Page 92 of Minding the Minotaur

As I stroke Sammy’s hair and whisper in her ear how happy I am that’s she’s expecting our baby, I feel her getting heavy in my arms.

“You need to sleep, babe,” I husk.

She lets out a mewl of protest, but already her features are relaxing toward slumber.

I lift her up and carry her to the bedroom, lay her gently on the bed, fluff the pillows around her head and pull up the coverlet. She turns on her side and places her hand under her rounded cheek, and snuggles down like a golden-haired princess.

My princess.

My heart melts, knowing our tiny little one is growing inside her. I stare at her for another long moment, then I tiptoe out of the room to call Otis.

CHAPTER 29

SAMMY

I wake up to the sound of voices.

I immediately tense up, thinking I am back in that terrible research facility with Dr Petronis and Marsha Winters. Men and women in uniforms and white coats scurrying around them.

I start to hyperventilate, my heart pounding.

And then I make out the deep rumble of Arlo’s baritone. Otis’s, too. Muffled, not in the room, but close by.

And another voice. Human. Laconic and laid-back, followed by a bark of a cough.

Jax is with them.

I slump back onto what I now realize is Arlo’s bed.

As I lie here, I can smell his sweet musky scent, and a deep feeling of safety envelops me. I breathe a ragged sigh and close my eyes for a second, smiling, remembering how Arlo appeared out of thin air, my knight in shining armor—orshould I say, shining portal cape—and whisked me away from that dreadful place.

I focus back on the voices. They’re coming from the snug, just across the passage. And they seem to be getting more animated by the moment.

Curiosity overriding fatigue, I get to my feet and make my way to the door. I tiptoe across the passage and put my ear to the door of the snug.

“For fuck’s sake, Arlo.” This from Otis. “You pluck her from under their noses and you’re telling me they didn’t see you? Not even a horn?”

More words in a deep growly voice. It’s Arlo, and his tone is defensive, though I can’t make out the exact words.

Otis continues, “Even if they didn’t see you, they’ll know sorcery of some sort was involved. There’s no way a human could just disappear like that. And they’ll be asking questions—lots of questions.”

“If they saw you, they’ll be galvanizing resources to track you down. Maybe they’ll try and send spies down here,” Jax warns.

“You’ll have to rouse yourself from your smoke-hazed stupor and ward them off, then,” Arlod responds grumpily.

“I’ve kept them off your backs for years,” Jax responds calmly. “But none of you knuckleheads have broken the rules of the Covenant before.”

Another growl from Arlo.

There’s a pause, then Otis says, “I’ve actually been working on something that could help. I think I’ve almost got it up and running.”

“Is it magic?” Arlo sounds hopeful.

“No, it’s part of an energy system from before the apocalypse. It uses coding, not magic. I’ve been studying ancient texts about it for years. It’s how I monitored your movements in Sparkle.”

I hear Arlo chuckle. “Oh, you mean the little chip thingthat you slotted into that comp-oo-ter? How exactly is that going to help?”

“It picked up exactly where you went and at what time.”