Which means there won’t be a more ideal time to toss my idea into the pot and see just how desperate they are.
But before I can speak, Kali moves forward. “Could we hire people? Mercenaries, maybe?”
Ian shakes his head. “We don’t have any money.”
“Would this help?” She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a handful of jewelry, all pretty and sparkly. She pushes it into Ian’s hands. “I brought whatever I could. I thought it might be useful.”
Ian stares at his hands for a moment, like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.
“And there’s the dress as well.” She waves a hand down at the purple dress she came back to us with, its hem encrusted with gemstones.
Ian looks at Max, and I guess they’re doing that mind-talking thing, because Max shakes his head. Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on it earlier. It’s not that subtle.
“Thanks, Princess. But it won’t work. It’s too dangerous. I don’t know of anyone who will go into the Wilds, even for this.” He tries to hand the jewels back to her, but she shakes her head, and he shoves them in his pocket.
“I do,” I tell him.
Everyone turns to look at me. “You do what?” Ian asks, a frown on his face.
“I know someone who will go wherever we need them to go. Or at least maybe make a diversion and keep a good number of those guards occupied while we go in and find Milla and…”
I trail off. Like I’ll curse the whole thing if I say my brother’s name out loud.
“Who?” Ian asks.
“The Rebellion, of course.”
He frowns like he’s missing something. “And why would they help us?”
“Because I’ll ask them to.”
“And they’ll listen?” Ian doesn’t sound convinced. “Why?”
“Because my mother is Marlina Orsgood.”
His eyes widen, and he doesn’t respond. I almost pat myself on the back—it’s not easy to render him speechless.
“Who’s Marlina Orsgood?” Rain asks.
“The leader of the Rebellion,” Merrick says slowly. He’s studying me as though I’ve grown an extra head. “The most ruthless leader they’ve ever had.”
Max frowns. “Isn’t she known as the Butcher of Narreth?”
“An exaggeration,” I say, fingers crossed behind my back. She slaughtered a whole garrison of Imperial troops at Narreth.
“And the Slayer of Snolmek?” Merrick adds.
“It didn’t happen quite the way the stories say it did.” Because it was so much worse.
“And what about—” Gage starts, but I cut him off.
“Do you want her help or not?”
“I don’t know,” Ian answers, looking doubtful.
“Yeah, well, it’s not like you’ve got so many other offers. And it’s not like she’ll be gunning for you.”
Ian sits in his big chair, which means he’s thinking about it. I give him time. If I push this, he’ll back off. But really, it’s the only way, and it won’t take him long to figure that out.
“Why?” he says after five minutes of intense thought. “Walk me through it. Why would she help? Why would you ask her to help?”
I lick my lips and consider how much to reveal. “I’m going in anyway. There’s a small chance I might find my brother. Or at least find out what happened to him.”
Kali looks at me with renewed interest. “I thought you said your brother was dead?”
“He is. Well, he probably is. But all this talk about Milla has got me wondering—I mean, she’s made it through. Why not Jarved, too? Which means I have a vested interest in the success of this mission, and so will my mother, for the same reason. She might be ruthless, but she loves us.”
My head is starting to throb again—the painkillers don’t last very long anymore—but I have to persuade them. Because I really do think it’s the only way we can succeed. And it will be my way out of here, whether I want a way out or not.
“Plus a blow to the Wilds is a blow to the Corporation—and the Empire. Which she’s always up for. And if you think the rebels need an added incentive, you can throw in the jewels. They’re always in need of funds.”
“Will you tell her Kali’s on board?” Max asks.
“Not if she doesn’t want me to.”
Kali shrugs. “I don’t care. I’m not scared of the Rebellion.”
“You should be.” Still, I respect her for not hiding. At some point, we have to live our lives, and fuck everyone else.
“Not to mention Rain and Merrick,” Max says. “The Rebellion is hardly fond of the Sisterhood. Or the Corporation, for that matter. Which includes Gage.”
“She won’t touch them if I ask her not to.” I hope. You never can tell who’s going to show up—my mother or the Butcher of Narreth. But now doesn’t exactly seem like the time to bring that up. “I’ll tell her that you all saved my life. That will mean something to her.”
“Do you have a way to contact her?” Ian asks.
“I do.” We’ve always had a private line of communication for emergencies. Considering both her children are missing, I’m sure she hasn’t changed that.
Ian looks around the room. “What does everyone think? Do we risk it?”
“Do we have a choice?” Max answers. “Beckett’s right. We’re not exactly swimming in options.”
“You really think we can trust these people?” Merrick asks. He turns to me. “You know her better than anyone—will she honor an agreement?”
“Yes. It’s getting the agreement that might be hard. But once she’s committed, she won’t betray you. She has her own code of honor that she won’t break.”
“Look,” Ian says to Merrick, “there’s no reason for you and Rain to come with us. We can drop you off somewhere close to one of the Sisterhood’s headquarters, and you can go home.”
I hold my breath as Merrick and Rain exchange a glance. I don’t want her to go. I’m not ready yet. I know I said I have to go, but not yet. Please.
She gives a small shake of her head—I think she feels the same way—and I expect him to argue. But he doesn’t. It’s one more thing in a long line that makes me believe something else is going on with that man. I just don’t know what.
“We’ll stay,” he finally says.
“Good.” Ian turns to Gage. “What about you?”
“I say go for it. But maybe don’t give her all the jewels.”
Big shock, Gage. I’ve never seen anyone more obsessed with money in my life.
Ian must feel the same way, because he snorts but doesn’t comment. Finally, he looks at Kali. “How about you, Princess? You think we should join forces with the rebels?”
She shrugs. “I trust Beckett. If she says that it will work, then I believe her.”
That actually is a shocker—one that makes me feel a little strange. Sure, she said she trusted me before she left the last time, but that was one-on-one. Now, in front of everyone… I want to say something soppy like I won’t let you down or—