Solos lifted his arms and stretched, cracking the bones down his back. “There’s a sizeable cell of daimons outside of Rapid City. We got a scouting team following them right now since it’s too many for them to engage.”

This was the first I was hearing about this. “You aren’t concerned about that? It takes no leap of logic to figure out that a large group of daimons there will be heading in this direction. There isn’t much else.”

“We know that, Seth, but we can’t take away from guarding the Covenant, not with the threat of shades and Titans looming over us.” He lowered his arms. “They won’t get inside these walls. Not again.”

“But they can control animals. Remember last time, with the birds?” I’d been on the other side of the wall, out of their direct path, but I’d seen that Hitchcock horror come to life. “I can take out the daimons. I’ll leave—”

“You really going to leave here, where Josie is? Think about it, man. Worst-case scenario is that the Titans somehow are working with the daimons, just like Ares was. This could be a trap, lure Guards and Sentinels—you—away from here for them to strike.” He turned, gesturing inside the wall. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed how woefully staffed we are when it comes to Guards and Sentinels. Many have left. Can’t blame them for that. Shit, sometimes I wonder why the hell I’m still here. Half of the damn Guards are pures. They can’t spot a daimon to save their lives. Literally. Plus there are more half daimons now than pure ones. Those fuckers are a bitch to kill, and even we can’t tell them apart. You leave, you’re opening us up to a huge risk.”

Hell. He had a point.

Man, what I’d give to have some newly turned daimons to take my frustrations out on. They were brutal and messy when new—at their most dangerous, as they were completely ruled by . . . by their need for aether.

“Want to hear something strange?” he said, and continued without my response. “When I went out beyond the walls today I heard birds and insects. The woods were alive.”

“Okay,” I replied. “Thanks for sharing.”

Solos stared ahead. “The only time it has been silent was when you were with us.”

Frowning, I looked over at him. “I have no idea how that’s not just a coincidence.” I paused. “Unless even the rabbits and crickets recognize how much of a badass I am.” I joked, but a flicker of unease shot through me. The forest’s abnormal quietness couldn’t have anything to do with me. That wouldn’t make sense.