Secrets of the Guardian (Waldgrave Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

over into little lightning white traces, except for the small sections of laceration that went across creased parts of her hand—those places kept ripping open when she gripped her hands too tightly in her sleep. Just looking at the scars brought the adrenaline and the panic back to her; she still had nightmares where she was fumbling with something sharp and jagged to loose the bonds that held her hands tied behind her back. In the dreams, it wasn’t cheap cord—it was barbwire. Her heart was pounding.
    Master Prescot leaned forward. “Do you think he stands a chance of negotiating?”
    “Negotiating?” Lena raised her eyebrows, still staring down at her open hands. “I doubt that negotiations will ever take place. You honestly believe the Council would negotiate after what he did?”
    Master Prescot shrugged. Of course the Council would be willing to negotiate—at times, they were no better than Rollin themselves. If Griffin didn’t step up and start doling out orders, they would start fighting amongst themselves and deaths were to be expected before a winner emerged. As much as they detested human-borns, Rollin was speaking their language; many of the Old Faith Representatives probably wanted to get him at the table to have a chance at making an ally before they shot him.
    “He won’t negotiate.” Lena continued. “He distrusts the whole system and everything it represents. He wants to die. He wants to be a martyr, and believe me when I say that he won’t let it happen while he’s trying to make peace. I suggest you tell people to keep the family together and lock the doors, because he wants revenge, not progress.” Then something occurred to her that hadn’t before—she couldn’t believe that she had forgotten. She looked up. “What was on the note? Wasn’t there a note attached to Dev…the victim’s clothes yesterday?”
    “He said he’s not bothering with hostages anymore.” Master Astley grunted. “And something about slow deaths for traitors, if he finds any more of them. I take it this unlucky fellow was one of yours?”
    “The friend that helped me escape, yes.” Lena sat back, trying not to look too concerned over the fact that Rollin wasn’t taking hostages. And it was her fault.
    Jason Rivera looked over at her. “Do you believe he’s serious about—“
    “Absolutely.” Lena cut him off unblinkingly. “Like I said, he already expects to die. It doesn’t matter how many he takes with him.”
    Master Astley cleared his throat. “Miss Collins, I believe we all know that your history within the Council has been somewhat mottled by the past transgressions of your grandfather and your own rebellious streak. I also believe that given the reports of your behavior before the incident from certain colleagues of mine, you stand a fair chance of making a strong political ally in the future for integrationist interests. Your upbringing, and the fact that you seem to have spent a decent amount of time associating with human-borns, makes you the ideal candidate to head negotiations, if you’re willing to accept the post.”
    She almost laughed, and then realized he was serious. Lena felt her stomach drop. She didn’t want to head negotiations with Rollin. And as she thought she had made clear, Rollin really wasn’t in it for the negotiations.
    Master Astley narrowed his eyes. “We believe that we’re more likely to get the votes to put a human-born, and human-raised, candidate on the Council if you call for it. The fact that you believe the portal is gone and the religion is dead hasn’t changed many of the Old Faith minds on the issue.”
    “You want me to use my religious standing to get votes?” Lena looked off out the window. It wasn’t a ridiculous request; she had been asked to do it before. It almost didn’t even bother her anymore to think of the religion and the politics as one in the same, and while Master Astley’s suggestion was only lukewarm as far as ideas she liked