THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

out something favorable for everyone.”
    Finally. The trade I’d been expecting. “What do you want?”
    “A fourth person to go with us who can...help defend against a croggle. I will allow Jaxxson to remain and tend to the girl, but in exchange we need another person. We’ll take the one who can’t deny he is tek with us.”
    I looked at Tony, easily reading the thoughts behind his ashen face. He believed once Callan and Mathias took him away he’d never return. He’d already said once that he expected to get thrown under a bus. Was this the bus?
    Worse, the resigned look on his face said he thought I would agree.
    I didn’t want to leave Gabby alone, but neither could I let Tony walk out of here with someone who’d marked him for death. Keeping my eyes on Tony, I announced, “No. I’ll go instead.”
    A whole swarm of demon flies could have set up camp in Tony’s open mouth before he recovered to shout, “Are you crazy?” He slapped his leg. “What am I sayin’? Of course, you’re crazy. First you’re talkin’ to an inv–”
    “ Tony! ”  I gave that warning in a voice that threatened serious harm if he said another word. Then I turned to Callan, “What’s it going to be?”
    He swung a stunned gaze on me. That had clearly not been the answer he’d been looking for, but that was the only one he was getting. I sensed a lot more not being said out loud between Callan and Mathias when they faced each other, the dilemma of what to do hanging between them.
    Mathias started, “I don’t know that we–”
    Divide and conquer came to mind, but I didn’t sense any real dissent between these two.
    Cutting off Mathias, I swung to Callan, to get the terms straight. “Before I go though I want your word–as a warrior–that no harm will come to either of them while I’m gone.”
    Something shifted in Callan’s eyes that made me think he rarely had to put his word on the line and, in that moment, I had a gut feeling that he took his honor to heart.
    Then again, that perception might’ve been nothing more than the result of too many knocks to my head today.
    Callan stepped in front of me, tight muscles in his face flexing as if fighting his temper again. When he spoke, each word had the bite of jagged ice. “ And what if I choose not to agree to your terms?”
    I crossed my arms and tilted my head up, our noses only inches apart. “Then prepare for things to get ugly. Because if you don’t help Gabby, or if you try to take Tony out of here, it’s going to get bloody and I promise you there will not be four of you in shape to make the rescue run when I’m done.”
    Mathias asked Callan, “If there’s a child to save, would we be better served to take a trained warrior than a...”
    Smooth approach on Mathias’s part to give Callan an out by suggesting that someone who could fight would be of more benefit than a tek-nah-tee they only wanted to sacrifice.
    While everyone waited in silence, Callan finally gave a single nod of agreement.
    I didn’t want to admit it, but I admired the fact that Callan put the needs of the children ahead of his desire to punish a tek-nah-tee.
    That was until he added, “If the sick girl is with Jaxxson until we return, there is no way for this one–” he bent his head toward me.
    If I told him my name, would he stop calling me this one ?
    “–to get to her if she escapes. If she runs or tries to interfere with us in any way–”
    “I won’t .”  I was tired of hearing threats. “I’m not going to abandon my friends or cause any problem...as long as Jaxxson heals her. Are we through negotiating?”
    Mathias didn’t chuckle, but his eyes creased with an odd humor, as if stifling a half-smile at Callan.
    Callan’s eyes still seethed, probably from my having demanded his word as a warrior again. “I have agreed but know this–if any of you try to escape while I’m outside the village, the other two will pay dearly.”
    “Understood,” I said then turned and dropped down in front of Gabby. When I told Jaxxson, “I need a minute,” I made it clear that was an order, not a request.
    Jaxxson gave me a testy look, but stood and moved to where Mathias and Callan waited.
    Gabby still fought to hold herself upright. “Don’t leave, Rayen. They can’t be trusted.”
    Tony had recovered from his surprise and leaned in. “Look, Xena...Rayen, I don’t want–”
    I cut in, keeping my voice low. “Both of you listen up. Gabby, we need you healthy.