Praetorian Rising, стр. 73
"Who?"
"Langhorn, your um, well he's the physician at White Wall," he said, stumbling through a response. She didn't remember Langhorn, by the confused expression on her face. Vesyon had been clear about what to say to Camille: don't mention a single detail about her past, her previous life, her family, or her friends. She needs to find out who we are as she meets us. Find out where she lived and where she has been as she arrives there.
It didn't make much sense to Theo. The secrecy and denial of information drove him wholly nuts, but he didn't want to be responsible for a severe mental breakdown on Camille's part. What if he told her one detail too much and she couldn't handle it? Would Charlie Town happen all over again?
The last thing he wanted was to be the one responsible for her breaking, no matter the cost. She'd lost hold of herself before. He'd rather die than lose her to the darkness again.
Chapter Fourteen
The Vault
Not for the first time in the last moon cycle, Camille's head hurt from the amount of information she was trying to shove into it. Metus had warned her about Vesyon's lies, and there were many—why she'd had to leave Sierra Village and come to Romeo Village had both been cloaked in half-truths and omissions. But had Vesyon also known her breakdown in Charlie Town had stemmed from the Blood Bond's removal? There was no doubt in her mind that it had been the cause; she felt the truth of it straight down to her bones. She couldn't have been the only one to think this though. If Vesyon knew the truth, why hadn't he told her that instead of calling it an episode of blood rage?
Unfortunately, her memories from that day in Charlie Town came in short, clipped images, and there was no way to remember whether she'd been wearing her medallion or not. Despite everything, Camille clung to two simple truths burrowed deep within her consciousness: Metus and the High King had spent seven years after the massacre in Charlie Town torturing her, while Vesyon had come to her rescue. That's what mattered when it came to where her loyalties would lie.
Then there was Theo: where did her loyalties lie when it came to him? It was apparent he was still hiding information, but she couldn't be sure what. Did she trust him to tell her what she needed to know? Yes, she thought, glancing up at him as they walked down the deserted hallway. His gait was quick, purposeful, and confident, and yet she could see the gentleness as clearly as she could see his strength. There was a stern determination set in the hard lines of his shoulders; he wouldn't abandon her and yet he wouldn't give up on what he and Vesyon had started.
When it came to honesty, however, she could read the lies bubbling up on his face. He hadn't told her the whole truth yet, but he would. She just needed to push him a little harder, like coaxing a nut out of its shell; she just needed to find the best way to crack him without breaking apart the goods hiding within.
"Are you okay?" Theo prodded gently as they descended an emergency stairwell, Neeko keeping paced beside her. Their boots thudded softly against the cement steps as they moved around a floor platform before descending farther still.
"I'm fine," Camille responded mechanically.
"No need to hold back your thoughts, Cam," Theo said, pulling her from a stair landing into a narrow hall. "I did just tell you our surroundings will be on fire in a few hours."
The narrow hall was lit by stand-alone swinging bulbs, their shadows a mirage of dancing figures bouncing along the stone walls as they moved. It was becoming more difficult to breathe as the walls closed in around them, the air pressing down on her lungs the further they burrowed into the depths of the compound.
"You can start by telling me what the point of us being down here is when the entirety of your defense is topside fighting the incoming attack."
He missed a step trying to process her request. His right foot forgot to move, causing him to shuffle before regaining his composure.
"I think you know very well why we're down here," he said in a muffled reply.
"Of course I do," Camille snapped back without restraint. "Vesyon asked you to take me down here, and you listened to him. We should be up there fighting alongside the Rogues, not down here hiding from everyone."
The moment the words flew from her mouth, she slammed into Theo's back, his entire body having jerked to a complete stop.
"Ouch," Camille said, reflexively reaching up to her stinging nose to feel for any oozing drip of blood.
"Sorry," Theo said in a hushed whisper.
"It's ok, I know you didn't mean to..." Camille said, but stopped speaking as Theo's fingertip brushed the end of her nose.
"Are you bleeding?"
"No," Camille replied, her voice sounding small even to herself. Blood rushed thickly in her ears, pounding out a cadence of Praetorian adrenaline. "But even if I were, I doubt it will be the last of it tonight." She tried for a laugh, but the sound came in out a strangled croak.
"He wasn't supposed to collect you until after the invasion, when we were on our way to White Wall. That had been the order," he said softly. "For some reason, Vesyon brought you here after the Chimera attack instead of sending you to White Wall as planned."
He seemed almost as surprised as she was at his sudden explanation. "We should uh…keep moving," Theo said quickly before he grabbed for her hand in the looming dark and continued down the stone hall. They turned left and then right at forks in their path, an unending trail of stone, dim light, and a musty stench of stale air.
"Since I am here," Camille