by Rye Brewer
“You know so much about this,” I mused, admiring my brother. “Can you help? I can’t imagine them going on their own when you already have knowledge that might help them.”
He gazed up at me with a slight smile, an expression I was getting used to seeing. “That depends. Will you be involved?”
“Do you need to ask?”
“Anissa…” Jonah trailed off.
I shot him a back-off look.
If he knew what was good for him, he’d leave me alone. I wasn’t in the mood to go around the block again in regard to whether I was up to the challenge of going with them. As far as I was concerned, he didn’t get to tell me what to do again, not until he explained why he’d lied and especially not until he started telling me the whole truth.
Allonic nodded. “I can’t imagine disappointing our mother by not helping out when I know you’ll be involved.”
Out of the corner of my vision, I noticed Philippa’s eyes widen at the mention of Allonic and I having the same mother.
She must have been wondering who Allonic was.
It wasn’t her reaction I was concerned with. It was the gleam in Allonic’s eyes. I knew that gleam—I had seen it enough times in Sara’s eyes, and always when she had an ulterior motive. He wasn’t in this just to help me. What other reason could he have to go along?
Whatever his motivation, it didn’t change the fact we needed him with us.
I nodded, then turned toward Jonah—he was still sitting there with his mouth open, like he wanted to come up with a protest but couldn’t think of one fast enough.
“I’m going,” I said, silently daring him to oppose me.
He held my gaze for a long moment, but I won when he looked away.
“I’m going, too.” Philippa took Gage by the hand and smiled at him.
“What about the clan? You can’t leave like this,” Fane murmured.
“Scott can take care of things while I’m gone. It’s decided. I have to do this.” Her voice held the desperate edge of someone determined to prove herself.
I knew there was no sense in anyone trying to dissuade her.
Great.
All of us, traveling together.
No way that can go wrong.
15
Jonah
It was all so surreal, sitting there with my brother. Our father stood behind us. We were almost a family again—except my twin brother was half-dead and claimed he didn’t know why, and my father wanted us to pretend he was dead.
I looked at Philippa. Kneeling next to Gage, she smiled at him, holding his hand. Was she really that thrilled to be with our deserter brother again?
I told myself not to think the worst—she had been planning on searching for him after all, before I brought Fane here.
It seemed to me like she was making a bigger deal over Gage being back than she should have, almost groveling at his feet.
I couldn’t help but wonder if that was because she wanted his protection, knowing she wouldn’t get it from me. Not when I was as furious with her as I was at that moment.
I should’ve known I couldn’t trust her. She was smart and wise, but she had no filter—and she never did know how to control her temper. I couldn’t have guessed she would’ve blabbed while attacking Anissa, of course.
What brought that on? Not as though she’d ever liked Anissa, but something must’ve pushed her over the edge. I wondered what had been going on while I was gone.
And Gage.
I breathed out a heavy sigh.
I loved him, of course, but I couldn’t forget his betrayal. Whatever happened to him was his own fault for running off the way he did.
Considering his scars, I could tell he’d paid dearly. Did he learn his lesson? Could I trust him? I hated that I didn’t know. He was my twin brother, someone I should’ve been able to trust implicitly.
I wanted to rant at Gage. Look at what you did. He’d torn us apart. And now, lucky me, I had a brand that matched his. Just one more thing to tie us together.
“What do you think Valerius will want with us when we reach Sorrowswatch?” I asked Allonic. “Is there anything in the brand about that? A clue?”
He scrutinized it again. “I don’t see anything. He wouldn’t make it obvious.”
“Obvious?” I couldn’t help chuckling. “Yeah, this is obvious. I can’t make heads or tails of the symbols.”
“And he knew you wouldn’t be able to. Not everybody can. It takes knowledge of languages that are old and extinct.”
Philippa spoke up. “Gage? What happened to you?” She traced his scars, grimacing.
“It’s a long story,” he muttered. “I wish I could say.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Now’s not the time to hold back on us,” I told him.
Anissa snorted from where she stood behind Allonic. I didn’t have to ask what she thought was so funny.
She would hold a grudge until the end of time because she felt like I was holding back on her. What would it take to make her understand I was trying to protect my father—and her? Fane was right. Knowing his identity was dangerous. And I could understand in part why he’d kept himself a secret from us. But now that Anissa knew, protecting her was my highest priority.
Gage glanced at me from the corner of his eye, and I saw a little of the old resentment there. “I’m not trying to hold back on you. I’m saying I really don’t know.”
“How can you not know? I mean…” Philippa studied the scars.
His face had been battered, too—his lip was swollen, his cheekbone and eye bruised.
Philippa frowned. “How could you forget something like this?”
“A spell,” Fane said under his breath.
“That was my guess. A spell, or I was compelled.”
“That’s a pretty big accusation,” I muttered.
“Do you have another explanation?” he asked. “I remember nothing, I mean absolutely nothing, after Philippa’s visit to headquarters. Everything after that is a blank slate. Not foggy. Blank.” He regarded each of us, one by one. “If any of you has an explanation that makes sense, please, let it out. Because I would like to know myself. You don’t know how it feels to not remember no matter how hard you try.” He leaned his head back against the couch and covered his eyes with one hand.
Philippa had the nerve to scowl at me, like it was my fault he was upset.
I glared back at her. She had no right to the high ground.
Fane stood by the door, staring outside. “We need to get out of here. Not just to get answers, but to lower the chances of someone stumbling upon me. I’ve already taken too many chances.”
I looked at him and wondered what it must be like to always be on the run. Never being in one place for too long. Not being able to spend time with his family.
“The sooner we get this taken care of, the better,” I agreed, then turned to Allonic. “What should we do? Where do we start?”
“We need a witch to access the passage to Sorrowswatch. It’ll help us avoid the need for spiritwalkers.”
“I can access witch passages,” Fane said.
Allonic nodded. “Yes. We Custodians are well aware of your skills, Fane. However, this is something beyond even your skill level.” His voice was heavy with respect, and Fane seemed to take it well.
I, on the other hand, stared wide-eyed at the shade. The Custodians knew of Fane’s skills? Of course—they knew everything, didn’t they? I wondered what else they knew. Did they know all along my father was alive? Did Steward know and keep it from me? Funny how thoughts like that could color everything else. All the memories of moments spent with Steward took on a different meaning.
Fane shrugged. “We need a witch, then I’ll have to get Sirene to help us.”
I gritted my teeth again at the mention of her name. Why did she have to be involved?
“We have to go now, though. I don’t want to wait around and run the risk of anyone else joining us. We already have enough in tow.”
/>
Fane nudged me. “Come on.”
All eyes were on me.
“Okay. Let’s go.” I tried to take Anissa’s hand, the way I had when we ported over from the cemetery, but she shook me off. I leaned in to murmur in her ear. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “So?”
That stung. She had never acted this way—at least, not since we’d gotten to know each other. She reminded me of the assassin I first met in the alley that night, outside the club, when she was supposed to kill me.
I refused to believe we had gone backward. “I want to talk to you as soon as we get the chance to be alone.”
“Good for you. The odds aren’t in your favor.” She looked around at the others.
Angry or not, she had a point. That didn’t mean I’d stop trying.
Fane threw the portal. “Hurry.”
We took turns going through—Anissa went ahead of me.
I wanted to be sure she made it through safely before I went.
Just because she was hardly being civil didn’t mean I loved her any less.
16
Philippa
One minute, we were standing on the rooftop with Manhattan spread out in front of us.
The next, we were in the middle of a creepy, foggy old cemetery. Not simply old. Ancient. I was afraid the headstones around me would turn to dust if I touched them.
Maybe it was morbid, but I couldn’t help trying to read some of the stones. Time had worn them down until the letters and numbers carved into them were indistinguishable. I crouched to get a better view.
“Don’t waste your time.”
I glanced up. That Allonic character was grinning down at me.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“They weren’t written in English, or any language used on Earth for hundreds and hundreds of years.”
I stood slowly, glancing around. “Where are we? I thought we were going to England.”
The air was dank and cool, but it didn’t stir. It was strangely still. There was no sound of birds or bats or any other type of life. No stars, either. No sky? Only blackness. I couldn’t understand what I was looking at as I craned my neck and a shiver ran down my spine.
“This is a pit stop,” Jonah muttered darkly.
I hated hearing him like that, though I should’ve known. I let it slip about Fane being our father, and he couldn’t forgive me for it.
Granted, his precious Anissa would’ve found out when Gage showed up even if I hadn’t said a word. But no, he chose to hold it against me instead.
Meanwhile, I had a scar on my cheek from her blasted silver blade, but would he get an attitude with her about that?
No, he’d probably say it was my fault for going after her first, though, by the time she burned me, I was nowhere near her anymore.
I wasn’t paying attention, which was exactly how she took advantage of me. No way could she have burned me like that if I had been paying attention.
Still, she’s right and I’m wrong. She’s perfect and I’m a nuisance.
I held back my anger and frustration.
“Come. This way.” Fane pointed to a huge marble structure in the distance, and we slowly made our way through the fog.
Jonah and Anissa seemed a lot more surefooted than I felt—I stumbled more than once over the little bits of marble and granite sticking up from the ground, and gave Gage the heads-up so he could watch his step.
The stones must’ve sunk down over time. How many were buried there? Who were they? Why was this the meeting place Fane had chosen?
Allonic kept glancing at me with a curious expression.
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Why are you looking at me that way?”
“Was I looking at you?”
“Yes. You were.”
“I’ve never seen anyone so fascinated with a cemetery before, I suppose. I’m sorry if I was rude. I’m not used to the ways of vampires.”
I couldn’t help but laugh under my breath. “It’s considered ill-mannered in just about every circle to stare,” I explained. “Not just among vampires.”
“All the same, I’m not used to being around so many other types of creatures. I’ve spent most of my life with the shades.”
I didn’t know much about shades, but I knew he wasn’t telling me the whole truth. He wasn’t all shade. There was something else inside him. Then, I remembered him talking about “their” mother with Anissa. He was Anissa’s brother! I wrinkled my nose in distaste while he was turned the other way.
Yet another half-breed. Still, he didn’t seem all bad, and he was our key to finding Valerius.
Once we reached the big, tall structure—a mausoleum, I saw, complete with carvings and an iron gate—a dark-haired witch emerged from the shadows inside. Did she live in there? Who lived in a mausoleum?
The place was getting creepier by the minute.
“This is Sirene.” Fane introduced me and Gage.
I noticed he left Jonah out—but from the way my brother stared at her, it didn’t seem like they were strangers.
What did he have against her? There was so much kindness in her eyes. No, we weren’t exactly friends with witches, but I was willing to give her a chance if Fane considered her a friend.
Jonah obviously didn’t feel that way.
“Allonic?” Fane turned to him. “Can we speak with you, please?”
Sirene, Allonic, and Fane, the three of them bowed their heads, murmuring together.
“Can I talk to you now?” Jonah was pulling Anissa around the corner.
From the way she resisted him, she didn’t want to go.
What was her issue?
It seemed to me like she was always trying to make drama where there wasn’t any. Wasn’t what we were going through dramatic enough without her stirring the pot?
Still, it gave me the chance to talk with Gage more privately than we’d been able to since he showed up.
“Can I tell you something and trust you won’t take it the wrong way?” I asked.
“That depends.” Though exhaustion seemed to leak from Gage’s pores, he managed a small smile.
“You look like hell.”
“Now, why would I take that the wrong way?” He leaned against what appeared a coffin made of stone.
The way people chose to commemorate their dead was an endless source of fascination to me. Why replicate what was underground?
I glanced around to be sure we weren’t overheard. “Okay. This is me you’re talking to now. Are you sure you don’t remember anything about what happened to make you this way?”
He rolled his eyes. “Philippa…”
“I’m serious. You know you can tell me. I understand if you wanted to keep it from the others for some reason, but we talked back at headquarters. You told me why you were there. So I already know. You don’t have to lie or leave things out.”
“I’m telling you, I’m not leaving anything out. I wasn’t kidding earlier.” He stared me straight in the eye. “I’m serious.”
“All right, all right.” I ran my hands through my hair, distracted, wondering what to make of it. “Do you think it was Lucian, perhaps? Maybe he found out why you were there, what you were thinking?”
“I don’t know how he could’ve found out what I was thinking, since I never told anybody but you.”
I frowned. “You can’t think I would’ve shared that with anybody else.”
“No, I don’t think that at all. But that’s my point. Unless he used his grudge against the family as a reason, I don’t know how he thinks.”
“That’s probably a good thing.” I smirked.
“Even so,” he continued, “that’s not proof. I can’t prove who did it.”
“What about getting away? Do you remember anything about that?”
“Not a thing. I woke up…” His eyes went a little unfocused for a second. “I woke up in a forest. In a cave in a forest, that is. I don’t know if whoever did it to me dropped me there, o
r if I escaped somehow and found it myself. Although, honestly, I was in such bad shape, I can’t imagine finding my way anywhere. I could barely lift my head when I first woke up.”
That was strange. He could barely lift his head, but he’d somehow healed fast enough to get home in pretty short order?
He hadn’t been missing for all that long after I met with him. The sort of beating he’d taken, complete with burns all over him, should’ve taken days to recover from before having the strength to course.
I stared at him, hard, trying to figure out what he was holding back. I came close to asking why he wasn’t being completely honest, but decided to let it go. There was no point in starting an argument so soon after being reunited.
Instead, I glanced over to where Fane was talking with the witch and the shade. It was the first time I’d had a chance to really take a look at him without him knowing. It was easier to observe him that way.
“Does he seem different to you?” I whispered, pointing toward our father.
“Different how? His face is the same. I recognized him right away.”
“I did, too. I don’t mean that way. It’s more the way he carries himself. He seems a lot older than he should, too.”
“I guess he’s seen a lot,” Gage mused. “Certain things age us faster than others, I suppose.”
“You must be right.” Except for his face, I wouldn’t have guessed he was my father at all.
My father was always confident and sure of himself, but there had also been a twinkle in his eye. Good humor. He loved a joke more than just about anybody I knew. He loved to banter, too, and I used to love getting into little wars of words with him, debating and teasing and trying to make him laugh. And when he did laugh, the sound would fill whatever space we were in. He was larger than life in every way imaginable.