by K. F. Breene
“She does have a point, Lexi,” Mordecai said. “He isn’t worried about what we’re spending, so why would he care what we’re doing with it?”
The knock sounded again.
“Because you’re lying, don’t you see that?” I walked over and slapped the garage door opener. “Don’t say you are buying clothes when you aren’t. Don’t…” I threw up my hands. “No more, do you hear me? No more. You are both grounded. You will train, and you will stay in this house. That is it. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” they muttered, Daisy with more sauce than was good for her.
The cat zipped in under the door and disappeared amongst the boxes on the shelves.
“I’m not looking after that thing,” I said, rounding to the door of the shiny masterpiece I was almost afraid to drive. A part of me wondered how much I would get if I did sell it. “I can’t even look after the wards I do have.”
“We gotta go,” Bria said. “We need to meet up with that trainer and then get organized for tonight. Kieran said we’re a go for calling that Spirit Walker again. We know what he’s about this time. We won’t be surprised by what he can do.”
I nodded, pulling open the car door. Boman jogged in and handed off the keys, his grin showing his delight. “I’ll follow behind,” he said. “I’ll close the garage door, too. We should leave it open a crack so the cat can get out.”
I pointed at the kids. “What’s your plan?”
“Jack is on the—”
I put a finger up to silence Boman as Bria got into the passenger seat of my new car. “I want the kids to answer.”
“Jack is going to train us pretty soon,” Daisy said, plenty of attitude in her voice. “Kieran wants Zorn close at hand.”
I hesitated a moment, wondering why Jack wasn’t sticking around if he was doing a morning training with the kids. That wasn’t normal. Just like it wasn’t normal for all the guys but one to go to work with Kieran. He’d only pulled them in yesterday for the Demigod meeting, and last I heard, she’d headed out of town.
I pushed the ignition button and the engine roared to life, giving me a little thrill. But I couldn’t shake my growing sense of unease. Kieran was always cool under pressure. I hadn’t felt any anxiety from him. But his actions spoke of him being under attack.
My gut twisting, I opened my mouth to ask about it, and instead blurted out, “The kids are stealing from Kieran.”
“He knows.” Bria pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. “We’re going to be late, so take it slow. Enjoy this fine new automobile that came at a very steep price. Toot, toot.”
I pressed my lips together. “Toot, toot” was her way of saying I’d boarded the train of bad decisions the first time I hooked up with Kieran, and the steep price was all the crap I had to do to fit into his life. He was worth it, but I was hard-pressed to convince her of that. Or, last night, myself.
“Wait…” There was a lot to unpack in this conversation suddenly. “Don’t you mean I should see what this baby can do so I make it in time? And also, what do you mean, he knows?”
“If we’re going to be late, we need to be fashionably late so this tutor knows who pulls rank. You do, by the way, in case that wasn’t clear. Nancy gave you clout. You need to take that shit to the bank. So slow down. We’ll make this baby work another time.
“As for your wards, Kieran is not an idiot, and he wasn’t born yesterday. That said, it was Mordecai who blew their cover. He’s a genuine, honest kid that will make a really fair, reasonable alpha one day. Thank God, because he’d be a shit thief. That kid is not sneaky.”
“I wonder why Kieran didn’t say anything,” I said, taking the turn a little too fast. The car stuck to the street like glue.
“I don’t know for sure, but my guess is he was tickled by Daisy getting one over on him. Zorn, who has known since the beginning, because he is a sneaky fucker, didn’t mention it because he was studying what she was doing. He said she was clunky at first, so he tailored a few training sessions to address her shortcomings. Then she was off to the races. I’ve never seen a man prouder of his pupil’s ability to steal from his boss.”
“A member of Kieran’s Six is teaching Kieran’s girlfriend’s ward to steal from Kieran. What kind of screwed-up scenario is this?”
“I mean, not really. This is helping Daisy’s training, and the money is making those kids feel more secure. Kieran wouldn’t begrudge them that. He isn’t Valens. But Daisy really shouldn’t have trusted Mordecai to help her. Or maybe it’s her supervision over Mordecai that is lacking. Zorn is trying to figure out how to adjust that.”
I just shook my head. I’d always been pretty vague when it came to morals, thinking of them more as a set of guidelines, but this was beyond me.
“So I shouldn’t shut this operation down?” I asked helplessly.
“I don’t know. Ask Zorn about it. He might have you deliver another test for her.”
I shook my head again, stopping at a light. A little fear wormed through me. “What else don’t I know? Why are the guys acting strange?”
Bria slowly blew out a breath. “I don’t know. Zorn took someone down yesterday, I’d bet my life on it.”
“Took someone, meaning…”
“Took them out. Killed them. Damned if I know who. Couldn’t have been someone with Nancy, or she wouldn’t be sending us a tutor of sorts.”
“But why wouldn’t they mention that?”
“My guess is Kieran doesn’t want to shift your focus from what he deems important—learning your craft so you can protect yourself.” She snorted. “Men are so stupid. They don’t listen. They don’t realize women are designed to handle multiple things at a time. It’s in our genetic makeup.” She shook her head, her lips pressing together in annoyance.
“In fairness, I did almost kill myself yesterday.”
“Different scenario.” She waved that away. “So now we have no choice but to operate blind. No problem. I can work with that. Here’s what we’ll do—you meet that tutor. Do not touch him. If he reaches out to shake your hand, you give him a flat look and clasp your hands behind your back. Got it?”
“It’s a bit rude—”
“Got it?”
“Yes.”
Bria nodded. “I’ll put a few spirits in a couple of rats—”
“That math is wonky…”
“—and have them check things out. I’ll ask a few questions, too. You talk to Mia on your way in, see if she’s seen anything amiss. But don’t mention any of this to Kieran. If he hasn’t told you, that means he doesn’t want you knowing.”
“Right, but what if we learn something? Then what?” I asked.
“Then we confront the guys. If Kieran has become a target, it’s to make you more vulnerable. And mark my words: anyone going after him so early in the game is playing with spirit. No one admits it, but a lot of people have a blind spot when it comes to battling spirit. They simply don’t know how. But you do. You might be shit at it sometimes, but you always seem to find a way to pull through. If someone is going after Kieran, you are the only defense he has.”
11
Magnus
“We’ve just got word, sir.”
Magnus slowed his stride as he made his way through the ground floor of his mansion. His servants pushed away to the sides, holding trays of food and waiting for his go-ahead on the menu choice for that evening. A couple of old friends would be calling in on him, privileged to get Nancy’s firsthand account of the child Demigod and his potent weapon. Magnus wanted to make sure they knew an allegiance with him would grant them sought-after rewards.
First he’d need to prep Nancy. Whenever she spoke of the child, she sounded star-struck to the point of distraction. She needed a good lay, a new lust to obsess over. He was well equipped to thoroughly distract her, and for this, he’d make the effort.
“Go ahead,” he told Gracie, something like his right-hand woman.
She stopped in front of him in a soft
pink dress, her hair in cute little curls, her expression pleasant. To look at her, one would never guess she had such a foul temper, incited at a moment’s notice and with very little rhyme or reason. She was responsible for the highest body count in the mansion, and fifty percent of them were Magnus’s staff. One could never tell when her smile would turn vicious and she’d brandish a knife. It kept the staff performing at optimal standards, not to mention on their toes. Those who died…well, magical Darwinism at its finest.
“I’ve confirmed that the Body Jumper was definitely Aaron’s, and has been killed,” she said.
Magnus lifted his eyebrows and turned his face a little, a silent directive to his head cook. The staff moved away to the kitchens. Magnus led the way out to the garden. It was monitored and protected from eavesdroppers, living and dead alike.
“Are you sure he’s been taken out?” Magnus said once they had some privacy.
“Killed yes, but the spirit has not been treated, apparently. It still wanders the living world. Aaron questioned the man himself. A powerful dark Djinn got to him. One of Kieran’s Six.”
Magnus bent to smell a particularly foul flower, something to clear his head. “The girl was not involved, then? Or else she is not aware she needs to dispose of the spirit so it cannot be used again?”
“She was gone from the building at that point, so no, she was not involved. I don’t know if she knows how to dispose of ordinary spirits. She handled Valens well enough, but as far as I’ve heard, she can only push people across the Line. She doesn’t trap them there. They are free to be called again.”
“It’s a wonder she is any use to the child Demigod at all with so little knowledge about her magic.”
“Yes, sir. I was thinking this exactly. We’ll rectify that soon. Amos is in position.”
Magnus clasped his hands behind his back and looked at a weeping tree. He’d known Aaron would insert himself into the situation, but he hadn’t known what angle he would take. Aaron was lazy at the best of times, but when he was moved to action, he was usually cunning and unpredictable. Or at least he had been in times of old, when there was more strife between Demigods. This time, it seemed Aaron was taking the blunt, obvious, and entirely too predictable approach. Known assassins? Going for the child after work in a public place? There was no finesse. It made things easier for Magnus.
Magnus pursed his lips in thought. He couldn’t very well announce he had a claim on the girl. Times had changed. Daughters were no longer bought and sold, traded to establish and form alliances. The other Demigods of Hades might step aside out of respect had she been a normal magical person, but she was a Spirit Walker, and he had publicly wiped out his children and heirs. The other Demigods would not want to see her in his hands.
So. Where did that leave him?
He relayed all of this to Gracie, his best sounding board.
“I don’t think our strategy needs to change overmuch,” she said, standing a little behind him. “Aaron wants the child gone so he can have access to the girl, same as us. But he doesn’t have anyone in his arsenal that can grab her once the child is out of the way. We do. As a Possessor, Amos is better than anyone Aaron could send for this job.”
Magnus had to concede the truth in that. A good Possessor was nearly as rare as a Spirit Walker, and although they were not equally feared, they should be. They could do exactly what their name said—assume control of another person, like the fairytales of demon possession.
There were limitations, of course. When a Possessor took over the body, the host stopped recording goings-on. They would wake with a black spot in their time table. One too large to be shrugged off as forgetfulness or daydreaming. If enough people experienced the same thing, they’d eventually trace the cause to the source. So a Possessor had to carefully plan out whom to possess and for how long.
Another problem in this situation was where to leave the body. A Possessor didn’t so much walk in the spirit world as zoom from one point to another. If it had an item belonging to its target, which was where Nancy’s chosen tutor would come in, Amos could leave his body in a safe location and inhabit the target’s body. When it came time to evacuate, Amos would zip back into his own skin. This was great for assassin jobs, since he could quickly leave the scene of the crime, but it wasn’t as easy when it came to kidnapping. He’d have to leave the girl with a trusted friend in order to assume his own skin, return to the girl, take out the friend, and then transport the girl to the next location. Magnus would probably need to orchestrate a bigger team for that. He’d work on that while Amos was taking care of the child Demigod.
“I don’t think your end result should be to kill the girl,” Gracie said.
“Oh?” He turned to her, wondering about her reasoning. He had some clear ideas on how he would go forward once he met the girl face to face, but he hadn’t discussed his plans with anyone. Not yet.
“Not at all,” Gracie replied. “Times are different than they once were. There is a peace treaty with humans, making today’s risk more about financial rather than physical survival. Children have plenty of options for leadership. You could set her up anywhere. She will have no wish to take your territory if she is established and happy.”
“And yet Valens’s heir ripped him off his throne and assumed control of his territory.”
A little line creased the skin between Gracie’s brows. “Valens tortured the kid’s mother. From what I’ve heard, Kieran didn’t set out to take the territory. His goal was vengeance. He fell into his role. This situation is wholly different. You can present yourself as blameless to the girl. You didn’t know about her. How is that your fault? At least, as far as she is concerned, you didn’t know about her. Her mother kept her word and did everything exactly as the two of you agreed. The girl was hidden, kept away from the magical world at all costs, and hence, she lived. The mother could’ve had no way of knowing what the girl was.”
Magnus held his tongue. Iris wasn’t anywhere near a dumb woman. She very well might’ve known the truth, but the girl had apparently inherited a bit of her magic too. A stroke of luck. Very few magics could evade the magical screenings. Given the girl was still largely clueless about her power, it was clear that if Iris had known, she hadn’t told anyone, not even the girl. Not at all a dumb woman. She’d sacrificed greatly to see her child safe. Too bad all good things had to come to an end.
“You certainly have a point, but I doubt the girl will be all sunshine and roses after I kill her beloved.”
Gracie smiled, this time a chilling sight. “Since when have you been bashful about assassinating a leader and blaming it on someone else? Demigod Aaron has been complacent for too long; this weak effort on the child’s life proves it. Maybe he needs a worthy adversary, like a trained-up Spirit Walker under the protection of one of the most powerful Demigods in the world…”
12
Alexis
I walked into the government building with Bria at my side, both of us stewing about the way we’d been sidelined and thinking about how we were going to work our way back into the main battle. Kieran’s desire to protect me was sweet, but when it came to family, sweet didn’t cut it. Red and Aubri, who’d ridden with Boman, trailed behind us on the sidewalk. I felt a tug on my jacket, Aubri adjusting it so I looked the part. I tried not to feel annoyed.
“I’ll meet you in your office,” Bria said, about to peel away. She stopped short and put her hand on my arm to stop me. “Not your current office. The larger, lighter, nicer office you better pick out while you’re up there. I’m tired of that musty cat smell. I don’t even want to know how many cats that lady had living in her office, but if it still smells like that after two years of industrial cleaners, it must’ve been a good few.”
“Why didn’t you mention something before?” I asked.
“You seemed content thinking you could blend into the background and quietly sponge off your rich boyfriend. What was I going to do, piss on your parade?”
I lifted m
y eyebrows as she walked away. The answer was yes, since that was her MO, but I didn’t want to shout it across the expansive lobby.
As I got to the stairs, I felt the strangest sensation, as though a spirit were physically touching me. But I didn’t see one. The only person nearby was a living man heading down the wide stairs opposite me. He stared sightlessly in front of him, his mind clearly elsewhere.
I paused and glanced around, seeing a guy at the front desk who drew my eye. From my vantage point, I could only see the back of his head and his ear, but that was plenty. It was his posture that gave him away. His confident lean, one ankle crossed over the other, bespoke power and a nonchalant ego. His clothes were of a good cut and quality, and they fit him perfectly. They were expensive, something I now knew from experience. His styled hair and expensive watch perfected the image.
“Do you know him?” I asked Red, trying to get a feel for his soul. I was too far away. I could probably slash at it, or bang on his soul box, but the power would be minimal. Grabbing his middle would be beyond me at this distance. Not like I needed to do any of those things. For all I knew, he was a high-level official. I only knew a handful of faces in this place. That was it. I needed to get better at creating a list of “friendlies.”
“No. I’ve already made a mental note to identify him. Salesmen and admirers hang around the front desk. He is neither. Nor is he very good at disguising his interest in you. And here I thought the Demigod’s mistress would be a boring detail. I should’ve known better.”
I felt my face sour at the title. “You discourage friendships, then?” I asked as I started climbing again, continuing on past the first landing. I wasn’t going to the musty cat room this time. “Not well liked?”
“Correct,” she said.
“Ah, that can’t be true,” Aubri said. “I’m sure a lot of people like you.”
“I hope you don’t become one of them.”
