Page 82 of Ensnared

“But you said?—”

“That’s the signal, and if I can tell them where to send them, they could get them all with the first strike.”

He’s right. It’s their best shot. “It’s got to be at the convention center,” I say.

“How do you know?”

“The only other place I’ve seen any of them go is the—” I was about to say the Chase Tower, but really only Azar lives there as far as I can tell. For some reason, I’m hesitant to tell him that. The only reason I know at all is that he was saving my life.

“Downtown Houston should be close enough in any case. We need to leave in the next hour,” he says. “And to get out, I need you to set us a task that gets us close to the perimeter. Maybe send a few of your automaton humans as well.”

That’s not a bad idea. Maybe they could even get out, too. “Let me jot a letter down for my dad.”

“I can probably get it to him,” he says. “But hurry.”

I don’t spend a long time on the letter, and I pass it to Gideon on my way out the door.

“Where are you going?” Jade asks. “Training?”

I shrug. “Sure, and I’ve got to ask Gordon some questions.”

“He’s digging for grubs,” Sammy says.

I freeze. “He’s what?”

Sammy turns around, smiling. “He loves them. Those nasty, crawly things that wriggle in the earth?” He nods. “He said they’re his favorite thing about earth.”

I can’t even imagine—is he serious? “Where does he do that?”

“He usually goes to that park across the water.” Sammy points. “He said lots of ‘em live in the ground there, like under the grass.” The gwound. My heart twists hearing it. I’m going to miss him so much. But I don’t have time to get all weepy.

I follow the line of his arm, but I see nothing. Until, suddenly, a sinuous brown snake-creature pops up and curls over. . .and then disappears again. “He must be wrecking that entire park, digging around like that.”

Sammy shrugs. “He said they’re always at the top of the soil, but he can spew through a lot of soil because he’s an earth dragon.”

Good heavens. “I can’t reach him without a boat.”

“I can call him over,” Sammy says. “He told me he’ll always listen for me.”

Gordon’s dragon form is nasty. He looks like the biggest snake to ever terrorize the world. Or a huge, scaly earthworm. I shudder.

But he’s been surprisingly kind to Sammy, and he keeps watch over us often. I’ll be sad if he dies today.

That surprises me.

I don’t have enough time to wallow in regret or sorrow. I have too much to do. “Hey, guys.” I wave the kids over. “I need some help with something.” Just the thought of sending them away makes my eyes threaten to fill with tears.

“What?” Coral looks ready.

“Are you alright?” Jade asks.

“I’m fine,” I say. “But I think it’s important that we all have some basic first aid supplies.” That feels like a decent cover story. “I’m sending Gideon out to find them, and I thought you could help.”

Sammy blinks. “Like band-aids?”

“Exactly.” I nod. “You should be in charge of band-aids, actually. And your sisters are supposed to get Tylenol and ibuprofen. We’ve been running low.”

“What’s Gideon getting?” Sammy asks.