Cade smiled at her and squeezed her hand. “It’s me he wants,” he whispered. “Let me negotiate with him. Just us two. Trust me one last time.”

The others looked at him, and only now did Cade see the tears on their faces.

“I’ll stay too,” Quintus whispered.

Cade shook his head. “You go to my family for me, Quintus,” Cade said. “Tell them what happened to me. Tell them the stories I told you; they’ll believe you. You deserve to enjoy our world. You’ve earned it. You all have.”

Amber sobbed. “And you haven’t?”

Cade smiled and wiped a tear from her face. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “This is the way it has to be. Trust me. And I promise, whatever we agree … I’ll only do it once you’ve all heard what deal he offers. Okay?”

There was a chorus of agreement, though Amber and Quintus remained silent. Cade understood. He’d feel the same way in their position.

He stood and walked away.

“I know you’re listening, Abaddon,” Cade said. “Let’s make a deal.”

CHAPTER

63

Cade felt at peace as he and the little girl walked to the plane, some distance away from the fire, near the remains of the fallen wall.

It was strange to know exactly what he needed to do. That was an unfamiliar feeling in this world.

“Tell me something,” Cade said. “Why me? Of all the people in the world. Why?”

The little girl paused and took his hand, like a daughter reaching to her father for comfort.

“I watch your world, Cade. It’s an interesting place. With interesting people. But you … well … you were even more interesting. I could see in you the type of mind that was made to play my game the way I wanted it to be played. An inquisitive, problem-solving, lateral-thinking mind, plus a thousand other personality traits that suited my purposes. One that knew history, and appreciated it. And so young too—I could wring many years of entertainment from you. That’s why, Cade. Of all the people in the world, you were the right age, with the right knowledge and just the right mindset and personality.”

Cade rubbed his eyes. He almost believed Abaddon. “So I was special, was I?”

“You were a good fit,” Abaddon said. “Don’t be getting delusions of grandeur now.”

Cade shook his head, ignoring the alien. Perhaps he did have some innate traits that made him play the game well. Or maybe he was just lucky.

But Abaddon was going to regret choosing him. Because perhaps it was for the same reasons Abaddon chose him that Cade had made the choice he had.

“So you heard my proposal,” Cade said. “What am I and the Romans worth to you?”

The girl skipped over to the plane and sat upon its wing, dangling her pudgy legs.

“A thousand years,” she said. “And another five hundred for each one of your friends who decides to stay too.”

Cade crossed his arms. “That’s not what’s on the table,” he said. “Just me and the Romans. Everyone else, including Quintus, goes home.”