I lifted my finger to my lips and approached the Grimoire case. If I made the slightest sound, security would be on us like flies around a steaming pile of crap. My nerves jangled as I got closer, not only because I was about to take this thing, but because we were on borrowed time. The clock was running out.
As I reached the case, the Grimoire echoed inside my head: “Just take me. Just take me.”
“Did you just say something?” Finch asked suddenly.
I shook my head. “That wasn’t me. That was the Grimoire. You can hear it?”
He shrugged. “I guess I can. A remnant of Dadski, perhaps? A bit of my Merlin blood finally being useful?”
Just take me. Just take me. The Grimoire’s voice was getting louder, urging me on.
Obeying, I put my hands on the glass box, yearning to touch the book inside. To my alarm, the glass crumbled beneath my fingertips, turning to glittering sand that spilled onto the floor with a quiet hiss. It seemed like no amount of protective magic could stop the Merlin bloodline, not right here in the pulsing heart of my dad’s magical domain.
“No wonder Levi is so terrified of you,” Finch said. “Or Katherine, for that matter.”
Grinning like a maniac, my eyes like saucers, I reached for the Grimoire. I couldn’t have stopped, even if I’d tried. Not that I wanted to. This was what we’d come here for, and I was going to take it, if it was the last thing I did.
As soon as I touched the soft binding, a surge of energy burst through me, splintering through every nerve ending like wildfire. I threw my head back to try and contain the overwhelming blast of power that shivered up into my brain, my body trembling under the weight of it.
Through the blinding burst, I felt the love of my parents swelling in my heart. And the promise of knowledge to come, within its pages. I also felt the sinking, dark dread of what might lie ahead if I walked down this inevitable path that was, supposedly, my birthright. After all, according to what mini-me had said, I wasn’t even a person in my own right—I was merely a tool, to be used and manipulated by Chaos, for its own benefit.
Lastly, I was hit by the understanding that there would be a terrible fight to come. That image throbbed in my head, far longer than the other sensations. It hadn’t been very clear—just a bright, hazy landscape that shifted in and out of focus, thanks to a powerful light burning my eyes, and the battle cries of unseen people all around me.
This is nowhere near over.
“Yo, Jean Grey, you might want to get your ass in gear!” Finch hissed, breaking me from my reverie.
I snapped out of it as the sound of keys getting pushed through locks scraped through the air. In a matter of seconds, the security personnel would infiltrate the room. I yanked the Grimoire into my arms, pulling it close to my chest. I turned tail and sprinted for the exit, ducking through it with Finch running behind me.
Protect us, please protect us. I sent the prayer out to the New York Coven, willing it to listen. If the security magicals got into the room, they’d surely find us in these tunnels. Unless they didn’t have a way in?
We came back to the spot where Garrett was waiting with my still-unconscious boyfriend. Garrett and Finch grabbed Wade between them as we raced through the heavy metal door that my father had imprinted with his magic, the four of us barreling through the tunnels. In that moment, I really wished we’d brought Dylan along for the ride. He’d have thrown Wade over his shoulder like a sack of spuds, barely batting an eyelid. Instead, the guys had to drag said sack of spuds through the seemingly endless labyrinth, all the while hoping that the security magicals weren’t giving chase.
As I glanced back over my shoulder, my eyes widened at the sight of the metal door shifting into a solid wall, the pentagram and the handprint fading into nothing but stone. A grin tugged at my lips. It was amazing, but true—the New York Coven was reacting against its own inhabitants for our sake. Somehow, as though it were actually a sentient being, it was helping us.
I ran on, ignoring the ache in my legs and the burn in my lungs, desperate to reach the exit. All the while, my focus remained on the Grimoire in my hands. Thanks to Jacob, Remington, and mini-me, we knew there was a big chance that this book held the key to defeating Katherine. Somewhere inside this thing, we would find what we were looking for. For that reason, we couldn’t afford to get caught.
Plus, as selfish as it might’ve sounded by comparison, I needed to find a safe spot for Wade. Then, and only then, would I be able to figure out what was going on with him, before he tried to kill me again.
Thirty-Six
Jacob
The mood in the infirmary couldn’t have been tenser. Mostly because of Raffe, who couldn’t take his eyes off his dad. He’d been allowed up here on the provision that he wear Atomic Cuffs, though he didn’t look very happy about it.
Levi hadn’t woken up yet. He lay in the bed, in a coma, his throat and head wrapped in bandages. I tried not to think of an Egyptian mummy, but it was pretty hard, considering. Still, it looked like the djinn had abandoned ship. With Imogene in the room, Kadar likely didn’t dare to raise his smoky head.
Isadora, Louella, Dylan, Tatyana, and Astrid were here, too. And Santana and Alton. Welcome additions, now that they’d been sprung from jail. All thanks to our reluctant new director. In the space of an hour, she’d done more of what she’d promised than Levi had done in months.
She’d spoken with the Mage Council as soon as we’d talked to her about taking over. They’d jumped at the chance to have someone useful in the role. Now, with her position official and above board, Imogene wasn’t stopping—she was already on a roll. There was work to be done, and she was on it. A proper general to lead this army.
It should’ve been a positive moment, but I kept thinking about Suri. She was still in the quarantine room, a little too close for comfort, with all these folks standing around. I hoped she wouldn’t make a noise. She knew better than that. Sure, she wanted to stay here, but I needed to find a better solution. A better way of keeping her here. She couldn’t hide in there forever. But I didn’t want her memory getting wiped, either. I was walking on major eggshells, here. But I was sure of one thing: I didn’t want her to go.
Remington walked in. He looked crazy flustered but slightly relieved at seeing Imogene in charge. “Sorry it took me a while to get here,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to get a call so late.”
“Apologies if I disturbed you, Remington,” Imogene replied. “I wouldn’t have if it weren’t important. We’ll have something of a full house this evening.”
A knock on the door distracted everyone’s attention. Who else is coming?
Rita Bonnello, immaculately dressed and made up, even though it was insanely early in the morning, peered into the room. “Ah, excellent. You haven’t started without me?”
“Not at all, Rita. Come in and take a seat. You’re precisely on time.” Imogene smiled at her. I’d never seen so much elegant beauty in one room. If Suri had been here, I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate.
“I come bearing gifts,” she said brightly. “Call it a congratulatory offering for your new position, Ms. Whitehall.”
“Imogene, please. And I’m not sure there’s any need for congratulations, though I appreciate the sentiment.” Imogene gestured for Rita to take one of the empty stools. She did so and laid a wrapped item on the workbench. A medium-sized cylinder, by the looks of it. Everyone watched as she unwrapped it. Inside, there was a long tube. Gold twisted around the glass exterior, with two pointed ends that looked like arrows. Sparks darted inside, bouncing off the glass walls. A thin, bronze bar ran down the center of the cylinder. Energy thrummed along the metal, reminding me of the atrium in the Bestiary.
“It’s the alchemical battery for the magic detector,” Rita explained, glancing at Krieger. “I trust you’ve managed to reassemble the device?”
“Not at this present moment.” Krieger had turned shy again. “But we’re continuing to work on it. If the battery is a
ll in order, I’ll install it in the device once it’s complete.”
Rita smiled. “The battery is perfect. The detector must be, also.”
“It will be, I assure you.” I felt bad for Krieger. He’d been working relentlessly on this detector, but it was one crazy puzzle to put back together. Still, I trusted him. He’d do it; he just needed a little more time. Rita seemed to understand that.
“That’s good to hear,” Imogene said. “In the meantime, can one of you send word to Harley that it’s safe for her to return? I won’t blame her if she doesn’t want to, but let her know that the offer is open.”
Isadora nodded. “I’ll see to it.” She cast me a knowing glance that let me know I was the one who’d have to do the honors. Harley only had her burner phone on her now, and I was the only one with the number.
“Good, then I’d like to begin assigning roles to you all, so we can make our move against Katherine. There has been far too much inaction, and it’s my duty to try and remedy that, as best I can,” Imogene went on. “You have all proven your worth and ingenuity, several times over, and I should like to utilize you to your full potential. Tatyana, Dylan, please assist Astrid in her computer searches for sightings and information regarding Katherine. Santana, I will need you to watch over Raffe. Raffe, I don’t want to talk about you as though you aren’t in the room. And so, it will be your duty to resolve matters with your djinn. I can’t in good faith allow you to join the others yet. Is there a place you can go to, to contain the djinn?”
Raffe nodded sullenly. “Yeah, I’ve got a cage.”
He does? Where? I’d never heard of him having a cage before.
“I hope that you understand why it’s necessary.” Imogene offered him a sympathetic look. “After what happened with Leonidas, your freedom to roam as you wish must be restricted.”
He shrugged. “I get it.”
“Rita, it would be best if you were to return to your usual duties, so as not to arouse suspicion. Isadora, Louella, please join me in my office. I have some sensitive work for both of you, but I can understand if you’d prefer to wait until you’ve rested. We’ve all had rather a lengthy day.”
Isadora shook her head. “No, I’m good to speak with you now. I’m already awake, might as well keep going.”
“Yeah, me too,” Louella replied. I could tell she was excited. She was getting to work with the big dogs. That probably felt like a promotion.
“Excellent, that means I might be able to sleep easier tonight. Although, I may still have to ask Dr. Krieger here for some of his finest sleeping pills, after everything that has happened. I confess, I didn’t expect to finish my day in charge of the SDC, but life does have a way of throwing curveballs.” Imogene chuckled.
You can say that again.
“Speaking of you, Dr. Krieger, I’d like for you and Jacob to remain at your work here, so you can complete the magical detector,” Imogene continued.
“Right now?” I replied. I was tiring, big time. No amount of coffee could fix this.
She smiled. “No, not right now. I simply mean that will be your task.”
“Oh, right.”
“If you succeed, you may well have created the magical development of the century, and that’s no exaggeration. It will put the SDC on the map.” She took an anxious breath. “With such a device available to us, we may stand a chance of finding Katherine. That must be our main goal. Beyond her, we can use it to simplify our means of encountering new magicals who don’t have a single clue as to their true natures.” Her eyes brightened. Clearly, this device had her stoked.
“We’ll get it done, Director.” I grinned up at her. She had a way of turning me goofy.
“Wonderful.” She looked around the room. “Just to reiterate, if anyone should happen to hear anything from our own lost soul, Ms. Merlin, please do let her know that it’s safe to return. I’ve made certain calls and have managed to clear Harley’s name from the Most Wanted list. I’m continuing in my endeavors to negotiate temporary amnesty for Finch, though that will take more time to execute, given the actual crimes laid against him. It may prove impossible, when all is said and done.”
“What can I do?” Remington folded his arms across his chest. He looked tired.
“I’ll need you to resume your internal affairs investigation, in order to discover just how deep the cult’s influence is running. We must find out if the upper echelons of magical society are under the same mind-altering manipulation as the security magicals in this coven. Or, indeed, something worse—if we have infiltrators to contend with.” She paused, letting the seriousness of the situation sink in. “Your next task will be to question the National Council, to uncover what it is we are dealing with.”
Remington nodded. “I’ll schedule a meeting with them for the morning, back in San Francisco.”
“Very good, then I think that’s all I have to say. You provided Alton with excellent support during his tenure here, and I’m certain that you will do the same for me. Especially as you were the ones who put me in this position.” She laughed softly. Krieger looked shamefaced.
“Does that mean we can go?” Raffe asked bluntly. He clearly hated being in the room with his dad. Especially since he was the one who’d put him in that bed.
Imogene nodded. “Of course. Isadora, Louella, would you join me?”
Everyone dispersed. Raffe and Santana left first, with Rita and Alton heading out after. Imogene, Isadora, and Louella went next. Tatyana and Dylan were about to head out with Astrid, but Remington quickly stood in Dylan’s way.
“Do you have a minute?” Remington asked.
Dylan frowned. “We’re pretty busy.”
“It won’t take long. There’s just something I need to talk to you about.”
He shrugged. “Sure, I guess. Tatyana, I’ll follow you. Just let me know where you’re going.”
“Will do,” Tatyana replied, casting Remington a weird look.
“Krieger, is there a private room we could use?” Remington asked. He seemed really nervous.
I shot up from my stool. “Uh, I think the triage room is free.” I couldn’t have them going into the quarantine room. Not with Suri in there.
Krieger stifled a discreet chuckle. “The triage room is definitely free. I’ll make sure nobody disturbs you.”
Thank you, Doc. Thank you!
* * *
With everyone else disappearing to the far corners of the coven, Krieger and I were the only ones left in his office. About ten minutes had passed, and we were setting back to work on the magical detector.
Somehow, I’d managed to get a second wind, no coffee needed. Besides, I couldn’t have slept now if I’d wanted. My mind was wired. The battery lay on the desk. I couldn’t stop looking at it. Once this device had been put back together, and we fitted that battery into it, we’d be onto something. This thing might actually work!
I was just about to screw one of the smaller panels back into place, when a loud shout made me drop the screwdriver. It clattered on the workbench. My head snapped toward the open office door. The shouts were coming from the room opposite. The triage room.
Setting down my tools, I crept toward the doorway and looked out. From the quarantine room a short distance away, another figure emerged. Suri.
I hurried over to her. “You shouldn’t be out here.”
“I heard shouting,” she whispered.
I glanced back at the triage room. “Yeah, Dylan and Remington are going through something.”
“What?” Her eyes widened.
“Are you kidding me? You knew how they died?” Dylan’s voice boomed into the rest of the infirmary. Ah, so they’ve gotten that far. “You knew that, and you didn’t think you should tell me?”
“I am telling you,” Remington replied.
I looked down at Suri. “Long story short? Remington is Dylan’s uncle.” Harley had let that secret slip to me a while ago, and I’d sworn to keep it to myself.
Suri gasped. “Did
he not know or something?”
“No, he didn’t, but Remington’s apparently getting around to telling him,” I replied.
Awkward silence stretched across the room. It gave me a moment to think. It sucked that Dylan was finding this stuff out now. He’d probably thought he was on his own, for so long. And now, he was finding out he had a living uncle. That had to sting. He was a foster kid like me, after all. It hurt to see so many kids like him, with dead or crappy parents. Even Suri could relate to that.
I really wanted to stay awhile to see how their conversation turned out. I’d already gotten a reputation for eavesdropping. Why break the habit of a lifetime?
“Come with me,” I whispered. There was a storage closet right next to the triage room. I slipped into it, and Suri came in after me. Realizing how tiny this space was, I instantly felt awkward. She was so close that I could hardly breathe. All I could smell was the scent of her perfume. Her eyes glittered in the pale light from the single bulb. We were surrounded by shelves full of medical supplies. It wasn’t exactly romantic, but I was glad to be in here with her.
Suri blushed. “Why did you bring me in here?”
“Uh… I wanted to hear what they were saying.” I wondered if she wanted a different answer. After all, if I’d leaned forward a little, I could’ve kissed her. I thought about it, but I wasn’t brave enough. And this wasn’t where I wanted to kiss her for the first time, surrounded by scalpels and bedpans.
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed. Dammit.
Trying to cover the awkwardness, I pressed my ear to the separating wall so I could listen to the conversation next door. I touched my hand to the wall.
“Exaudi Me,” I murmured. It meant, “Let me hear.” Isadora had taught it to me, to use if I ever got in trouble. The wall rippled, like soundwaves coming off a speaker. The voices got subtly louder. I felt a little bad, but I really wanted to hear what they were saying.
Harley Merlin 7: Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix Page 30