Free Lightning by Bonnie S. Calhoun Page B

Selah’s insides fluttered. He was good-looking, and there was no way for her not to notice. But she could enjoy his good looks without falling victim to his charms. Besides, she could use his help. She casually pressed her hands to her sides.
    â€œI told you I’d be going back on the road to find your family. Glade pays me well to continue the search. I’m heading south to meet up with a caravan. I put in a request for shared transportation to save on costs, and here I am. I’ll be your navigator.” He held out both hands and smiled broadly.
    Selah brightened at his dedication to finding her family and was glad to have an ally. He would definitely take her side in any discussions with Treva and Cleon about going into the Mountain. “I’m surprised and encouraged all at the same time. Please keep this between me and you, but I found something that may give a clue to my family’s whereabouts.”
    â€œYou aren’t trying to do my job, are you?” Jaenen chucked his bag into the wagon and locked his crossbow into the weapons holder inside the wagon side panel.
    Selah moved closer and lowered her voice. “No, but that file number and location you gave me led me to this clue. I’ve got a data glass with a fragmented info file about the Mountain in my bag. It mentions my stepfather’s name. I wasn’t supposed to take it out of the Repository—”
    â€œDon’t you two look cozy with your heads together,” Treva said from behind them.
    Jaenen and Selah separated. Selah felt her face warm. Treva strolled over carrying an energy stick and bit off a hunk.
    â€œNeither of you going to say anything?” Treva looked back and forth between them. Selah couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t incriminate herself, so she opted for silence. Mother had once said something about silence being worth gold, whatever that meant.
    Treva waved the energy stick as though it were a laser pointer. “You two are planning something. I can taste it.” She stared down at the stick, then back at them. “Trust me. I’ll figure it out.”
    â€œDo you think we’d deprive you of anything that sounds like fun?” Jaenen flashed his lady-killer smile and batted those thick lashes.
    Treva softened. “No, I guess not.” She started to walk away but turned back. “You just remember to invite us when you find something fun to do.” With that, she sashayed off.
    Selah screwed up her face and looked at Jaenen with wide eyes. “What was that? I’ve heard you have hypnotic power over women, but I’ve never seen it in action. I can’t believe it. Treva’s in love and betrothed to my brother, and with one bat of your eyelashes, you had her acting like a silly schoolgirl.”
    â€œWhat can I say. I’m afflicted with an exceptional power of persuasion.” Jaenen shrugged.
    Selah waved a finger in his face. “Yeah, don’t try that eyelash-batting thing on me or I’ll take a torch and singe the flapping little things off.”
    â€œYes, ma’am,” Jaenen said with a wink and a grin.
    â€œWhen we set up camp for the night, I’ll show you what I found. It’s a garbled notation and the data is corrupted. The second time I opened it the file size appeared to have shrunk.”
    â€œThat’s how I work best. I take pinpricks of information and turn them into full-scale tapestries. I’ve worked on other partial Repository files. Maybe I can decrypt enough of it to get a legible clue.”
    Selah brightened. “You really think so? That would be a step forward in my search to find a cure for Bodhi’s abilities.” Her eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute! File numbers are one thing, but how have you gotten access to Repository files with the kind of security the healers have on them? You not being a Lander would automatically disqualify you from access to that