’re not doing this.”
“I want to,” she said, her voice achingly soft.
It drained Zeke’s anger, turning it to desperation. “No.”
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, “but you can’t stop me.”
“You actually believe that?”
“What are you going to do, Zeke? Lock me up? You want me to let a child die? Not even try to heal him or bring him back?”
Yes. He wanted to shout it, but couldn’t. He didn’t want anyone harmed, would have given his own life to make certain that didn’t happen. All he asked was to have her safe and with him always.
His vision said otherwise, unless…
Zeke recalled something Liz had said days ago when he foolishly believed she could help the clan’s little ones if they fell ill or got injured. It was what he’d told his people when they were deciding whether to let her and her father stay. “You don’t heal children, remember? You don’t know what your power will do to them.”
“Pedro’s no child,” Liz said. “From what I overheard, he appears to be in his early teens.” She asked Diaz, “How old is he?”
“Thirteen.”
“What difference does that make?” Zeke muttered. “He’s still a kid.”
“He’s already reached puberty,” Liz explained. “It’s not the same as if he was an infant or a toddler. His body’s changing, maturing. That should give him some protection against the force of the gift.”
“And what if it doesn’t?” Zeke argued, going to her. “I can’t let you do this. You know damn well why.”
Diaz spoke to Jacob. “What are they talking about?”
“Quiet,” Samuel growled.
Liz touched Zeke’s mouth. “I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least try. You understand that, don’t you?”
Of course he did, but that didn’t change anything.
Liz brought back her hand and went around the table to Diaz. “How far is Pedro from here?”
Before he could answer, Zeke spoke to his men. “Liz doesn’t leave this stronghold, understand?”
Some nodded immediately. A few of them glanced at Isabel before doing so.
Liz pleaded, “We have to help the boy.”
“We can bring him here,” Kele said as she had earlier.
“No,” Isabel said. She leaned up in her chair. “The woman needs to go to him.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Zeke countered. “Not while I still lead this clan.”
Isabel’s expression darkened. She pressed her lips together as though to keep herself from saying anything further.
“You’ll regret stopping me,” Liz murmured to Zeke. “Allowing Pedro to slip away.”
Everyone looked at him as they awaited his decision. Zeke wanted to take Liz’s hand and run. To go somewhere no one would ever be able to find them.
Where he wouldn’t be responsible for a kid’s death.
Seeing no other choice, Zeke blurted, “If we bring Pedro here, one of us would have to go with Diaz to protect him from Carreon’s men and to make certain they don’t follow him on his way back here.”
Jacob spoke above the clan’s murmurs. “I can go.”
“No.” Zeke wasn’t going to lose his brother either. If Carreon’s men murdered Jacob and disposed of his body, there would be no chance for reanimation. “Not you.”
None of the other men agreed to make the run.
Diaz grew more agitated. “I told you, I know how to avoid them. I’ll be careful. I can go alone.”
“You don’t have to,” Kele said. “I’ll go.”
The men stared at her. Isabel looked uneasy. Jacob spoke first. “No, that’s crazy.”
“Especially since we can really trust her,” Paul said, heavy sarcasm lacing his words. “Considering what she’s already done.”
“That’s enough,” Zeke said. “Kele proved herself in battle. We don’t bring it up again, got it?”
Again, his men nodded.
Kele pulled her attention from Isabel and glimpsed at Jacob, making it seem a guilty pleasure she had no right to indulge in. She’d pinned all of her hopes on a man who’d never been able to give her what she’d wanted and needed. Zeke thought he saw her expression softening with love that she’d never be free of. Before he could be certain, her features hardened in resolve, as though she needed to make things right.
“It makes sense for me to go,” she said. “If anything happens, I’m the only one the clan won’t miss.”
“Don’t say that,” Jacob snapped.
“Why?” She gave him a sad smile, determined yet defeated. “It’s true.”
He pushed out of his chair and strode to the other side of the room, putting distance between them.
In the past, Kele would have followed. She would have tried to entice, and if that hadn’t worked, she would have begged.
Today, she remained seated. A changed woman. Beaten finally.
Zeke spoke as kindly as he could. “You’ll have to plan this out. No one’s leaving here until I have a full report on what’s going down.”
“We can work on that now,” Kele said to Diaz.
“After we bring Pedro here, you’ll heal him?” he asked Liz.
She nodded. “Of course.”
“We’ll take care of the boy,” Zeke said to Diaz, knowing he’d only allow Dr. Munez to do so.
As though Liz had read his thoughts, she said, “I’ll take care of him.”
Zeke grabbed her arm. “Jacob.”
His brother looked over. Zeke gestured for him to follow them.
“Zeke.” Isabel stood. “I need to speak with you.”
“Not now,” he murmured, his tone respectful yet firm. “Later. I give you my word.”
He brought Liz into the hall. As they went down it, she murmured, “Will Isabel agitate the others into doing something?”
“No. She’s a good woman. She’s just worried about everyone.”
“You should have let me leave.”
Zeke gripped her arm more tightly.
Liz sighed. “I never wanted to come between you and your clan.”
“You’re not. You won’t. Just do as I say and everything will be all right.”
“You mean, like with my gift? I’m going to prove you wrong about that. You’ll see.”
That was what worried Zeke. She’d insist on healing Pedro or someone else, draining her life force, leaving him. Unless he chained her to their bed, he couldn’t stop her. She’d find a way to convince him he was wrong, when he wasn’t, which left only two other alternatives.