n’t kill his victims so quickly in the future。 “Now； let’s get some teams figured out so that we can work in groups；” Riley said； his face normal again。 “Kristie； Raoul； get your kids together and then divvy up the rest evenly。 No fighting！ Show me you can do this rationally。 Prove yourselves。” He walked away from those two； ignoring the fact that they fell almost immediately into bickering； and made an arc around the outside edge of the room。 He touched a few vampires on the shoulder as he passed； nudging them toward one of the new leaders or the other。 I didn’t realize at first that he was heading in my direction； because he took such a wide way around。 “Bree；” he said； squinting toward where I stood。 It looked like this took some effort。
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I felt like a block of ice。 He must have smelled my trail。 I was dead。 “Bree？” he said； softer now。 His voice reminded me of the first time he’d talked to me。 When he was nice to me。 And then even lower； “I promised Diego I’d give you a message。 He said to tell you it was a ninja thing。 Does that make any sense to you？” He still couldn’t look at me； but he was edging closer。 “Diego？” I murmured。 I couldn’t help myself。 Riley smiled a tiny bit。 “Can we talk？” He jerked his head toward the door。 “I doublechecked all the windows。 The first floor is totally dark and safe。” I knew I wouldn’t be as safe once I walked away from Fred； but I had to hear what Diego had wanted to tell me。 What had happened？ I should have stayed with him to meet Riley。 I followed Riley through the room； keeping my head down。 He gave Raoul a few instructions； nodded to Kristie； and then went up the stairs。 From the corners of my eyes I saw a few people curiously watch the direction he was going。 Riley passed through the door first； and the kitchen of the home was； as he’d promised； totally black。 He motioned for me to keep following and led me through a dark hall past a few open bedroom doors； then through another door with a dead bolt。 We ended up in the garage。 “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 temper well； and he’d been smart enough to find all the lighters this time。 I would have bet that this would spin out of control； that we’d lose at least a couple of coven members with Raoul and Kristie skirmishing head to head for days on end。 But Riley had better control of them than I had thought possible。 Still； it was mostly repetition。 I noticed Riley saying the same things over and over and over again。 Work together； watch your back； don’t go at her headon； work together； watch your back； don’t go at him headon； work together； watch your back； don’t go at her headon。 It was kind of ridiculous； really； and made the group seem exceptionally stupid。 But I was sure I would have been just as stupid if I’d been in the thick of the fight with them rather than watching calmly from the sidelines with Fred。 It reminded me in a way of how Riley had drilled into us our fear of the sun。 Constant repetition。 Still； it was so dull that after about ten hours that first day； Fred produced a deck of cards and started playing solitaire。 That was more interesting than watching the same mistakes over and over again； so I mostly watched him。 After about another twelve hours we were inside again I nudged Fred to point out a red five that he could move over。 He nodded and made the change。 After that hand； he dealt out the cards to both of us； and we played rummy。 We never spoke； but Fred smiled a few times。 No one ever looked our way or asked
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us to join in。 There were no hunting breaks； and as time went on； this got harder and harder to ignore。 Fights broke out more regularly and with less provocation。 Riley’s mands got more shrill； and he tore off two arms himself。 I tried to forget the burning thirst as much as possible after all； Riley must have been getting thirsty； too； so this couldn’t last forever but mostly thirst was the only thing on my mind。 Fred was looking pretty strained。 Early into the third night one more day to go； and when I thought about the ticking clock it tied my empty stomach