The financial district was busy with people in smart suits walking around and talking on their phones. She spotted the China Construction Bank building and turned into the underground parking lot. A guard stopped them, asked for their business, and then Dave walked toward them and waved the guard off.
“They’re with me,” he said, and the guard nodded and backed away without another word.
Face washed a sickly grey by the overhead light fixtures, Dave leaned against the car and tapped the roof. “Hurry up. They’re waiting for us.”
Ella drove off, not waiting for him to move away. Damn robot. She was such a hypocrite, hating him and yet turning to him for help every single time. God, she felt so helpless it grated on her nerves.
When she parked and saw the difficulty with which Finn pushed out of the car and stood, then bent down to massage his leg, her anger spiked.
She hoped Dave was in a world of pain every time the magic in the Veil changed. She hoped a meteorite fell on his car. She hoped the oil he drank caught fire.
Yeah, she was a hypocrite.
“This way,” Dave called, gesturing at a glass door, and Ella struggled to get a hold on her temper.
“Piss off.” She waited for Finn to push away from the car and limp around to join her. “How’s Sarah?”
“She’ll be fine. I bet that grates.”
“Think so? I didn’t shove her in front of that bullet. She’s the one who came over uninvited and opened the curtains, in case you’ve forgotten.”
Dave grunted, scowling, and walked ahead.
Finn caught up and they made their slow way inside. Dave threw him a narrow look of suspicion before heading inside and calling the elevator. “Still having trouble with that leg? I thought you went to physiotherapy.”
“Physiotherapy’s expensive,” Ella said. “Spare a dime for your Shade-fighting employee? After all, you’re the reason he can barely walk.”
Dave harrumphed but nodded as the elevator doors dinged open. “Fine.”
Ella lifted her brows and followed him inside, Finn in tow.
By telling Dave the truth about her inability to help Finn in his dreams, about everything, she’d given him the means to use Finn — to fix his magic, make him stronger, and then... what?
Was Finn right? Would Dave pass him on to the Dark Elves to use as a key, opening Gates and taking their revenge on the nine worlds?
God, she wanted to push Dave up against the wall and punch him for hurting Finn. For being a lying bastard.
Right. Should she beat Dave up first or herself? Talk about feeling torn.
Finn’s mouth was tight, his gaze bright, boring into Dave, who was pretending to examine the cuffs of his sleeves for dirt.
“Everything all right?” Dave asked. Such an innocuous little question.
“Peachy,” she said sweetly — maybe too sweetly, garnering a dark look from Dave.
Yeah, well. She never was any good at pretending. Dave, on the other hand, was obviously a pro.
The elevator stopped and the doors opened before she got angry all over again. Dave was helping them, she reminded herself. Maybe she should put stick-it notes everywhere to make sure she didn’t forget and eviscerate her boss.
There was a woman in a kind of uniform — had to be a uniform, right? — of green skirt and jacket over a frilly white shirt and shiny high heels. She gave them a demure smile and gestured toward black sliding doors. “This way, please.”
Dave nodded and continued as if that was to be expected. Maybe it was, so Ella snapped her gaping mouth shut and hurried after him as he opened the sliding doors, entering the conference room. She turned back toward Finn who dragged his leg across the lobby. She made as if to go back and help him, but he shot her a look so dark she stopped in her tracks.
Ow. Was he pissed with her? She couldn’t tell. She stepped quickly into the room to get out of his line of sight.
A long mahogany table and sober black chairs filled the space. Finn had barely come in after her, when a tall, thin man with dark slanted eyes rose from his leather office chair and executed a small, tight bow toward them.
“Mr. Chang.” Dave bowed back. “Thank you for receiving us on such short notice.”
So this was gonna be their savior? Ella tensed when the dark gaze settled on her, then moved to Finn. “And this must be the elf.”
Finn’s eyes narrowed, turning on Dave.
“As I said, son, the Council members know who you are,” Dave said easily. “Mr. Chang is the treasurer of the Organization.”
And many other things besides, Ella could bet. She wanted to make a bad ninja joke but held back. If Dave was telling the truth about the Organization, this man had more power than Ella could possibly imagine.
“May I see?” The man waved in the general direction of Finn.
“See what?” Ella muttered.
“Proof of what he is,” Chang said, politely.
Ella’s brows drew together and the headache pounded behind her eyes. “His ears? Is that what you want to see?”
“His magic, Miss Benson.” Chang’s mouth pursed. “He is John Grey, isn’t he? His magic is the only reason he’s been allowed to live.”
God, his words dripped such distaste it was hard not to flinch. But Finn hadn’t moved a single muscle, his face impassive, his eyes studying Chang.
“You want to see my magic,” he finally said, his voice deadly quiet. It was as if the air stilled, as if the split unit high on the wall had stopped whirring. Maybe it had.
“That’s correct.” Chang nodded.
Did he even know what he was asking?
Dave shifted forward and frowned. “Show him, son. He wants to help.”
Finn’s eyes flashed with anger. The air crackled.
“This isn’t a game,” Ella bit out, gripping the table edge.
“Finn, do it,” Dave barked. “We talked about this.”
Or else.
The threat hung in the air, loud and clear, just like it had that day on the airstrip when Finn’s dragon had been led away. Ella half expected Finn to grab Dave and throw him against the wall, then turn around and leave.
But Finn only shrugged, his expression shuttering.
Light exploded in the middle of the room, and a silver sphere appeared, hovering over the conference table. Its surface bulged as shapes moved inside.
Chang flinched back. Ella was sure she heard a curse from Dave.
The sphere rotated. Inside, shadowy forms slithered, faces leered. It was like a glimpse into hell.
She turned to Finn. He held his hands palms-up and flames danced on them. Silver light swirled in his eyes and every exposed expanse of skin glowed. His pale hair lifted as if with electricity, forming a ghostly halo around his sharp-angled face.
Then he took a stumbling step back and lowered his hands. The light in his eyes began to fade and the swirling sphere hovering in mid-air diminished into nothing.
“There,” Dave said, his voice all business — an odd sound after the hush and the silver fire. “Now let’s talk about the problem.”
***
“So the issue is that he can’t remember a part of his recent past,” Chang said, threading his fingers together, elbows on the table. “And you can’t influence his dreams, which are memories, and which seem to center around those half-forgotten instants of his past.”
Ella nodded.
Finn stared at a point in space. She wondered if he was hearing them.
“You’re not just the treasurer,” Dave said, his rumbling voice somehow soothing. “You’re also the best read of us. We hope you can help.”
Ella doubted any human knew as much as Dave about the Gates and the magic, but what the hell did she know.
“His blocked memories are coming back, is this correct?” Chang said, his dark eyes thoughtful, turned on Finn. “You’ve murdered your comrades?”
Finn winced.
“Do you remember why?” Chang asked and Finn shook his head, l
etting his hair fall in his face, hide his expression.
“That’s not the main issue,” Dave put in smoothly. “We need him to remember more.”
“The question is, why ask me?” Chang asked. “Do you think magic has something to do with the partial amnesia?”
“John Grey,” Dave said without looking at Finn, “is a special creature. The laws that apply to most of us don’t necessarily apply to him.”
Finn glared daggers at Dave. Yeah, keep calling him ‘creature’ and see what happens to you.
“So you’re wondering if there has been a similar case in the sagas recounting John Grey’s last appearance in our world.”
Dave shrugged.
Chang turned to Finn. “Who tortured you?”
Finn recoiled as if slapped. The last of the blood left his face. “I can’t—”
“Yes, you can. Who was it?”
Ella stood up, heat rising in her chest. “Stop barking at him, all right? Back off.”
“Aesir,” Finn whispered. “Loki. Dark Elves.”
Odd thing was, she didn’t recall seeing Dark Elves in Finn’s memory. Or the spider he’d talked about — Loki.
“And then what happened?” Chang pressed. “Did you escape?”
Finn shook his head, ash-blond hair sticking to his sweaty face. “Can’t remember.”
Ella reached for him then, unable to stand the distance any longer. She put her arm around his back and he drew a sharp breath. Tension drummed through his frame; then he relaxed against her.
“Your kind used to do that, you know.” Chang put his hands flat on the shiny table. “Hurt John Grey to activate his powers. How did the Dark Elves know who you were?”
Good question.
“They didn’t. They were testing candidates to find the right one,” Ella said. “I heard them discuss it. I’m not sure why they let him go, but I think they decided he wasn’t the one because he couldn’t open Gates back then.”
A shiver went through Finn and she tightened her hold around his shoulders.
“Fine. So back to our topic.” Chang’s English was perfect. Had to be his native language. “John Grey must have a Stabilizer. So the epics tell us. The Stabilizer is the key to his magic.”
“Yeah,” Ella muttered, feeling defeated. “Only the Stabilizer isn’t issued with a manual. I don’t know how to fix this.”
“You’re the Stabilizer?” Chang blinked.
Ella glanced down at her dark sweater, visible through her unzipped old jacket, and her black cargo pants, the combat boots, scratched and dirty. Okay, should she feel slighted?
“She is the Stabilizer,” Dave confirmed, his voice oddly gentle.
She didn’t want his support or pity, or whatever it was. “This isn’t helping any, you know.” She looked right at Chang. “Is there anything you can tell us that might bring Finn’s memories back or did we come here for nothing?”
“That’s a funny thing you ask,” Chang said, smiling thinly. “I thought I made it clear. Only the Stabilizer can access John Grey’s memories, and that’s apparently you.”
“Okay, fine. But Dave said you could at least tell us about the Divine Frenzy.”
Chang nodded thoughtfully. “The gift of the Aesir. Did they inject you, elf?”
Inject?
Finn shook his head, his breathing coming faster. “Can’t fucking remember.” He glared down at his hands, splayed on the table.
“I’m pretty sure they injected him with a paralytic. Ettin blood. I saw the lines going into his back.” Ella frowned. “But that’s not what you mean, is it?”
Dave scratched at the ever-present stubble on his cheek. “Finn? Does this bring back any memories?”
Finn looked up, his gaze slightly dazed. “No.”
Okay, enough of this. “What is Frenzy?” She leaned over the table. “How does it work? Explain, Dave. Now.”
He lifted his hands in mock surrender, his eyes hard. “It’s a substance exuded by the skin of the Aesir in instances of danger. They secrete it, and they store it and use it on others. The secretion produces hallucinations.”
Finn’s gaze snapped up.
“Does this mean...?” Ella licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. “His memories aren’t real?”
“The two main memories — the cave and the plain — seem to run in a loop,” Chang said. “That’s a good indication of Frenzy-induced hallucinations.”
Finn made a small sound in the back of his throat, halfway between a groan and a whimper. “I remember shooting them,” he said, his voice a painful rasp. “I remember wanting it.”
“Yeah,” Dave said. “But if you experience something as reality, then that’s the way you’ll remember it. That’s exactly the beauty of the Frenzy.”
God.
Ella closed her eyes briefly. Ignored how tight with hope her chest was. She turned to Chang. “Is there a way to know which memories are real?”
Change rubbed his chin and glanced at Dave. “Worth a shot?”
“It might help him remember the rest,” Dave said flatly.
“Fine.” Chang turned to Finn. “The secretion allows a connection between an Aesir and the victim, and permits manipulation of the ‘trip’ it produces.”
“So if they did inject him with the hallucinogen...” Ella frowned. “If they implanted memories and make him believe they were real, how can we tell?”
“I have no way of verifying what I’m about to tell you,” Chang said, “but Frenzy seems to lend a special effect to the perceived memory, if you know what to look for.” He steepled his hands on the table. “Look out for red dots.”
A beat of silence passed.
“Excuse me?” Ella looked from Chang to Dave, her mouth hanging open. “Are you serious? Red dots where?”
Finn leaned forward, a flicker of hope lighting up his eyes.
“Anywhere,” Chang said. “Where you wouldn’t expect them. In people’s eyes. In the air. In water. Flashing red dots.” He gave her a long, hard look. “If you’re the Stabilizer, you should be able to spot them.”
Oh good. Put some pressure on a girl, why don’t you?
Flashing dots. At least she wouldn’t mix them up with blood spatters. Bile rose in her throat and she forced it back down. “All right. Got it.” She rose from her chair and reached for Finn’s hand. “Time to go.”
Time to dream.
And hunt little red dots. Hell. She would’ve laughed.
But not today.
***
The plain was still, the sky white with clouds carrying more snow, unleashing it in small flutters that spiraled down.
Ella climbed to her feet, brushed snow off her red coat. The mountain slopes glittered as if strewn with diamonds and a gorge stretched in the distance, narrow and deep. A snake flew overhead, followed by a swarm of white birds barely visible against the clouds — like a comet’s icy tail.
The landscape seemed to be breathing — in and out — the air pulsing.
She was there hunting — but for what? Thoughts chased each other in her head — she knew this place, knew the drill, knew she had a mission — but no concept came on top.
Ella turned in a circle, hands in the pockets of her red coat. Where was Finn?
Then she saw him. He stood maybe thirty feet away, holding a shiny long gun in one hand. His long grey coat flapped around his calves and his pale hair fluttered against his back.
Funny. She felt no breeze.
Is this real?
She frowned at the thought. What did it mean?
Her mission. She was there to prove something. What was it? Lucid dreaming had never been her forte.
As she walked toward Finn, the piled snow crunching under her black boots, she saw a line of people walk by, barely visible with their silvery clothes and colorless hair. They were heading toward the face-shaped tower to the far left.
Finn seemed to be watching them, too. He stood still, a ghost in the light snowfall. Shafts of weak sunlight struck
the plain, turning it into a sea of gems. When bright lines flickered on the backs of his hands, he became all but invisible amidst the myriad reflections.
Then he moved, raising the gun in one fluid movement and taking aim.
“Finn, no!”
Before she could even move, gunshots rang, one after the other, tearing through the quiet. For a moment, she thought the color of the snowflakes shifted to crimson, then it was again all white and clean.
She approached the pile of bodies, her limbs heavy, and stopped. Pale faces, delicate features, slack mouths — blue-grey eyes, like Finn’s, staring unblinking at the overcast sky.
He held the gun loosely in one hand; forgotten. He tilted his head to the side, a frown drawing his features tight, as if he couldn’t figure out something.
A speck of red hovered in mid-air, flashing.
She reached out a hand as another dot appeared, a touch of color in the monochromatic world. Pulsing, calling her.
There was something... something she should know about these dots.
But what? “It means... it means it’s not real. This isn’t real.”
As if to prove her words true, a blizzard blew out of the blue. The mountains began to crumble like sandcastles, everything turning to white.
“Finn!” She reached for him — and like thin clay his form exploded into pieces, the shards traveling in slow trajectories through the blinding snow drifts—
The eddy picked up speed and the wind rose, flinging her into darkness. Her back crashed into a wall and she slid down, trying to catch her breath.
She was in the dank cave, the air suffocating, rank with sweat, blood, piss and moisture. Her view of Finn was obstructed by the Aesir commander in his glowing armor, and all she could think about was, it hadn’t been real. The events on the plain had never happened. Finn hadn’t killed his friends.
She had to tell him.
The commander aside as she got to her feet.
Finn hung over the stone table, long hair hiding his face, his breathing harsh. A creature moved in front of her, forcing her to sidestep once more — an Ettin, its long tail scraping on the floor.
Boreal and John Grey Season 2 Page 33