by D. J. Dalton
“Twenty years ago.” Her hand stopped moving. Apparently, this meant something to her.
“I see.”
“My mom and Uncle Rob raised me. But there’s no real replacement for a father.”
“No, there’s not. I lost my dad in a car accident when I was young. I understand that void in your life.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
“So, I want to help. Tell me what’s going on.”
Keren lifted her head off his shoulder. She pursed her lips, obviously torn in her decision-making. He held his breath, waiting for the response.
“There’s too much speculation right now. If I can get to my mom, she should be able to help tie up the loose ends. Once I know, I’ll tell you everything.”
Not the response he wanted, but it would have to do. “I’m in. Let’s plan how we’re getting you into that hospital room.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Keren
As she clipped on the fake ID tag, Keren wondered how Quinlin had gotten her picture on it. Only three hours had passed since they spoke this morning. She had promised to tell him everything after this, but could she keep that promise? Getting in to see Mom was worth any sacrifice, even lying to Quinlin.
“Ready?” He brushed at tiny wrinkles in his scrubs.
“Yes.” She tugged at the blonde, bob-styled wig he’d brought. Something gnawed at the back of her mind. He seemed too good at this. She pushed the thought away. It didn’t matter, as long as she saw Mom.
They passed the same maintenance man on the way to the elevator. Keren frowned, turning back to look at him. “Didn’t we pass that guy the first time?”
“Who?” Quinlin hooked his arm in hers. “You mean John? He’s harmless.”
Quinlin picked up his pace, pulling her along, forcing her to pull her eyes off John. With the Restricted Ward in shambles, it made sense they had reassigned the maintenance staff in that area.
The elevator was empty when it opened. She sighed in relief.
“You have an ID now.” He handed her a clipboard. “Walk and act like you belong here. This information on the clipboard is about an actual patient in the ward.”
Her eyes shot to the clipboard. “My mom?”
“No. They guard those documents closely these days. It’s Mr. Blake’s information. He tends to, well, wander the ward.” He made air quotes with his fingers. “You can pretend you’re looking for him if you’re caught somewhere you shouldn’t be.”
As the elevator neared the eighth floor, she trembled.
“Don’t worry.” He put his hand over hers. “Trust me. It’s a believable story.” He gave her a confident smile.
Warmth radiated from her hand through her body. Quinlin would keep her safe. Everything would be fine. She reached into her pocket, running her fingers along the raised seal of Katrina’s death certificate. This, above everything else, was the answer she looked for.
“Remember what to do?”
“Yes.” She thought the plan was vague. But with only three hours to figure it out, this had to do. “Hang back like I’m reading the notes on the clipboard. Then go into Mom’s room after you distract the guards.”
“Right. Let nothing sidetrack you. You’ll only have one chance.”
She nodded. He never elaborated on what the distraction would be. He said she’d know when it happened.
As the elevator door opened, Quinlin lifted her chin with his fingers. His radiant smile calmed her nerves. “You belong here.” He tapped her nametag. “Nurses’ assistant Ms. Able.”
Keren’s heart fluttered. She wanted to lose herself in those blue eyes. A haven from the craziness of her life. She smiled back, then followed him out into the corridor, letting him gain some distance from her. She pretended to read the file but monitored Quinlin.
“Hey, Jack.” He gave one guard a two-finger salute as he walked past. He put his hand in his pocket.
“Quinlin,” Jack said in a gruff tone.
The stocky guards standing outside Mom’s room looked intimidating. Her stomach dropped, thinking Quinlin wouldn’t be able to distract them both.
“Oh.” Quinlin paused. He turned, walking back to Jack. The other guard tensed his muscles. “Have you heard? I took your advice and bought the Mustang. You were right, you only live once. She’s a beauty. Thanks.” He took his hand out of his pocket, extending it toward Jack. There seemed to be a piece of paper in his palm.
Jack grinned, taking Quinlin’s hand. “Congratulations.” The handshake lasted only a few seconds.
Turning, Quinlin headed to the nurses’ station.
Jack turned to his partner. “I’m taking a quick break.”
The mountain of a man gave a curt nod.
One guard down, but this other one would be tough. She didn’t know how Quinlin would pull this off.
Seconds after Jack disappeared into the men’s room, a shrill scream erupted from the nurses’ station. Keren crouched, cringing against the wall. Jack’s partner fell into a fighting stance, glancing up and down the corridor. His accusing eyes landed on her.
Sweat trickled down her spine. Was that Quinlin’s signal? Or was this another attack? The clipboard shook in her hands as she struggled to remember the plan. “Where is Mr. Blake?” finally blurted out of her mouth.
Another scream came from the nurses’ station. An alarm blared through the corridor. The guard at Mom’s door hesitated, then ran in that direction. Jack stumbled out of the men’s room. The two almost collided.
After throwing the clipboard on the floor, she crouched, scurrying to her mom’s door, and slipped inside the room.
Mom looked toward the door, her face pale but eyes bright. She clenched the blankets to her chest.
“What’s going on?”
After rushing to the bed, Keren tugged off the wig. “It’s me.”
Tears welled in her mom’s eyes. “Keren.”
Falling into her mom’s embrace, Keren felt her mom’s body heave with each sob. Tears streamed down Keren’s cheeks as she pulled her mom close.
While rubbing her mom’s back, Keren whispered, “We don’t have much time.” She pushed her gently away. “And I need answers.”
“I was so worried. Are you alright? Where are you staying? I heard they seized the house.”
Keren took her hands. “I’m staying with the Murphy's. I’m fine, but I need to ask you some questions.”
While nodding, Mom wiped her face with the blankets. “I can’t remember anything about the attack. I know I remember driving home from work then my next memory is in the ambulance being rushed to the hospital.”
Keren shook her head. “Not about the attack. We found the key and the box.”
Mom stiffened, grabbing Keren’s arms. “The golem.” Her eyes widened. “If you have the box…” She stopped mid-sentence.
“No one was hurt.” The golem story had to wait for another time.
Keren reached into her pocket while her heart raced. She needed the truth about the death certificate. The problem was, she wasn’t sure if she was ready to know the truth. This could just be a clerical error. If that were the case, though, why did Mom have the document locked in a golem-protected box? She pulled the death certificate from her pocket, unfolded it, then showed it to her mom.
“Who is Katrina?”
Mom gasped. “I never wanted you to find this.”
Keren’s pulse throbbed in her temples, not the response she hoped for. “We have a grimoire and a Book of Shadows. I think they’re yours. What does this all mean?”
“I’m so sorry you had to find out like this.”
“Find out what, Mom?” Keren fought to keep her voice down. “I don’t understand any of this.” When the alarm stopped, she glanced at the door, expecting the guard to burst into the room at any moment. “I don’t have time to dance around the topic. Tell me what this means.”
Mom looked away, the television drawing her attention. She frowned, snatching the remote and turning up the vo
lume.
“This is breaking news from ABC Channel 9. A dangerous, unidentified creature has been spotted on Princeton Street in College Park. So far, it’s reported one person has been killed and three injured. We’re cutting to live helicopter footage.”
The camera’s overhead view zoomed onto Princeton Street. The area was in utter chaos. A multi-car pileup blocked the road. People ran in all directions. Keren sprung off the bed, then positioned herself in front of the television. A large dog or wolf stumbled down the street on crooked legs. Flames licked across its body but caused it no harm. Behind it walked three people. One had her palms outstretched toward the creature. The others walked on either side of her. Their palms extended outward.
Keren gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. It was another cursed wolf, only super-sized. While based on what she could tell from the television screen, it appeared to be at least double the proportions of the one at the motel. She guessed those were arcanum following behind.
Three had killed a cursed wolf back at the motel. She didn’t realize there were more. Her body convulsed as memories of that night flashed through her mind. How many were there? As the arcanum group made their way down the street, fire balls flew from the cursed wolf into the surrounding buildings. A fox shifter raced out of a burning building, his entire body covered in flames. He made it halfway across the street before collapsing into a charred heap.
Then the camera panned to a dozen inquisitors positioning themselves in the street. They attacked the arcanum and cursed wolf with water jets and fire balls. But an invisible shield diverted the attacks away from the arcanum trio. The cursed wolf, who received the full blow of the attacks, kept moving as though they were only a mild nuisance. It forced the inquisitors back as the arcanum continued their procession. With a sudden jerk of its head, the cursed wolf faced the inquisitors, sending a stream of blazing fire into the group. The entire line lit up like a bonfire dowsed in gasoline.
Keren screamed at the gruesome site, stumbling backwards, and bumping into the bed.
Mom grabbed her hand. “It’s started.”
She whipped her head back to her mom. “What’s started? What do you know about this?”
She swung her feet off the bed. “We have to go. There’s not much time.”
After stuffing the death certificate back in her pocket, Keren faced her mom while pointing back at the television. “What do you know about this?”
“I’ll tell you everything.” She grabbed Keren’s shoulder to steady herself as she rose to her feet. “Right now, we have to get out of here. We have to stop them.”
“Stop them? You mean the Dark Guild?” Mom had mentioned stopping the Dark Guild during her last visit. That’s why they searched for the box after finding the key. But Keren didn’t understand how the papers could stop the Dark Guild. “The inquisitors can’t even stop them.”
Who was this woman clinging to her? She looked like her mom, but the caring, warm person she remembered didn’t exist. Instead, this frail person with terrible secrets expected her help to escape from the hospital. Sirens blared in the street. The entire police force must be going to fight the creature.
Keren pulled away. “No. I don’t recognize who you are anymore.”
Mom clenched Keren’s forearm with surprising strength. “You can hate me, but think about what’s happening out there. Think about what’s been happening all over the city. Shifters are being persecuted.” Mom pointed back at the television screen. “This,” she waved at the screen, as tears flowed from her eyes, “means the Dark Guild can now annihilate them.”
Nadria. Keren’s heart pounded in her chest. And Briggs. The Dark Guild was targeting shifters. She had to do everything possible to save her friends.
“You’ll tell me everything.”
“Yes, I promise.” Mom’s voice sounded weak. When her legs buckled, she leaned most of her weight on Keren. Mom’s eyelids fluttered. She was losing consciousness.
Keren wrapped her arm around her mom’s waist, dragging her to the door. She pulled it open to peek outside. No guards in sight.
With her mom’s arm draped around her shoulder, she threw the door open, hurrying toward the elevator.
“Stop right there,” a voice boomed.
Keren paused, looking back to see Jack crumple to the ground. Quinlin stood behind him. “What the hell are you doing?”
“We’re getting her out.” Keren continued dragging Mom’s limp body toward the elevator.
Quinlin let out an exasperated growl. “This is not the plan.”
“The plan has changed.” Keren turned the corner, pressing the elevator button.
He glanced around. “Fine.” After pulling out his cell phone, he looked like he was texting someone.
They entered the empty elevator. Mom’s breath was heavy, and she let out a moan.
“Is she dying?” asked Quinlin.
“No, well, I’m not sure.” Keren shifted her mom’s weight. “Did you see the breaking news story?” She looked over at Quinlin. He pursed his lips. But no, that couldn’t have been the beginning of a repressed smile.
“Yes, I saw it.”
“Then you know this is a Dark Guild attack.”
“Right.” He furrowed his brow.
“Mom said she can help, so I’m getting her out.” Keren grunted under her mom’s weight. “I could use a little help here.”
As Quinlin scooped her mom into his arms, his face grimaced. Mom must have been heavier than she looked. The elevator opened. She saw John, the maintenance man, waiting with a gurney. She put a hand on Quinlin’s arm, not trusting this guy. Quinlin pushed past her, stomping out of the elevator, plopping Mom down on the gurney. While keeping a suspicious eye on John, Keren pulled the blankets over her mom. She watched John as he got into the elevator. Once the elevator doors closed, she let out a sigh of relief.
Not wanting to lose another set of clothes, she raced ahead. “I’m getting my stuff. I’ll meet you by the exit.” She ran into the locker room, stuffing her clothes into her backpack. She grabbed another set of scrubs from a locker for Mom, then caught up with them at the exit door.
“A gurney outside will draw attention.” Quinlin yanked the covers off Mom. His lip curled up. “She has to walk out.”
“Here.” Keren pulled the scrubs from her backpack. “Let me put these on her.”
A few minutes later, they hurried from the hospital toward their cars with Mom supported between them.
After Quinlin helped her get her mom into Nadria’s car, he asked her, “Where are you headed?”
She hesitated, thinking it was better if she didn’t get Quinlin involved any more than he already was.
His face reddened. “I’ve stuck my neck out for you. The least you can do is tell me what’s going on.” Anger flashed in his eyes.
This was a different side of Quinlin. But given the circumstances, a quick temper wasn’t unreasonable.
“I’m going to Nadria’s house.”
He gave a curt nod. “Give me the address in case we get separated.”
Since she had gotten him into this situation, she felt she owed him a debt, so she gave him Nadria’s address.
Chapter Thirty
Keren
Mom sat in Nadria’s bed with pillows tucked around her for support. They had turned on the television, hoping to get an update on the cursed wolf and arcanum. While pulling the covers up around her waist, Keren noticed Mom’s cold, clammy skin. The escape from the hospital must have taken a lot out of her. A breaking news alert came on the television.
The reporter stood on Princeton Street while the scene behind him showed firefighters working to put out the raging fires.
“I’m reporting from Princeton Street after the Dark Guild rampage just moments ago. They reported two people dead, twenty-four injured. This animal murdered all twelve shifters in inquisitor squad 57 in this horrific event.”
Keren fought the burn of bile in her throat. So many deaths. Tha
t could have been Briggs’ squad called to face the cursed wolf. It relieved her it wasn’t, but her heart went out to all the friends and families of the victims.
The news reporter put his fingertips to his ear. “I’m getting a report that one of the arcanum suspects is in custody. The other two suspects and their creature are still at large. The attacks have ceased for now. Inquisitors are telling people to stay home and lock their doors.”
Keren shut off the television as Nadria brought in a tray with two teacups. “I thought you might want something to drink.” She set it down on the nightstand. “How are you doing?”
“I’m better.” Mom’s voice cracked. She smiled, reaching out toward Nadria. “Thank you for taking care of Keren.”
Nadria grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “Now, we’re taking care of you. Ordell’s here, too. If you need anything, just let us know.”
Mom nodded, releasing Nadria’s hand.
Nadria kissed Keren’s forehead, then left the room. Mom shifted, leaning toward Keren.
“We can’t stay here.” She rubbed her arms. “This will be the first place they check.”
“You mean the inquisitors?” Keren sat on the side of the bed.
Mom nodded. “And the arcanum.”
Keren’s heart shattered. Her mom just admitted she had connections to the Dark Guild. Their crime spree around the city had targeted shifters. Each attack left death and destruction in its wake. Princeton Street being their latest target. Why were they looking for her mom? She also hid the fact she was a sorcerer. And that Keren was a sorcerer, too.
But there were more family secrets that she needed to uncover. Although she knew learning about Katrina paled compared to the Dark Guild connection, she had to know the truth. She pulled the death certificate from her pocket.
“We’re not going anywhere until you explain this.” Tears brimmed in Keren’s eyes. She clenched her jaw, trying to keep her emotions under control. When her mom reached for Keren’s hand, she jerked it back.
“Tell me now or I’ll call the inquisitors myself and turn you in.” That came out harsher than she intended.