Despite not having eaten anything all day Thea’s stomach didn’t even rumble as the smell of barbeque wafted across the camp in smoky clouds. The sun was setting and the oranges and reds it spat over the sky looked too much like blood for Thea’s liking. At least the screaming had stopped. If she had to listen to Harvey’s pain for much longer she might have deafened herself just to escape. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on the fresh air making goosebumps over her flesh, but a phantom weight appeared in her arms, the memory of blood soaking her.

Swallowing hard she opened her eyes again to see Drew scowling at her. He was coming back into the camp with a shovel over one shoulder and dirt smudged on his dark face and hands. Thea shivered. She only hoped he had given the boy a nice spot.

Hesitant steps came up behind her before Hilda sat gingerly on the log to her right. She was chewing on her lip and wringing her hands together.

“Harvey is going to be okay. Just sore for a little while.”

Thea nodded, looking at her own hands.

“He was asking if you were okay. He doesn’t remember much after he was shot. Bullet got him close to the shoulder, so he said it hurt like a bitch.”

It should have hit me, Thea thought. She had screwed up, been too scared to take the opportunity and kill the guard. Other people had to come to rescue her and now they were hurt or…

Wide blue eyes flashed through her mind, and she focused on breathing till they passed.

“Thea say something. You know it wasn’t your fault right?” Hilda shuffled closer. She was sweating enough to smell it but there was still something nice about her warmth being so near. The warmth of a living body instead of the chill she couldn’t seem to shake.

“Thea…”

“Can they give him anything for the pain?”

Hilda hesitated and that was answer enough for Thea.

“We used the last of the painkillers last month when one of the hunting party broke their leg.”

“I could go and find more.”

“If only we knew where to look.” Hilda sighed. “He is asking to see you.”

It was like someone had just told her it was her turn to be tried in front of the jury. No doubt she was going to receive the ire she deserved for messing up. He had asked her if she was ready to attack the region and she had insisted she had enough training. Turns out that learning the moves of combat was a lot different than actually being in combat.

Feeling like there were weights attached to her feet, Thea stood. “Thanks. I won’t keep him waiting.” She started to walk away when Hilda shot to her feet and pulled her into a tight hug. It was hard enough to make her ribs hurt but Thea didn’t complain. Throwing her arms around the other girl she used all her will not to shatter into a million pieces.

“Don’t blame yourself. You did the best you could.”

Hot tears sprang to Thea’s eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall. The last thing she wanted was to go and see Harvey while crying like a baby.

“Thanks Hilda.” Her voice shook a little and Hilda must have taken the hint because she released her with a final kind smile.

Thea made her way to Harvey’s tent feeling like all eyes were on her. It was common knowledge by now that she had been saved by Harvey and the boy who died. It was her fault that they had gotten hurt. She didn’t know if she was going to be able to look anyone in the eye ever again.

There were murmuring voices inside the tent speaking in earnest. Thea had a horrible feeling they were talking about her. Heart hammering like the heart of a mouse cornered by the cat, she took the thin tent flap between her fingers and stepped in.

A heavy heat and a heady scent of sweat hit her right away. The tent was made up of various rooms but the main one was where Harvey was laid out. Enough bandages to make his shoulder look twice as large were wrapped around his upper torso and left shoulder. He was propped up on the floor with his lower half in a sleeping bag. His tan chest was on show and the pale light of the lantern next to him highlighted the crisscrossing of scars over his skin. Some of them where as long as Thea’s forearm and she cringed thinking she had added another one to his collection. The soft glow of the lantern made it seem like Harvey and the person he was speaking to where in a bubble of light in the otherwise dim tent. A basin of water was next to where he sat, a cloth hung over the edge. Strangely it was the girl in the bikini that he was speaking to. She would be freezing if she went out dressed like that. Arms folded over her chest she was going on about some kind of plan.

Thea cleared her throat to make herself known. Both people stopped speaking and faced her. The bags under Harvey’s eyes made her heart clench. He hadn’t been up too long. He must be exhausted from the treatment he endured. Thea could only imagine the pain of having a bullet removed.

Harvey motioned with his good hand. “Thea come over here.”

Whatever happened next she would take it without complaint. Taking a step, she felt the weight of the boy in her arms again. It was so real that she had to look down to make sure he wasn’t there.

Once she was close enough to distinguish the lines in his face she stopped and clasped her hands behind her back. This was mainly to hide how much they were shaking.

“Before you say anything Harvey I want to say I’m sorry.”

Harvey raised his eyebrows and said nothing. Thea assumed this was a cue to keep going. “I screwed up, badly. Nothing I say will do justice to what happened. I got you hurt and…” her throat dried up, but she wouldn’t let herself back out of saying it, no matter how hard it was, she owed the boy this much at least. “I got a kid killed.” She couldn’t speak anymore once it was out and cast her eyes to the floor.

“Aww babe,” the girl said.

“I appreciate that Thea, but you are not here to be punished,” Harvey said.

Thea stopped breathing for a full minute while what he had said sank in. “But…I…the mission…”

“That is in the past now and Jessica here has helped me come up with a way you can make amends for it.”

Thea squinted at the blonde with suspicion. Who was she to walk in here and start doling out punishments? Why was Harvey listening to her?

Jessica laughed. “Don’t look at me like I just stole your boyfriend.”

Thea screwed up her face and raised an eyebrow at Harvey.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, as if a pounding headache was starting. “I promise the plan is sound. In fact, it might be the biggest step forward we have found in a long time.”

So, this was a special mission of some kind. Thea knew she would do anything he asked to make up for what happened. Whatever it took to bring down these monsters from hell that took the world from them and killed people every day, she would do.

“What is it?” she asked.

Harvey glanced at Jessica who cleared her throat as if she was about to make a speech of some kind. It was hard for Thea to resist rolling her eyes at her.

“I know how we can get the siblings from hell to turn against each other.”

Thea’s breath catching must have been audible because Jessica smiled and nodded at her.

“That’s right, we could get one of the monsters on our side.”

She must be mad. There was no way one of them was going to turn against the others. Even if they did then Thea was pretty sure it would be stupid to trust any of them. They might claim to be on the side of the humans but every one of them had murdered people and stolen the planet from them. Siding with one of them seemed like the best way to die horribly and quickly.

Jessica jutted out her hip and leaned into it, regarding Thea. “You look like you have seen a ghost and you haven’t even heard the plan yet.”

“Keep an open mind Thea,” Harvey said, then cringed as he moved his shoulder.

Shoving away her doubts for Harvey’s sake Thea nodded for Jessica to continue. Her heart was pounding.

Jessica wet her lips before speaking again. “I don’t live out in the middle of nowhere like you guys do. I live in one of the regions, the best one if I do say so myself.” She paused and smiled smugly. Thea was beginning to think that Harvey must have gone crazy listening to this woman.

“Anyway,” Jessica went on, “I’m from Marcus’s region. The last time I was there  I ended up…shall we say having a good night with him.”

The mere thought made Thea’s skin crawl. Marcus was known as the most bloodthirsty of the siblings when they had just arrived. He had torn across the human world and destroyed any angels who came to help. It was said that he and his sister where the reason that Heaven was a graveyard now.

“Between us girls,” Jessica whispered and put her hand up as if to block her voice from Harvey, “It was the best night of my life.” She winked and this time Thea couldn’t help rolling her eyes. This was not the time for gossip and trivial things.

Jessica raised her voice again. “The morning after I was lying in his bed with the others,” Thea couldn’t help raising her eyebrows and wondering how many others were with them. “and I heard Marcus arguing with someone. They were talking about how Silvia was killing so many people that there might not be any left that weren’t slaves. Marcus was talking about how that would be no fun and that they wouldn’t have anyone to fight with anymore. He said it would take the thrill out of being on earth and make everything too easy.”

Thea thought this was odd reasoning but who was she to try and understand monsters from hell.

“So, I think we might be able to get Marcus on side to stop Silvia.” Jessica smiled proudly and Harvey nodded.

The colour drained from Thea’s face. “This is the plan?” She glanced at Harvey. “We are just going to hope that he might want to turn against his siblings and help us? We would just be swapping one tyrant for the other. Besides, he is not going to kill his siblings because we ask nicely.”

Jessica wagged her finger at Thea. “We are not going to just ask. We are going to play on his one weakness; women.”

Thea’s blood ran cold as she started to understand what they were going to ask of her. “You want me to go into his region?” she asked Harvey, but it was Jessica who spoke.

“He is a sucker for a cute girl, especially one who is in distress and easily impressed. If you appeal to his ego, get close to him and make him see the possibilities of taking Silvia’s region from her then I bet we could goad him into helping. He loves to party, and he needs people for that.”

Thea grit her teeth. “I’m not asking you. I’m asking Harvey.” She met his eyes, ignoring how Jessica glared at her. Harvey was worrying his bottom lip between his teeth and let out a long sigh.

“I know it is a long shot, but it is the best lead we have. We have been trying for so long to get at Silvia and we are no closer than when we first started. More people are dying every day.” Thea cringed at that. “Maybe it is time we tried some different ways of changing things instead of just charging at the walls.” Gently rubbing his shoulder, he flinched. “Besides, I’m in no shape to lead attacks right now.”

Thea felt like screaming. She didn’t want to go undercover as a stupid girl who needs saving and try to manipulate an all-powerful monster. It was suicide. Yet if she did nothing then Harvey was probably right, they would be killed off one by one. The image of the child in her arms popped into her head again and tears sprung to her eyes. More children would die if they didn’t do something soon. But could she even trust what Jessica had heard? Maybe he was on side for killing people. That was likely given the stories about him. But what else could she do. She owed her friends at least trying this.

Her mouth was bone dry. “What exactly is the plan?”

Harvey smiled gently while Jessica applauded. Thea met his eyes and did her best to convey how sorry she was and how she was going to try her best with this to make it right. She couldn’t screw up again.

“We will get to the region walls and ask to be let in. They will take all your weapons from you, no fighting in the party zone unless Marcus says so. Then they will judge you and if you are pretty enough then you get let in. From there we will go to one of the parties where you will meet the man himself, win him over and get close enough to tell him how scared you are or something. Just that you need help. Subtly make him see how much better things would be if he took over Silvia’s region and convince him to take it from her. Tell him that you think you know a group that might help, that sort of thing.”

Oh, was that all. Thea clenched her hands into fists to keep them from shaking. “I don’t have much experience with lying.”

“Good thing you’re pretty then.” Jessica beamed and dragged Thea into a hug. There was a fruit scent in her hair that made Thea gag. “I always wanted to be part of a secret mission and now I am.”

Harvey nodded at Thea from where he was sat. His eyes were starting to fall closed but he managed to speak to her. “Be careful. I will send someone in to get your report when I find a way.”

“Okay.” Thea detangled herself from Jessica while the other girl worked to cling on. Going into enemy territory with this woman was going to be a real test of her patience.