Free Broken by Shiloh Walker Page A

team, and you very well know why you are important.”
    Functions. She thought about how Breisi, back before she’d died and become a Friend, had known more of Costin’s hidden strategies than any of the team. Then Dawn wondered who had taken Breisi’s place on this hunt.
    “Is one of us going to know where you’re headed, too, Costin? I’m guessing you’ll be wearing a locator, so you can be monitored.”
    He remained silent, showing his commitment to keeping this a secret, even though she had her suspicions about who that team member was.
    But he didn’t need this right now, so she backed off. His plans would work.
    “I just hope Claudius isn’t sending you into some kind of trap,” she said. “That’s why I’m being such a bitch about this.”
    “Dawn.”
    She walked right past him, out of the closet and into the bedroom.
    “ I only hope,” he said from behind her, “that this is the Underground that is holding the dragon. What I would give for the end to be near.”
    She glanced over her shoulder to see him smiling—a smile from an exhausted soldier who sensed possible deliverance within his reach.
    Dawn tried not to think about what that meant: what life would be like without him as a purpose, as a companion. If she’d be better or worse off without him.
    Girding herself, she went for the door, opened it, and a burst of jasmine gushed in, as if it’d been eavesdropping outside.
    Costin didn’t react as he moved into the hall, just behind Dawn. “Kalin,” he said, greeting the most annoying Friend in the bunch. She was an older hunter, active around the time of Henry VIII. As a human, she’d had witchlike powers that included summoning fire—a trait she couldn’t carry over into the Friend world.
    Dawn heard the spirit’s voice airily chattering away at Costin while they headed for the stairs.
    “She doesn’t want you to go,” Dawn said, stating the obvious.
    “True,” Costin said. “Like you, Kalin wishes to accompany me and Jonah, but she will be staying here, guarding headquarters.”
    Aw, crap. “I thought you were going to give this idgit some real guff for the trouble she’s been causing.” Dawn gestured at the air. “Her little crush on Jonah has been nothing but a headache for everyone because she takes up his side instead of yours. Is her big punishment to stay here instead of going with you?”
    Kalin bumped into Dawn, but Dawn was used to the scrapping.
    “Kalin,” Costin said, and it was the first time she’d heard his tone even approach a bark.
    The spirit let out a high-pitched scream of frustration that rang in Dawn’s ears until she had to put her hands over them. Costin withstood it, as unruffled as always.
    When Kalin was done, Dawn said, “Don’t tell me—she’s trying to get Jonah to come out so he can take her Underground with him.”
    Costin nodded.
    “Yeesh.” Dawn looked where he was looking, thinking it’d be Kalin she was addressing. “Would you get with it? You should know that Jonah’s going to be dominant when the body gets outside. He’ll shelter Costin until it’s time for some heavy-duty hypnosis, then it’s Costin’s game. They’ll keep each other safe.”
    Big words from a woman who doubted them.
    Kalin screeched again.
    “Silence,” Costin said, raising his voice enough so that Dawn could’ve sworn the walls shook a little. “Kalin, you are in charge of defense here. I have trusted you over the years and you have always been one of my strongest. This is no time to disappoint me.”
    Kalin shut right up at that. She was exasperating, but Dawn knew the spirit was loyal to the cause itself. Otherwise, Costin would’ve destroyed her home portrait, if that was how to send a Friend into the afterlife before their vow of service was complete. Costin hadn’t validated Dawn’s theory when she’d asked him about it once, maybe because he thought she would go straight for Kalin’s picture and slash it to bits.
    As the Friend lingered,