Chapter Thirty-Four Noah
He was seething.
The last time Noah had seen Sarah, she’d been conspiring with Jacob to outwit the other members of the council. Then, like him, she’d disappeared. It was Sarah who had stood by Jacob’s side even when his actions endangered the Eremus citizens. Sarah who had done the bulk of Jacob’s dirty work. Sarah who had kidnapped Avery.
There was no sign of Avery right now. But Sarah was here, in the city. Presumably up to no good. Noah’s heart raced as he pondered what she might be doing. Reconnaissance for Jacob, no doubt. As one of the few females in his party, she could easily infiltrate the city. Presumably, she would report back whatever she discovered to the ex-leader, wherever he was holed up.
Behind him, Noah heard the café door open and close. Praying it wasn’t Evelyn, he swung around to look. A couple of older women emerged from the café, laughing together. Their relaxed good humour was jarring, considering the situation.
Noah glanced back at Sarah. Clearly rattled by the appearance of the women, she had stood up. Shooting them a nervous glance, she pulled up her collar and glanced back in the direction she’d come from.
She was leaving!His heart pounding, Noah considered his next move.
If he followed her, he’d be putting himself into a huge amount of danger. Evelyn would be furious, and as a drudge, he didn’t even have the luxury of keeping his eyes fixed on his quarry. With his head lowered, how could he track Sarah? Parts of the city were still unfamiliar, and he could hardly stop a Bellator woman and ask for directions.
But if he let her go, who knew what damage she might do?
Curling his hands into fists, he watched her set off. He had to risk following her. Jacob’s unpredictability made him dangerous. He was as much a threat to the Resistance plans as he was to Eremus. Madeleine needed to know what he was up to. And no one would have a better chance than he would, right now.
Resuming the drudge posture, he stepped out from his hiding place. He trailed her, keeping his eyes lowered and his pace slow. She made her way out of the park and took one of the quieter streets which led away from the busier thoroughfare.
Good, Noah thought. Less chance of either of them being noticed.
He wondered if she was heading back to meet with Jacob. Learning the location of their hideout would certainly prove useful. To both Eremus and the Resistance. He tried to keep track of the streets they moved along, picturing the maps he had studied with Ella. But after making several turns, he lost his bearings.
His mind went to Evelyn. What would she do, when she emerged from the café to find him gone? Had he ruined his chance of helping the Resistance forever?
It was too late now. All he could do was hope Sarah led him to a key location. Returning from the mission with some useful information was the only way he could guarantee Robyn and Madeleine would listen to him.
The blue boots were moving more slowly now. Perhaps Sarah was close to her destination. He wondered where she had gotten the unique footwear. Stolen them, he presumed. But he was grateful for her choice, as they made her far easier to track.
When she turned a corner and came to a sudden stop, he was taken by surprise. With only a second to make a decision, he attempted to bypass her as though he were simply going in the same direction. But she was too quick for him. Shooting out a hand, she grasped his arm.
“Are you following me?”
Her fingers felt like a vice. Noah froze. Fighting the instinct to respond, he tried to act like the Bellator drudge he was pretending to be. Head down, angled away from her. Remaining silent.
She stepped closer. “What do you want?”
Again, he kept his mouth closed. How much did Sarah know about drudges? Whilst staying silent would be the right thing to do in front of an ordinary citizen, with Sarah, it might have the opposite effect.
“Can’t you speak?” Her breath hissed in his face. Noah remained still, feeling her frustration at his lack of response. “I mean, you’re definitely following me. Why else would you turn down what’s so clearly a dead-end?”
Noah’s heart sank. Jacob’s second-in-command was wilier than he’d given her credit for. Suspecting that he was following her, she had headed down an alley which had no exit. Trapping him. Making it blatantly obvious that he was shadowing her.
Sighing, he turned towards her, keeping his eyes lowered. “I was following you.”
Sarah pushed him a little further down the alley. “Why?”
Praying they were out of sight of the street, Noah raised his gaze to meet hers. “Because, Sarah, I wanted to know where you were going.”
Her eyes flew wide as she recognised him. “Noah Madden? What are… why are you?” She gestured to his clothing. “What’s this?”
Noah wondered how much he could tell her. “I’m posing as a drudge. Supporting the Resistance.” That much she knew already. Jacob had been working towards the alliance before he had left Eremus.
“So you… this costume… it allows a man to be…” she glanced behind them at the street beyond, “out in public… in the city?”
“Kind of.” Noah didn’t elaborate. Keeping his voice low, he voiced his own question. “What are you doing here?”
She spun back to face him. “It’s none of your business.”
“You’re with Jacob, right?” Glancing out of the alleyway, he noticed some ordinary citizens emerging from a shop and moving off down the street. Taking another step into the shadows, he pressed her. “What is he planning?”
“As if I’d tell you.” She stared at him, her eyes zeroing in on his mask. “They’re servants, right? The drudges?”
He nodded. Perhaps if he let her talk, she might give something away.
She narrowed her eyes. “Where are you based?”
Not wanting to admit that he didn’t hold a specific role as yet, he shrugged. Anger flashed in Sarah’s eyes. “Does Madeleine have you spying for her?”
“That sort of thing, yes. You’d be amazed the things I’ve discovered.” Noah hoped the lie was convincing.
Sarah’s eyes lit with interest. “What sort of things?”
“None of your business.”
He felt a flash of satisfaction as he echoed her earlier words. But it didn’t last. Sarah wasn’t going to tell him anything or lead him anywhere. He’d blown it. The best he could do now was make his way back to Resistance headquarters without attracting attention to himself.
“On that note, I’d better go.” He began edging closer to the street. “I’ll certainly have some interesting information to report back this morning.”
Sarah’s eyes flashed with fear at his words. She did not want him reporting back to Madeleine about her. Before he could step out in the street, her hand was on his arm again.
“Not so fast,” she muttered in his ear. “I’m certain that the Bellator servants rank a whole lot lower than the women of the city. If I were to cry out… right now, accuse you of attacking me,” she gestured across the street, where a group of Bellator citizens were standing outside a shop. “How do you think they’d react?”
“You wouldn’t.” Noah jerked his arm free.
“Try me.” Sarah stepped out in full view. “Help!” She cried out. “Help me!”
Noah didn’t wait for the women’s reaction. Jamming his head as low as it would go, he hurried off up the street, praying he would be out of sight before the women had a chance to react.