Chapter 69
When Aden teleported in with Vasic, Alja had already planned exactly how she was going to play this. It was a guessing game, a web of possibilities that involved a complex tangle of emotions, various layers and just as many ways it could go wrong. But emotion was the one thing she was better at than all of them. And she'd use it – even abuse it – to give her people, to give Kaleb the chance she no longer believed them to have with her.
"They have done a good job on you. I'm beginning to understand why Judd trusts them," Aden said as he checked her injuries. Nonetheless she felt the warmth of his ability flow through her chest, knitting broken ribs, strengthening the fragile tissue of her torn lung. What a waste, she thought, but she couldn't give anything away. "Do you know if he is ok?" she asked instead.
"He is awake. But his powers will need several more hours to regenerate fully. He called to inquire if you were ok." He paused as if unsure if it was appropriate to ask the next question. "It is like that when you're not Silent, isn't it?"
For the first time it was out in the open. Two Arrows, two of the very people that had once only existed to protect Silence, had broken it. It didn't feel as important as Alja had expected it to. Maybe because it no longer mattered.
"That's part of it. But you know how it is in the Squad. All of us are close in a certain way." Maybe Aden would know how it felt one day, too.
"What about Kaleb? He didn't seem stable, when he regained consciousness."
Alja was fascinated at the careful way Aden said it. It wasn't only the Psy coolness, it was diplomatic and unjudging. Aden had a sense for the things in the air that were unspoken, a sense for emotion beyond the superficial appearance. And suddenly she knew Aden was one of those who would make it without the Protocol. It was a soothing thought. "He'll be ok too." Making her comrades believe it would be one of the hardest parts. They were a wild card ever since their sole purpose of protecting Silence no longer applied. Ever since Aden had started to change. But he hadn't broken Silence yet. Logic would work on him. "It is just the new, volatile situation. You have to trust me on this Aden. I fully trust Kaleb and I know what I have to do to fix all of this. But to do it, I can no longer be an Arrow." It was the one important thing: To separate herself from the Squad as effectively as possible. But it might not be as easy. The bonds of the Arrows were fueled by a loyalty that went beyond Silence.
"I understand," Aden answered to her surprise. "Judd told me what you need to do."
Yes, Judd knew about her attempts to discover a way to use her gift with Sascha and Alice. So that was what he believed. She let him.
"In all aspects that matter you will always be an Arrow. That is nothing you can change at wish. But I can release you from all your duties."
"You already did that, didn't you? But thank you anyway. I wouldn't have made it this far without you." Alja wanted more, wanted to make sure the stubbornly loyal soldiers wouldn't interfere. But it wouldn't matter in the end. She wouldn't have to fight them, just hold them back. And that was the one ability she still could perform to perfection on a cardinal level.