who sides with her.” Bianca turned in her seat facing me squarely. “Camille delivered me to your doorstep. Do you remember? If it weren’t for Cami’s strength of will, I would be married to Drake right now, and you to her.”
Bianca’s words sunk in. It was Cami who found Drake and Bianca. She rescued them when I was too overcome with grief to even realize they were both alive. Bianca’s voice softened, “She is the reason we have the possibility of a future. It would be easy to go home and build a blissful life together, but if anything were to happen to Cami – I would always wonder if it was something I could have prevented. I’m not willing to shoulder that guilt. Whatever I can do to help, I’m going to do it.” Bianca squeezed my hand, “I know it’s selfish, but I want your strength by my side.”
Like so many times before, her gaze melted me. For better or worse, the four of us were in this together. I wondered what Zandra would think when her eyes settled on the four of us together again.
Chapter 4
(Camille Nash – South Africa)
His hand felt warm wrapped around mine. Drake gently squeezed my fingers in his big palm every few strides – it was a silent assurance that he wasn’t going anywhere. Private moments were something to be savored when traveling with twelve others. Everyone who had been with us at Cancun, except Jessica and Daniel, flew with us to South Africa. Although we were walking through a congested airport with thousands of others, Drake still had the ability to make me feel like it was just the two of us.
When Will and Gretchen insisted on accompanying us to South Africa, I had tried to talk them both out of it. Will harbored guilt over tricking Mom into getting pregnant. I didn’t know whether to forgive him for purposely seducing my mom or to be thankful that he was the reason I had been born. It was a fine line. I guess if given the choice of never having been born or having been born into this mixed up, crazy excuse for an existence, I’m thankful to be alive. Not here, not today, but soon I would need to tell him that even though his motives were abhorrent, I was thankful he brought me into the world.
That thought hung in my mind. Would “soon” be soon enough? The Centaur Council would meet tomorrow. In a day my life could be over. If things didn’t go our way, could I go to the pasture leaving him with this guilt? Will walked tall and proud, but as I looked at him, the pain was written for the world to see. He was pretty good about protecting his thoughts, but I’d caught glimpses of his worry the last few days. What if the Council sentenced him to death? Could I let him carry his guilt with him to eternity?
Drake brushed his shoulder against mine as his words echoed in my mind, “It’s okay. We’re going to make the Council understand. We’re going to have a long life together, a family of our own, and there’ll be plenty of time for you to come to peace with your father.”
I was so tired I hadn’t walled up my thoughts. If Drake heard me, did anyone else? I looked to all the Centaurides around us. None seemed to be paying attention. If they were listening, they were at least pretending not to. Most Centaurides, women Centaurs, had the ability to read thoughts. Male Centaurs couldn’t read thoughts, but there was a way for them to protect their thoughts so that others couldn’t listen in. Drake was different: he was my Centaur. From the moment I accepted Drake’s betrothal pledge, he and I could speak telepathically.
When Drake and I agreed to let Will and Gretchen accompany us, it wasn’t possible to keep Bruce and Hannah, Beau and Lacey, or Gage and Bianca away. Katherine and Brent had coupled off, as well, and Katherine made it clear she was going everywhere I was. Katherine was a Lapith. Lapiths and Centaurs were natural enemies, but she