With his hand Drake made a mocking come and get me move.
The message was clear. And Edilio had no doubt Drake would do it.
“Where is Breeze?” Sam raged. “Edilio. Fire a round!”
Edilio didn’t hear or at least didn’t connect those words with any action. He swiveled to look at Roger. Roger looked like he’d been gutted.
Edilio raised one hand in a fist for Roger to see. So that Roger would know that Edilio understood and had not lost hope.
Sam pulled Edilio’s pistol out and fired three rounds into the air.
If Brianna were anywhere close, she would hear and know what it meant.
Drake hurried up the bluff with Diana stumbling ahead and Justin trying pitifully to help her. In seconds they would be out of sight.
Sam cursed Brianna for a reckless, irresponsible idiot. Dekka was already running down the dock. But there was zero chance of her catching Drake, not at this distance.
Sam spun to race after her. He might not catch up, either, but Edilio knew he couldn’t just stand there.
“Sam, no!” Edilio snapped.
Sam missed a step, then stopped. He looked at Edilio, puzzled.
“We’re scattered. And we can’t risk you. You die and the light dies with you.”
“Are you out of your mind? You think I’m going to let Drake come in here and take Diana?”
“Not you, Sam. Dekka, yes. Orc, yes. He’s out there, too. And send Jack as well. Anyone but you.”
Sam looked like he’d been punched. Like someone had knocked the wind out of him. He blinked and started to say something and stopped.
“You aren’t replaceable, Sam. Figure it out, okay? It’s going dark and you make light. So this isn’t going to be your battle. Not now. It’s on the rest of us to step up.”
Edilio licked his lips and looked miserable. “Me, too. My place is here. I can’t take Drake on. I’d just be another victim.” He glanced back at Roger, who held out his hands in a gesture of incomprehension that Edilio interpreted easily.
Why aren’t you going after Justin?
Why are you and Sam standing there doing nothing?
Edilio could see that the whole population was up on deck on the various scattered boats. They’d all heard the shots. They all stared hard at their leaders now, at Sam and Edilio. Some noticed Dekka laboring along the shoreline, trying to reach the place where Drake had come ashore. They pointed at her and then looked back, frowning at Sam and Edilio.
Staring at their suddenly powerless leaders.
Edilio spotted Jack on a motorboat. He was too far away to be able to hear, but Edilio pointed straight at him.
Jack mimed a who me? gesture.
Sam emphasized Edilio’s order by stabbing his finger unmistakably in the direction of Jack. Then he swept his arm to point at the shore.
Jack reluctantly trudged to the back of the boat and there came the coughing start-up of an outboard engine.
Edilio raised the binoculars again to look at Roger. He was in pain. Helpless.
He forced himself to look away, to follow Jack as he headed to shore, to sweep along the bluff and find Dekka levitating herself over rises.
And there, coming toward her, Orc.
Edilio felt a small breath of hope.