Crossed by Eliza Crewe

Author:Eliza Crewe [Crewe, Eliza]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9789352140435
Google: bQnwCQAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 23164707
Publisher: Penguin Books Limited
Published: 2014-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

The meeting finally ends, inconclusive. The Crusaders are pretty solidly split. One half, led by what’s left of the Reavers, believe Jo. The other half, made up of Graff and his cronies, don’t want to risk it. With the intel the Crusaders gathered from Armand, the battle was going better—though, in no one’s mind, well—and Graff isn’t desperate enough to put the fate of the Crusaders in the hands of a demon. “Loopholes,” he said several times, when Jo referred to her oaths. “Demons love loopholes.” The arguments went on for hours, then finally, well past dark, the discussion was tabled. Jo has the numbers, but Graff has the power.

Graff nods to Teague. “Chain her, take her downstairs.”

“What?” Chi beats me to it.

Graff pinches the bridge of his nose. “She’s a demon,” he says with exaggerated patience. “We can’t just let her have the run of the place.”

“But—” I start.

“No, Meda, it’s fine.” Jo holds out her hands for the cuffs. For her part, Teague looks uncomfortable, and shoots a disgruntled look at Graff before clicking the cuffs over Jo’s wrists. “It’s just a precaution.”

“Sir, can I go with her?” Chi asks. Fool. It’s far better to ask forgiveness than permission, particularly if you don’t give a rat’s ass whether you get it.

“No, Dupaynes. We need to keep the prisoner—” he reconsiders his word choice, “Beauregard secure.”

“It’s fine, Chi,” Jo says again. “I’m tired, anyway.” She yawns. It doesn’t look the slightest bit fake, but I know now what a fantastic liar Bad Jo is. “We’ll talk again tomorrow.” Chi hugs her again, her chains clanking against his chest.

“Tomorrow,” he says.

“It’ll be here sooner than you think,” she says with a weary smile. Teague puts her hand on Jo’s elbow, but less like a guard and more like a guide. She nudges Jo toward the door, but doesn’t stop her when Jo turns around at the last minute.

“Tell me,” she says to Graff. “Do you not trust me because I’m a demon or is it because it’s me who’s the demon?”

“It’s not personal, if that’s what you mean.” I’m not the only one to notice he didn’t answer. The remaining Reavers shift uncomfortably. It’s no secret that Graff and I have a conflicted relationship and that Jo’s been sucked into the whirlwind.

“But you don’t trust me, do you?” Her head tips and there’s a challenge in her voice, though I can’t see her expression from my position by the door.

“No,” he answers easily. “I don’t.”

“And you’ll stop this mission if you can. This mission that I sold my soul for.”

There is more uncomfortable shifting at this reminder of just how much Jo has sacrificed. Graff, however, isn’t cowed. “If I can.”

Jo doesn’t answer; she just looks at him. When she finally turns to face me, where I stand alone at the door, I see the expression everyone else in the room was witness to. Righteous fury edged with heartbreaking disappointment—a proud, heroic girl who tragically sacrificed it all for nothing.

But then it splits into a hard, sly little grin just for me.

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