Page 28 of The Lost Guardian

“But I don’t have my passport! Or my suitcase! I haven’t packed!” Brooke protested.

“What are you talking about?” Santiago demanded.

“You’re not coming,” Ali growled almost simultaneously.

Brooke glared at her, then grabbed Santiago’s arm to pull him out of earshot.

“Packed?” Santiago whispered, panicked. “No, Fjord, you can’t come with us.”

“Of course I’m coming with you! I can text my mom; she’ll look after Levi while I’m gone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Leviathan wasn’t the one I was worried about!” Santiago cried. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Of course it’s dangerous—that’s exactly why I’m coming with you!” she insisted.

“Bay,” Santiago pleaded.

“Besides, I’m not sure I trust that Ali. She’s too hot.”

“Huh?” He wasn’t following.

“She seems legit, but I don’t know,” Brooke continued. “We could just be booty blind.”

“Booty blind?” Santiago repeated.

“Yeah, like, she’s so hot, it muddles your brain, you know?” Brooke explained.

“I am not ‘booty blind.’” Santiago flushed with simply saying the words.

Brooke arched an eyebrow at him.

“I’m not!” he insisted. “Sure, she is beau— I mean, she has a level of attractiveness, just objectively speaking…” He faltered, traitorous gaze magnetized to the beautiful woman herself.

“Uh-huh.” Brooke looked at him pityingly. “Sure, you seem real unaffected.”

“That’s not the point!” he snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose. “This is my mess, my family’s problem, and there is no reason to drag you into it!”

“I’m already in it!” Brooke insisted. Then, softly, she added, “I’m your family, too.”

Santi couldn’t disagree with that. “And you’re mine, Puddle. That’s exactly why I can’t let you do this.”

Ali approached them before his friend could object further, holding a large backpack in her arms.

“Here,” she said, tossing it to Santiago, who managed to catch it before it hit the ground. It wasn’t light.

“You’ll want to put on some shoes. Everything should be in your size,” she continued.

“How…” Santiago started, then shook his head. “Never mind.”

“Fine. If I can’t come, at least give me your number,” Brooke demanded of Ali. “Santi doesn’t have his phone, so I’ll need a way to get in touch with you.”

Ali raised an arched brow but pulled out her own cell.

“It’s a burner,” she warned Brooke. “And you won’t be able to contact me in Peru.”

“Then give me your Peruvian number,” Brooke argued.

“No,” Ali said.