Page 66 of Fortress

Jake wasn't sure he was grateful for that. Sure, it left him at least a little more prepared, but now he had to figure out what to say to Toby.

History was fascinating, fun, and terrible sometimes (the books didn't talk about everything, but Tobias could read between the lines enough to know that the reals of the past had treated each other more like monsters than other human beings), but not fascinating enough for Tobias to ignore either the tension in Roger's shoulders when he asked Jake into the house, or how Jake looked a little stunned when he came back outside.

Tobias felt the first frisson of adrenaline that he usually felt when braving a new public place or in the peak of a hunt, and he carefully put his book down on the armrest of the swing.

“What's up?” he asked.

Jake looked at him, his mouth a grim line, then stared out across the yard as he rubbed at his arm as though trying to get the blood moving again.

Tobias stood up and stepped closer to him, trying to catch his eye. “Jake, what happened?”

Jake let out a slow exhale and met his eyes. “There's some hunters asking about unidentified supernaturals. Ones that got locked up in that fucking camp the same time you did.”

Ice ran down his spine. Tobias closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and released it before reopening his eyes. He was still there next to Jake, Roger's solid porch under his feet. Slowly he stepped forward and took hold of the porch rail, gripping it with both hands.

Jake moved next to him, planting his own hands next to Toby's on the wooden beam. Like they were bracing themselves together for a storm they couldn't see.

Tobias swallowed, then made himself speak. “We have to find out.”

He could feel Jake looking at him. “Find out?”

“Where I came from.” Tobias took in a shuddering breath, but he was still standing, and the words were still true. Probably he’d always known they’d have to face this eventually, though he’d desperately tried to deny it. He dared a glance at Jake.

Jake stared at him, expression a mix of incredulity, amazement, and something deeper, an intense look that made Tobias want to duck his head. “You sure about this, Toby?”

Tobias did his best to smile. “Sure,” he said, though he was not sure at all.