“Ufran spoke to me,” she said simply. “He told me to return to the warren and take my rightful place. He said I deserved everything that had been denied me all the years my mother hid my identity and my deformity.”
“Where were you when Ufran gave you this message?” I asked.
“Ruvin and I were in Scotland adopting Laal.”
“And I suppose you traveled to Valencia, at Ufran’s bidding, soon after?” Her jaw dropped. “How did you know?”
I shook my head. “Did you arrange your own kidnapping?”
“How else was I supposed to get Ruvin’s cooperation?”
“You’re willing to sacrifice your husband for some insane scheme that’s only going to get your people killed?”
“If that is what Ufran commands.”
“Wow. You’re a bigger dumbass than I thought.”
The whole time we’d been talking, Cole had been making strange noises in my ear. Like he was holding back a bad cough. Now he lost it. Peals of laughter rocked my eardrums. I said, “Cole! What the hell?”
“Jaz! Look at Bergman!”
I raised my eyes. For a moment my lips sealed themselves and I feared Brude had retaken my brain.
Then I realized the shock had simply paralyzed me for the seconds it took to process the fact that our genius consultant, the most practical, logical person I knew, had gotten a perm. And dyed his hair blond.
“Aw, shit, Miles.”
Bergman’s shoulders slumped. “Cole gets all the girls. I thought, you know.” He grabbed one of his curls and tugged. “Maybe I could have just one.”
“But he’s never going to let any of us live this down.”
“Damn straight!” Cole hooted. “I’ve got the luv-do. Next thing you know Vayl will be stepping into the beauty shop for a little Cole-over.”
“See what I mean?”
Tabitha cleared her throat. “I like it.”
Even Astral sounded extra interested as she purred, “Hello!” CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO
While Miles smiled shyly at his new admirers, I shoved the Braves hat back on his head. “Get a grip, dude. Literally. Keep this murdering piece of trash waiting in the street until I call for you. And whatever you do, don’t let her talk. Got it?”
He nodded.
“Astral’s got your back. Don’t hesitate to sic her on Tabitha if she gets out of line. I’m going back up.” I shook my head at the idiocy of some people.
Cole’s chuckles echoed through my head as I, once again, scaled Wirdilling’s old water tower. “I’m gonna make up a song about the Cole-do,” said my sniper, his ego ballooning so drastically I was surprised he didn’t float right off the roof. “What do you think about this one, Jack? We’ll rap it until we get some music down.
Despite the fact that I could hear Jack’s enthusiastic
“Chill, wouldja? I’m looking through my scope like I have been since I took position.” Short pause.
“C’mon. Admit you like my hair.”
“I’d like it better if your head wasn’t so full of—” I stopped, my hand on the platform. “I felt something,” I whispered as it began to thrum. “Get ready.”
I pulled myself up and took my original position just in time to see the sky car flying toward us from the direction of the trail.
“How did we beat them here?” Cole wondered.
“Vayl must’ve figured a way to slow them down,” I replied. “Kyphas! You got that hat of yours moded out?”
“I am readier than you are!” she said.
Grimacing, I pulled Grief and prepped it to fire as we moved to the north side of the tower, Kyphas on the post office corner, me on the Crindertab’s side. Now we could make out bodies, large and small, all of them moving inside the swaying vehicle. Vayl still rode the undercarriage, the outline of his body reminding me of a huge spider waiting to pounce.
“What are they doing here?” Tabitha screamed. “They’re supposed to be at the Space Complex!” She began to chant, more gnomish that I didn’t understand and Cole didn’t have time to interpret. But I could feel something stir inside the tower. “Shut her up, Bergman!”
“I’m trying! Ow! Stop biting me!”
“Watcha doing up there, mate?”
I took a second to glance down. A couple had strolled into the street. The girl I recognized as Polly, our waitress from Crinder-tab’s. She held a baby-blue robe closed across her chest, like she didn’t trust the belt to do the job. The guy she’d brought along wore a T-shirt, boxers, black socks, and ankle boots.
“We’re practicing a scene from the movie!” I said. “You’ll have to clear the street. We can’t risk—”
“I told ya, Lymon!” Polly said excitedly. “Didn’t I say we should keep an eye on these blokes? Never know when the cameras will roll. Do you need extras?” she asked.
