Can’t talk now. Will call you tonight. Whatever, I texted back. The longer the hours had stretched without hearing from him, the more I didn’t want to talk to him. Or so I told myself. I’m sorry! Okay? Can’t explain now. Call you later. I held my phone for a moment, wondering what to say back. Here I was trying to act normal for him when he was still keeping something from me. It made me feel angry—and like a hypocrite of the worst kind. But most of all, it just made me feel empty. I opened my drawer and was about to drop my phone in when it started ringing in my hand. I answered without looking at the display, expecting it to be Daniel calling, even though he claimed he couldn’t. “Hey, kid. You ready for some real action?” Talbot asked. A rush of excitement swept my empty feeling away. “Depends on what you have in mind.” “Staking out The Depot. I’ve got it on good authority that a couple of the Shadow Kings will be there tonight. I think we should follow them and see if they lead us anywhere interesting.”
