Page 32 of Dark Voyage Matters of the Mind

Some of the other immortals and Negal also donned protective eye gear, but Mey and Jin didn't. By now, Frankie knew that harsh sunlight was a problem for the immortals, and she speculated whether the sisters were transitioned Dormants, and that was why they were less sensitive to the sun.

After Kalugal explained the situation to the Guardians who had stayed behind, he also told Luis and the other drivers about what Jacki had seen. They reacted in alarm and wanted to rush off to check on relatives who lived in the small villages in the area.

There was no cellular reception, but the clan's phones operated via satellite, and the Guardians allowed the drivers to each place a couple of calls to check with loved ones.

The curious thing was that none of them doubted Kalugal's assertion that his wife had seen the massacre in a vision.

When they were reassured that their relatives were fine, an argument started when they tried to guess which village had been attacked, but Kalugal put a stop to it with one voice command.

Kalugal's Spanish was flawless, but Frankie's was barely enough to understand what they were saying.

As their group quickly settled in the trucks, the engines roared to life, but this time Frankie and Dagor were not riding together with Kalugal and Jacki.

They were once again in the middle vehicle, but the other couple took the lead so Jacki could point the way.

Dagor's arm was tight around Frankie's shoulders, and she was grateful for him being there for her. Knowing that a god who was practically indestructible was protecting her kept the panic at bay.

She reminded herself that all of them were formidable immortals and that the cartel monsters stood no chance against this force of tourists turned rescuers—defenders of the innocent against the encroaching shadow of evil.

A sense of stupid pride filled her for being associated with this group of extraordinary people. Upon hearing Jacki's account of what was at stake, none of them hesitated even for a moment before rushing to help the victims.

In the back of her mind, Frankie cataloged that feeling in the pro-transition arguments. Her family was a heavy weight in the against-transition pan, but this impromptu rescue tilted the scales so the two pans were almost balanced now.

Frankie wanted to be part of the force for good.

Except, Dagor wasn't part of the clan and never would be. If a miracle happened and he changed his mind about leaving right after the cruise, he still couldn't come with her to the immortals' hidden village.

This reminded her that Yamanu was supposed to be shrouding their convoy, but since she could still see everyone, he wasn't.

"When is Yamanu going to start shrouding us? These trucks make so much noise that they can probably be heard all the way to the ship."

"He's already doing it," one of the Guardians sitting behind them said. "You are not affected by it because he's excluding you and the human drivers from the shrouding."

"Ha," Dagor exclaimed. "I didn't know that it was possible. He needs to teach me his trick."

The Guardian smiled. "It took him a long time to learn to do it, and his shrouding ability is legendary. I don't think he can teach you to do it overnight."

"How do you know the shroud is on?" Frankie asked. "I don't see or hear anything different. Is it like a bubble around us?"

"That's how he does it," Dagor said. "He's not excluding the humans from the shroud. Instead, he creates a bubble around the convoy. The drivers can see and hear what's going on outside of it, but no one can see or hear inside."

"I guess so." The Guardian rubbed a hand over his light stubble. "I'm not much of a shrouder myself, and I can't sense Yamanu's shroud, so I'm not sure what technique he uses."

"Let me get this straight," Frankie said. "To someone looking at the convoy from the outside, we are invisible and soundless, right?"

Both Dagor and the Guardian nodded.

"What about the tracks the wheels make in the mud?"

Dagor regarded her with appreciation in his eyes. "The bubble moves with the convoy, so once it passes over a spot, anyone can see the tracks it leaves behind. But to notice that, someone would have to be watching the ground right as we drive by and see that the tracks are new. I don't think it's much of a problem."

Ani

In her private dining room, Ani sat at the head of a gleaming white table and listened with half an ear to the idle chatter of her ladies-in-waiting.

It was not that they were dull or insipid. Her four companions were shrewd manipulators and spies, each installed by one or more of the leading families to follow her every move and listen to her every word so they could report back what they had learned.

There was nothing wrong with that, and it was not personal. They were not her friends, nor were they her enemies. They were just doing their job.