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He sighed. "I hope … I hope when this is all done, we can sit down and talk and figure things<br />
out. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you."<br />
I wanted to tell him that that wasn't going to happen, that when he'd disappeared, I'd actually<br />
been on my way to tell him things wouldn't be better between us. Since this didn't seem like the<br />
right time or place to bring up a breakup, I lied.<br />
I squeezed his hand. "I hope so too."<br />
He smiled, and we returned to the others.<br />
"All right," I told them. "Here's how it's going to be."<br />
We quickly hashed out a plan and then crept up the stairs. I led, followed by Mia as she tried to<br />
support a reluctant Christian. Mason brought up the rear, practically dragging Eddie.<br />
"I should be first," Mason murmured as we stood at the top of the stairs.<br />
"You aren't," I snapped back, resting my hand on the doorknob.<br />
"Yeah, but if something happens—"<br />
"Mason," I interrupted. I stared at him hard, and suddenly, I had a brief flash of my mother that<br />
day when the Drozdov attack had broken. Calm and controlled, even in the wake of something<br />
so horrible. They'd needed a leader, just like this group did now, and I tried as hard as I could to<br />
channel her. "If something happens, you get them out of here. Run fast and run far. Do not<br />
come back without a herd of guardians."<br />
"You'll be the one who gets attacked first! What am I supposed to do?" he hissed. "Leave you?"<br />
"Yes. You forget about me if you can get them out."<br />
"Rose, I'm not going to—"<br />
"Mason." I again envisioned my mother, fighting for that strength and power to lead others.<br />
"Can you do this or not?"<br />
We stared at each other for several heavy moments while the others held their breaths.
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