The Keepers of Azera ( Book 1 of the Keepers Trilogy)

Chapter 15

I wander over to Astrid's dorm, but she's not there at the moment, so I go to the Rec floor. Henri sees me and immediately calls, "Wipe that frown off your face, kid, and smile!"

I try to and fail. I don't know how he can stay happy and cheerful, but I suspect it's all play. It's hard to tell when or if something's bothering him, because he's always smiling and full of energy. But as I watch him, I notice he looks a little tense.

Because of that conversation, I think. He doesn't want me, the Chief's daughter, falling into the enemy's hands. And he doesn't want James dead either. And he certainly doesn't want to dwell on it.

But I don't bring it up until after dinner, when Henri's about to leave. He's saying goodbye to all the Keepers when I approach him cautiously. He looks up and grins at me. "Oh, come on, why the long face?"

"I heard about your conversation with my father," I say quietly.

Henri wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me away from the group. "How did you know?" he asks me.

"Flashback," I say simply. "But you didn't want to tell me, did you? That's why you're leaving without a single mention of it."

"I didn't want to really think about it," he admits. "But I don't think it'll ever happen. You're in the Training Base. You're safe."

He hugs me tight, picks up his stuff, and joins the crowd again. I watch him with growing anger.

"No, I don't believe that," I mutter. Because I know it isn't true. But I can't tell Henri that now-it isn't his business, anyhow. I leave the dining hall alone and go back to my dorm. James still hasn't left his bedroom, and I'm starting to get very worried about him.

But when I get back to the dorm, James's moved from the bedroom to the couch. "Hey," he says hollowly, sitting up and smiling at me.

"I just spoke to Henri," I say, sitting next to him.

"What did he say?"

"That he didn't want to mention it to me because I'm 'safe' in the Training Base," I say.

"Yeah, he thought it'd be better to tell me and let me make the decision," James says.

"Even my father, the Chief, told him to. I would think he'd follow his orders instead of giving them to someone else," I say.

"Henri is, for a lack of a better term, a coward. Most people from the capitol are like that. He hides from the horrible truth, because he's too afraid to admit that everyone's lives are in danger-no matter where in the universe they are. And I guess by telling me, he wouldn't have to think about it anymore."

"And he thought you were the best to make that decision," I say. "I don't think he..." I pause, try to think of a way to word it.

"That he knew I would tell you anyways, even if it wasn't ordered by the Chief?" James finishes. "No, I don't think he knew it. Or knew that you would immediately ask him. If there's one thing I hate more than keeping secrets from you, it's disobeying direct orders from my superiors."

"You disobey Matilda," I point out.

"I couldn't give a damn about what she thought," James says. "I don't think she's any better than the homeless nutters that currently populate the capitol."

I stare at him in surprise. I've never heard James talk like this before. Usually James was fairly nice to people, never letting anything bother him.

No, I realize. He's just kept it to himself. But now that the stress of the battle, of everything, is getting to him, getting to me, he's finally letting it show.