“Speaking of that, unless Gideon has something else to reveal, I’m going to jump into your shower. I never was a fan of the taste of my own blood.”
I kept my mouth shut on that one. It sounded too much like she might not mind the taste of someone else’s blood. Sofie might be a nice witch, but she was still a witch and that left the door open for all kinds of weird shit.
“Nothing much else.” Gideon sighed as he relaxed slightly on the sofa. “They’re searching for a sign of the elf that helped this resistance group. Their search is staying close to Oklahoma City, but it’s branching out. No other cities are on the chopping block, but that could change in an instant. For now, they’ve decided to take out the Internet.”
“For Oklahoma?”
“For the world.”
“What?” I cried. “That’s going to—”
“People will survive,” Gideon said a bit irritably. “They lived centuries without it. They can go a little while without checking e-mail. We can’t track digital transmissions with magic as easily as we can trace paper and analog trails. Taking down the Internet won’t cover everything, but it gives us a hand in tracking down this bastard.”
“Good luck with that,” Sofie said before jumping down from the table and walking through the hall to my bathroom. She sounded less than confident about the Towers’ chances of success. I wasn’t feeling so good about them myself. Losing Internet was going to create a lot of angry and scared people.
“Are the Towers going to at least tell the world why they’re doing this?”
Gideon shook his head. “Not yet. They seem to think that it will give them an edge. If people realize that someone knows the location of one or more Towers, they may decide to help him rather than help us.”
“You think whoever has this information doesn’t know you’re looking for him? The whole Indianapolis thing is a pretty good indication, you know.”
“I’m not saying I agree with it. It’s how they’re handling it.”
I bit my tongue, keeping my grumbling to myself as I walked around the table so I could flop on the couch next to Gideon. Leaning back, I stared up at the hole in the ceiling I had yet to repair. During the summer, I had hanged myself to gain access to the underworld. It had all worked out, sort of, but Trixie didn’t appreciate the constant reminder that she had been the one to find my dead body.
We sat in silence for several minutes, listening to the water falling in the bathroom. Sofie had managed to get the shower going, which wasn’t a surprise since she had managed to get to and from Germany with no problem. Good thing, too, since I had absolutely no desire to give a witch-turned-cat a bath.
There was also a low murmur of noise coming from the bedroom. Robert was watching something on my laptop. The Internet wasn’t down yet.
When Gideon spoke again, there was a wariness in his voice to match his obvious fatigue. “Gage, I’m not going to ask if you know anything about who has the locations. Well, I’m not going to ask you yet.” I tensed next to him, but said nothing. “I don’t want to risk having you lie to me. Just think about it. You know I’m not one of them, but I think we both agree that the best way to protect this world is to keep that information out of the hands of the other races.”
“I know,” I said, closing my eyes. The knowledge hurt. I felt like a traitor to Trixie, Bronx, my family, and everyone who had suffered under the control of the Towers. I could rant and rave all I wanted about how the world had to escape the tight grasp of the Towers, but when the opportunity came, I turned my back on the world in the name of protecting it.
“Then I’m sure that you also know that if the shit hits the fan, I’m going to protect my family first. I’ll try to get word to you, but Ellen and my daughter have to come first.”
“I would expect nothing less.” I opened my eyes and looked over at him. “You have to protect what’s important to you.”
“It’s interesting that you say that since you’re struggling with the idea yourself.”
I sat up, staring over at the warlock who had hounded me for nearly ten years. There were moments when I felt like I knew him, and then there were others when I was sure I was looking at a total stranger. His expression was closed, but I could feel a warning in his words.
“What are you talking about?”
“If Neil had escaped and found out about Trixie or Bronx or your brother, there is no doubt that he would be striking at them next in an effort to get at you. That could still happen if his apprentice survived.”
Frowning, I fell back against the sofa and glared out the repaired sliding-glass door. The sky was black and I had no idea what time it was. It felt like I should be seeing the sun rise, so much had happened.
“I’m not a killer. It’s why I left the Towers. I’m not like them,” I said, even as Bryce’s battered face surfaced before my mind’s eye. I was starting to sound like a broken record. On and on again, I was telling everyone around me, even myself, that I wasn’t a killer. I wanted to think that maybe I wasn’t very convincing, but I was beginning to wonder if maybe they all knew something that I didn’t.
“No, you’re not like them, but I’m not talking about being a heartless killer like Simon.” Gideon paused and I looked back at him. “I’m talking about protecting the people that matter to you. The warlocks and the witches coming after you can’t be reasoned with. They can’t be convinced that they are in the wrong. If you let them live, they will keep coming after you and along the way they are going to kill that elf of yours, Bronx, Sofie, and your family.”
I pushed to my feet and walked around the table to put some space between us. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gideon rise as well. “You don’t understand.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t understand,” Gideon snapped. He grabbed my shoulder and spun me around so that I was forced to look at him. He leaned close, his sharp features becoming harsh in his anger as he slipped back into his role as my main tormentor. “It’s time to stop clinging to these childish notions that you’re above them, that you’re better than them because you won’t stoop to kill another person. You can’t afford that luxury any longer.”
“Easy for you. You—”
“It’s not easy for me!” Gideon cut me off, giving me a hard shove, so that I was pressed against the wall. “When I am faced with someone, I ask one thing: is this person a threat to my family? If the answer is no, then they walk away. If it’s yes, then I finish it quickly. And a threat to me is a threat to my family because it means I won’t be around to keep them safe. It’s time for you to get off your high horse and take a hard look at what’s really important to you. This pretty idea you’re clutching or that woman on your arm, because in this world, you can’t have both.”
Gideon turned away from me and started to walk back toward the couch, running one hand through his dark hair to push it away from his face. His shoulders slumped under his fatigue and probably from the weight of the life he was trying to lead.
“I’m done cleaning up for you,” he said in a low voice. “Next time you handle it.”
“Got it.”
Gideon’s head snapped up and he looked over his shoulder at me. I thought I could see regret in his eyes for a second, but it was gone before I could be sure. He made it sound like he killed with such cold, heartless ease, but it took its toll on him all the same. There was something about the hardness in his eyes, the stiffness in his shoulders, that made me think this life wore on him. I don’t think he wanted me to have to live with the toll as well, but as he said, we didn’t have that luxury in this world.
“I’ve got to go. I need to check on Ellen and Bridgette.”
“I’m sure they’re anxious to see you.”
He nodded and started for the door.
“Did you talk to Sofie?” I said as he reached for the doorknob.
Gideon half turned back toward me. “No.”
“She wouldn’t tell me any details, but she said that Victoria Tremaine cursed her.
”
The warlock frowned, staring blindly at the floor as if lost in thought. “It’s good to know. There’s too much going on right now to worry about it, though, and Victoria’s tricky enough that I’ll need to be focused on the problem when I attack it.”
“Good luck.”
Gideon shook his head, a little half smile on his face. “Yeah. Don’t forget to handle your brother.”
I frowned at the weary warlock. He was talking about wiping Robert’s memory of what he saw. “There isn’t enough bleach in the world to scrub his mind clean.”
Gideon gave me a little smirk I had never seen on his face before. “Run in the family?”
I rolled my eyes at him, fighting the urge to flip him the bird. We were having a good laugh. I didn’t want to piss Gideon off, which would only push him into taking care of Robert himself.
“At least bury the memory a little. We don’t need him accidentally mentioning the dead warlock on your floor to someone.”
“Got it,” I said on a sigh. I watched as Gideon started for the door again, a little amazed that I found myself in this moment with the man I had been sure was my greatest living enemy. “How old are you?”
He was stunned by the question, enough that he turned the rest of the way around to look at me. “I’m thirty-one.”
Only five years older than me. “You seem . . . older.”
Gideon nodded, not showing any surprise at my comment. “It might not show in our appearance, but this life ages you.” He turned back toward the door and left without another word.
I leaned my head against the wall and tried to breathe. This life torn apart by the Towers was aging us all ahead of our time, and it was a crime. But whining about our fate wasn’t going to change a fucking thing and neither was my reluctance to accept what was in front of me. It was time to grow up. If not for myself, then I had to do it for those who were depending on me.
11
WHY COULDN’T IT have been an overcast day? Sleep had not been an easy thing to find last night after Gideon left and Sofie was settled from her shower. After a couple slices of lukewarm pizza, a beer, and a quick memory spell on Robert, I had lain in bed staring up at the ceiling, my mind replaying the events of the day until I wanted to scream. The sun was peeking over the horizon when I drifted off and then it was only a short time later when Trixie called with plans to pick me up.
A cold shower got me moving, but I was still waiting for the coffee that I had been sucking on since I fell into her car to get my brain moving. Dressed in jeans and a mostly clean T-shirt, I knew I was underdressed to meet with the queen of the Summer Court, but I couldn’t summon up the energy to care. The dark sunglasses weren’t keeping out nearly enough of the bright, early-afternoon glare, and the world had this cheerful feel that seemed horribly wrong considering that the Towers had an itchy trigger finger and were gunning to take out more people.
It was a struggle to push my grumpy attitude aside. Trixie was strained with worry and fear. I was beginning to think that even in my sleep-deprived state, it would have been a better idea for me to drive. She was hitting the brakes at the last possible second, as if her mind wasn’t fully aware that her body was driving.
“Did you have any problems last night?” I asked, causing Trixie to jump. We had been quiet since I’d slunk into the passenger seat, not even daring to turn on the radio.
“Nothing other than Bronx’s snoring rattling the windows this morning,” she complained, but there was no venom behind the comment. “We stayed up watching old M*A*S*H and Great American Hero reruns. I left him curled up in the shower with a pile of blankets.”
I smiled at the image. It had to be a tight fit and couldn’t be particularly comfortable, but the bathroom was the safest room in Trixie’s apartment since it had no windows. I’m sure Bronx was fine though. The troll slept like the dead and probably wouldn’t stir until sunset.
“After this meeting, we’ll grab some food to drop off to him before heading into the shop.”
“You think we’re going to have any customers today?”
I sighed, placing my travel mug in the cup holder. “I have no idea, but we’ll probably get busy soon.”
Trixie paused, her eyes on the road in front of her as she exited the highway onto the off-ramp. “Did you have any problems last night?”
“A couple,” I admitted, praying that she didn’t press me for details. She already had enough on her plate.
“Did you talk to Sofie?”
“Some. She had a small problem herself, but she’s fine now. Last I saw, she was sprawled across my bed like she belonged there. I swear, I think she’s happier as a cat.”
“Doubtful.” She eased to a stop at a red light, her driving smoothing out as she neared our destination.
“What’s not to love? She sleeps most of the day, has food brought to her, and everyone that sees her rubs her head. Hell, being turned into a cat is starting to sound pretty good.”
Trixie narrowed her eyes at me, but I could see her fighting to hold back her smile. “If it happens, I’ll be sure to have you fixed immediately.”
“That’s cold, woman! You should never talk about cutting off a man’s balls.”
The smile she had been fighting slipped forth as she pressed the gas, sending the car across the intersection. “I think it might be a good idea for the king and I’m sure the queen would agree with me.”
I leaned forward and grabbed my mug. I drained the last of my coffee, grateful that the wheels were starting to turn a little. “I think I’ve got some pruning shears somewhere at the shop. Just a quick snip.”
“For you or him?”
“Him,” I growled, earning me a low chuckle that sent a ripple through my stomach. If we survived all this with the elves, Reave, and the Towers, I swear I was going to lock this woman in some secluded spot with me for a week, and when we were done, we weren’t going to be able to walk right for a goddamn month. Trixie had a way about her that wiped every sane thought from my head.
Winding through the park to an empty row of parking spots, Trixie settled her little green hybrid between a silver minivan and a black sedan baking in the sun. She turned off the engine and dropped her hands into her lap as she stared straight ahead. I reached over and twined my fingers through hers on her right hand, drawing her gaze up to me.
“We’re just meeting to talk,” I said calmly, as I placed my sunglasses on the dashboard. “Get a little information. I’ll be there the whole time and I’m leaving this park with you beside me.”
She nodded, forcing a smile onto her lips. I took in her brown hair, brown eyes, and lovely heart-shaped face. She was putting on the glamour spell out of habit, whether she needed it or not. The human version of her was beautiful, but it rankled me at the same time. It wasn’t Trixie. It wasn’t the green-eyed vixen that I loved. “I think it’s safe to lose the spell. I’m sure the queen would appreciate it.”
Her smile wavered a bit, but with a blink of her eyes, the spell faded away to be replaced by a vision of blond hair and green eyes.
“We should get going. I’d rather not be late,” she murmured as she leaned in and pressed a kiss against my cheek. I released her hand as we got out of the car, but grabbed it again when we started toward the park and the man-made lake with the geyser-like fountain in the center. The area surrounding Mirror Lake was open with neatly trimmed green grass and a scattering of flower beds showing off the last of their summer blooms. There were a few people jogging around the lake and a few others walking their dogs, but otherwise the park was quiet in the warm afternoon sun.
“The gazebo,” Trixie said with a jerk of her head toward the far end of the park.
I squinted against the sun glinting off the water as we turned toward the gazebo. “It’s been a while since I was here. I don’t remember that.” The small open building was painted white with a blue roof and was surrounded by a profusion of flowers. Within the shadows of the gazebo, I could see a few figures, bu
t I couldn’t tell how many.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she had it built for today’s meeting. She is the queen after all.”
“True.” I gave her hand a little squeeze. “How many are here?”
“Other than the queen, twenty-three. All guards.”
“I don’t think she could fit twenty-three guards in that little gazebo with her,” I said with a grin.
“There are three guards in the gazebo with her. The rest are spread around the park, hiding just past the tree line.”
I suppressed a shiver, clenching my teeth. I couldn’t see them and I wasn’t even sure that I would be able to pick them out using magic. Elves were one of the few races that I hadn’t had a lot of experience with. After the Great War, they kept a distance from the rest of the world, particularly warlocks and witches. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had found yet another way to get in over my head.
Trixie’s pace slowed as we reached the small stepping-stones leading up to the gazebo. She tightened her grip on my hand, her touch growing cold. The guard at the entrance to the gazebo glowered at us, his hand resting heavily on the short sword that hung at his hip, before he stepped aside. Gazing in, I found two more guards standing on either side of a lovely woman seated on a cushioned bench near the back of the structure. She was partially hidden in shadows thrown down by a nearby bank of trees.
As Trixie lifted her foot to the first of two steps leading up to the gazebo, I placed my free hand against her stomach, halting her. “Wait,” I said under my breath as I sent a small spell swirling about the gazebo, checking for other spells the elves might have used while unraveling any glamour cast on the area. To my surprise, there was none.
“You don’t trust us?” asked a melodious feminine voice.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s that life has taught me to be cautious, Your Majesty,” I said with a bow of my head toward her.
“That is fair,” she said in an even voice. “Please, enter so that we may talk.”
Jocelynn Drake - [Asylum Tales 02] Page 14