Everlost (The Night Watchmen Series Book 3) by Candace Knoebel Read Free Book Online

might want to help.”
    “And if he doesn’t? If it’s a trap? Then we’re all screwed,” Cassie says hotly. “I don’t want to go through that again. Never! We almost died for them! And for what? A swift kick in the ass?”
    Her anger keeps spewing, and I can feel myself on the verge of erupting. The way the heat slithers up my neck and spreads into my cheeks. The way it settles under my skin until I want to scream.
    “Will you just listen to me!” I shout out.
    The room freezes up.
    “I know that Sterling is on our side,” I say with certainty. “I wouldn’t have suggested it if I thought otherwise. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he was a part of the rebellion.” I step up to her and Gavin, taking my time to look them in the eyes. “At some point, you’re going to have to hear me when I speak. You’re going to have to trust my instincts and let me be the person I’m meant to be.” When their mouths open, I let their gazes go and turn back to everyone else. “I feel it in my core that this is the right move. I can’t shake his words. Can’t forget the look in his eyes when he told me to find him that day in the courtroom, before Clara made us out to be the bad guys. He wants to help us. I know it.”
    “You know what?” Weldon says as he makes his way back over to the makeshift bar. “I think she may be right. Sterling told Faye and me during one of our sessions that he has an inkling the Priesthood was behind his partners untimely turn with the wolves. He thinks they might have been set loose to ensure she was taken from him so they could see if a Watchman could actually function in our society without their partner. He has every reason to hate them.”
    “Oh my!” Cassie says, startled.
    “That’s so sad,” Jezi adds, her hand against her chest.
    “I’m sure it happens more than you think,” Weldon says, his features hardened a little.
    “But that still doesn’t mean we can trust him,” Cassie replies as she plops back down on the couch, rubbing her forehead in thought.
    A thought pops up. “He offered me a way out when we were about to break the Holy Seal,” I say quickly. Everyone looks over at me again, and I gather up the rest of my story, hoping this will be all that’s left to sway them. “He didn’t agree with General Tillman’s orders, so he offered me a chance to escape.” I don’t look over at Jaxen, who’s staring openly at me now. “I’ve seen his aura. You’ve seen his aura. We all know he’s good. He’s with us. And we need him. He has the potential to get us the info we need. He can teach us so much more than he already has.”
    No one says anything, so I jump on their open interest.
    “I’m not saying we have to do all of this at once. I’m just saying this is the only way I can see us getting ahead. If we want to set right to all that has gone wrong, then we have to know what their plans are now that we’re gone. The only way we can is through an insider.”
    “I hate to beat a dead horse, but again, why? Why do we need to know? We owe no one anything,” Cassie says harshly. “We’re banished, which means we no longer have to do the Priesthoods bidding. The Underground, the Darkyns, the Priesthood… none of that pertains to us anymore. We’re scot-free.”
    “My partner Claire isn’t,” Weldon says from the rim of his glass. “Faye’s parents… Russell and Mary… they aren’t. And what about the countless others who are down in the Underground, locked away from their families? You’re saying their justification doesn’t pertain to us anymore?” His golden eyes are swirling. His voice deep and filled with shadows no light could ever touch.
    Jezi looks up at him, this time, keeping her eyes on him.
    “If that’s not a good enough reason to continue… if only just to save them… then I don’t think you ever were a Watchman,” he says, staring blatantly at Cassie.
    Her mouth hangs open, words wedged inside her throat.
    “We have to