I touched the bruise on his lower lip. It closed up nicely. Funny, I was used to being awed by Izzy as she healed us, yet because of my new, temporary powers, I could do it too.
Bran touched his lip and smiled. “How’s your head?”
“Not so bad.”
He cupped my face and studied my face as though searching for something.
“Don’t do that, please,” I whispered.
He cocked his right eyebrow. “Do what?”
“Look at me like I’m, you know, different.” Then a thought occurred to me and I reached up to touch my forehead and hair. “I am the same, right? No horns or weird things growing out of my head?”
He chuckled and pressed his forehead against mine. “Of course you are the same…physically. Your psi energy is off the charts. I can take care of the headache if you like.”
Doing it once was enough. “No, I’ll be fine. The writings appeared on my hand when I touched that boy’s knife.”
He checked my hands to see if they were back. “So that’s why it caught fire. Master Haziel was right.”
I made a face. “It’s kind of scary not knowing what they can do.”
Bran gripped them and pressed them against his lips. “We’ll deal with them as they come,” he whispered. “Come on, I’ll escort you to the others.”
We walked down a broad hallway toward double doors. Before we reached them, they swung open and Kieran walked out. He was alone.
“You are at your usual table,” he said. “Cook has his orders, so the food should be there soon.”
Bran stopped. “Are you very busy?”
Keiran gave him a lopsided grin. “That depends on what you want, Llyr. I’m on level eighty-two of a new game.”
You bragged it was faster than the humans’ best system and that you have programs that can get you in and out of places undetected.”
Keiran chuckled. “What I have are mad skills, Llyr. And yes, it will take humans a decade to catch up. What do you want help with?”
“I’ll explain when I come back. Right now, I need to show Lil where the others are seated.” He pushed the double doors but Kieran spoke.
“Just one second.” I thought Keiran would ask why I needed to be shown to our regular table, but all he said was, “Tell your friends to stop hitting on my girls. I’m tired of mediating fights every few weeks because they keep flirting with them.”
Bran laughed. “Sure, but do you really want to get between them and women?”
Keiran’s expression became thoughtful then he made a face. “I guess not. Who am I to kill some girl’s dream of mating with a Guardian? Not that you guys have anything we don’t have.”
“Uh, we travel in style,” Bran said. “We have a license to kill and we make black look good.” Bran stared pointedly at Keiran’s pants, matching shirt, and studded boots.
Keiran rolled his eyes. “I was rocking this look way before you were born, Llyr, so don’t even go there. Your favorite dish is coming up, Lil. Extra cheese?” He touched his brow in a salute and turned.
“Yes. Thanks, Keiran,” I said. Bran groaned. What?
Do you even know what he’s talking about? he asked as we cut through the busy kitchen.
No. What is my favorite dish?
He laughed. You’ll find out soon enough.
“So? What do you want with his computer? You once told me you had no need for modern technology because you keep everything in here.” I tapped his head.
“You don’t remember our pactus, but you do the day I was being a jackass.”
“I know I said I didn’t want to mind-blend, but that’s one memory I want back.”
“We can mind-blend when we get home. As for Kieran’s computer, I want to track down Gavyn and to do that I have to find Mount Hermon.”
We entered the main floor of the restaurant, which was L-shaped, and wove our way past booths and couples lost in their little worlds. With the menu from clairvoyant crystals, floating drinks and beautiful décor, it looked like Gavyn’s restaurant, except it was spacious and hatred-free.
Bran led me past a set of doors and onto the balcony. The view of downtown L.A. was spectacular, but my eyes were drawn to Kim, Izzy, Sykes, and Remy. They were having a heated discussion at a corner table. Six glasses of water with bobbing chunks of ice sat untouched before them.
“No, no, the senior Cardinals must know what’s going on because the Tribe has been going after Damned Humans since last week,” Kim said as we got closer.
“You can’t know that,” Izzy protested. “You think the worst of them all the time.”
“Are you listening to yourself? Fact, ever since we started hunting, they’ve hidden things from us. Case in point,” she jerked her head toward me, “they knew about Valafar’s existence and never told Lil. When Bran’s feathers started to fall, they never told us. They’ve known about the Tribe since last week, maybe even longer, but once again, they…never…told us. They keep treating us like children,” Kim added through gritted teeth. “We face demons every day, just like them. We should demand equal access to information.”
“On with the revolution,” Sykes said, waving an imaginary flag. “Downtrodden junior Cardinals demand equal access to intel and a pay raise.”
“Pay raise?” Izzy asked.
Sykes shrugged. “I need a new car, preferably a new model of—”
“The Mustang you totaled last year,” Izzy cut him off and shook her head. “We know. You’ve been singing about it the entire summer. Your obsession with fast cars is senseless. Now if you don’t have anything to contribute to the discussion…”
“Lil made a demonic weapon catch fire and spooked an entire restaurant of demons,” Sykes said then spread his arms to indicate the table. “Discuss.”
All eyes turned in my direction. I kicked him under the table.
“Ouch!” He glared at me, then spoiled it by smirking.
“I’ll be in Keiran’s office,” Bran said and squeezed my shoulder.
“Why?” Remy asked before Bran could leave.
“Keiran is going to help me find Mount Hermon, which could lead us to Gavyn and the Summoners. I’ll fill you in when I get back.” Another gentle squeeze of my shoulder and he added telepathically, if that headache is still bothering you when I come back, I’ll take care of it.
“You still have the headache,” Remy asked after Bran left.
“It’s nothing,” I mumbled, picked up a glass of water, took a sip, and pressed the cool glass against my throbbing temple.
Remy frowned. “How bad is it?”
I shrugged, hating that everyone’s attention was on me and that I could once again hear their thoughts. “It comes and goes, and ‘going home so I can rest’, as some of you are thinking, will not make it go away.”
“Are your powers on and off, too? Is that why you didn’t stop the knife when that child tried to kill you?” Izzy asked.
“See? I knew we’d come back to the knife,” Sykes said, smirking. “Glare at me all you want, Lil, but something is happening to you. You’ve held demonic weapons before and never destroyed them. And your eyes glowed like they did when you fainted on the island. And you healed the cut on Bran’s brow with just a touch.”
“She did?” Izzy asked.
Did he spend time watching my every movement? “What else can you do?” he added and leaned forward. The others leaned forward, too.
I sighed and put my glass down. “I don’t know. My powers and new abilities come and go.” I covered Sykes’ hand with one of mine and waited. When I lifted my hand, the red bruises on his knuckles were still there. “See? I can’t do it now. The writings from the Kris appeared on my hand just before the knife went poof. I healed Bran afterwards, but there were no ancient writings on my skin then. They must come out when I’m in danger.”
“Should we test that theory?” Kim pulled out a dagger from inside her boot.
“I think she meant danger from a demon.” Remy glanced at the Broth
erhood men and women at the nearby tables, then added, “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Like what?” Izzy asked but her gaze was on my hands, as if staring at them would force the markings to appear. “This is much more interesting. It’s like having a human Kris Dagger.”
“Lil the lethal weapon,” Sykes added.
I winced at the word “weapon”. My gaze connected with Remy’s. He was scowling.
“Seriously, guys,” he warned sharply. “Change the subject.”
The others didn’t mask their surprise at his sharpness.
“Okay, let’s talk about Bran’s brother,” Kim said, “And how I’d like to send him to Tartarus piece by piece.”
“Brutal,” Sykes said, smirking.
“Don’t you want to see him suffer?” Kim asked.
I tuned them out as they discussed everything they hated about Gavyn Llyr. Finally I couldn’t take it anymore. Gavyn was Bran’s brother, and whether he should be sent to Tartarus or not depended on Bran.
“You know there’s no proof he helped summon the Tribe,” I said when there was a pause in their rant. “We can’t just jump on the bandwagon because Bran thinks he’s guilty.”
“Why are you giving that fiend the benefit of doubt?” Sykes asked. “He’s never done anything to deserve it. Come to think of it, Valafar would not have known of your existence if it weren’t for Gavyn.”
“I don’t understand why Bran keeps hoping he would change,” Kim added.
“Gavyn wasn’t always evil,” I said.
Sykes faked shock. “You mean he wasn’t born with a trident, horns and a red skin?”
I laughed. “Before his father tried to escape with them from Coronis Isle, Gavyn was your typical big brother. He watched out for Bran and Celeste. In fact, he was the family jokester. Their mother hated being mated with a Guardian and took it out on them.” I explained everything Bran had told me about their upbringing, then the attempt to escape with their father and what happened afterward. “Their mother torched the Guardian amulet Bran wore and tortured them for weeks.”
“You mean the scar…” Izzy touched her chest.
I nodded. “You asked about it before, but I couldn’t say anything because you guys weren’t exactly crazy about him joining the Guardians, but things are different now. He’s one of us.”
“What did the mother do?” Remy cut in.
“She kept Bran in a shack somewhere in the forest and made sure he couldn’t self-heal, so that the burn scarred.” I’d never forget Bran’s pain when he’d narrated the story. “Celeste found him, sneaked him food and nursed him. Gavyn wasn’t so lucky. Their mother and her guards kept him somewhere underground and tortured him. Before, he had black hair like Celeste and Bran. When they finished with him, it was all white.”
There was silence.
“He became a carbon copy of his mother after they finished with him,” I continued. “Cold and ruthless. Bran sees the brother he once was, not the soulless jerk he’s become. That’s why he will do everything in his power to help him.”
“Poor Bran and Celeste,” Izzy said.
“I’ll try to be nicer to her from now on,” Kim added.
“As long as you don’t feel sorry for Gavyn too,” Remy said in a hard voice. “He’s had a chance to change and chose not to.”
Keiran appeared beside our table, a weird expression on his face.
“Where’s the chow, man?” Sykes asked.
“Food will have to wait. There’s a situation in my office that needs your attention.”
We exchanged glances and pushed back our chairs to get back. I did a psi scan. There was a demon with Bran, his psi energy familiar.
“What situation?” Remy asked.
“Just follow me,” Keiran said.
Remy grabbed his arm before he could teleport. “Not that we don’t trust you or anything, but—”
“You’re acting like it.” Keiran yanked his arm from Remy’s grip.
“When it comes to Cardinal business, we have a response protocol.” He glanced at me. “Psi scanned the office yet?”
“Already did. Bran is not in any danger,” I answered, feeling bad for Keiran. He didn’t understand we didn’t rush into situations in case of an ambush. “He’s with a demon. Someone with familiar psi energy.”
“Gavyn,” someone murmured.
Our weapons were drawn when we materialized inside Keiran’s office. But instead of Gavyn’s lithe body and silver hair, a tall black guy with diamond studs glistening in his ears stood in the middle of the room. His eyes narrowed on our weapons.
“Is this the welcome we get after braving Keiran’s overzealous guards to reach you?” Dante asked in an annoyed voice.
“You didn’t hurt them, did you?” Kim asked.
“Of course not.” Dante sounded insulted. “We compelled them to go to sleep. Kael is keeping an eye on me, just in case.” He bowed toward me and touched his chest. “Lilith. It’s nice to see you again.”
Memories of everything he’d done for us after my father kidnapped us rushed through my head. They seemed so fresh, like they happened yesterday. Deciding to give him a hug, I pushed my dagger in its sheath and moved toward him.
“Where have you been?” I asked, hoping we hadn’t seen him for a while.
“Here and there, trying to make a liv—” Dante doubled over as I got closer.
“Are you okay?” I asked, touching his arm.
Dante hissed and yanked his arm away from my hand. He staggered backward, putting as much distance between us as he could, his face wreathed with pain. He clutched his arm where I’d just touched.
Kael materialized beside him. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing,” Dante insisted, his eyes not leaving mine.
Kael’s eyes narrowed. “What’s going on?”
For a moment I was confused, then everything fell into place. My gaze flew to my hand. The ancient writings covered the back of my hand. I pulled back my sleeve. The writings snaked up my arm like tattoos. Horrified, I checked my other arm.
My gaze collided with Dante’s as Bran pulled me away. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” Bran insisted.
“What did you do?” Kael demanded.
I shook my head, feeling terrible and helpless. “I’d never knowingly hurt Dante, Kael. You know that. I was going to hug him but…but…I guess I can’t.”
Bran’s arms tightened around me. The silence in the room stretched.
“Can someone explain to us what is wrong with Lilith?” Kael demanded.
“Excuse us, Kieran?” Remy asked.
Keiran hesitated. “My guards?”
“We’ll awaken them before we leave,” Kael said impatiently.
Remy didn’t speak until Keiran teleported from the room. “Lil was attacked by demons.”
“Who?” Dante asked, sounding outraged.
“When and where?” Kael added.
“A few hours ago,” Remy said. “Do you know anything about demons that hide inside a cloud and shoot lightning bolts, shatter glass but leave everything else intact?”
Dante shook his head. “Shatter glass? Banshees can use sound to break glass, but they are all in Tartarus. At least the ones we knew existed were sent there by Coronis. Did Banshees attack Lilith?”
“We don’t know, but the demons use sounds and get inside your head and mess with your memories.” Remy paused long enough to telepath us. Do we tell them everything?
Yes, we all agreed.
We’re going to need all the help we can get, Bran added.
Just don’t mention the island by name, Izzy chimed in.
Of course not. “We were relaxing on an island when the demons attacked,” Remy said then went on to explain my memory loss and Master Haziel’s theory that the powers of the dagger had been transferred to me. “We didn’t believe him, but her powers are now tied to the ancient writings on her skin, which are similar to the ones that used to be
on the dagger’s blade.”
Kael and Dante studied my hands, which I lifted for them to see without getting too close. The writings were still there, which meant my body considered Dante and Kael as threats even though they weren’t. Shouldn’t I be able to control these powers and how they reacted?
“I’ll learn to control them,” I vowed. “What happened when I touched you?”
Dante shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, but now I understand how you destroyed the knife at the Club.”
“How do you know about what happened at the restaurant?” Remy asked.
“Word spreads fast where she is concerned,” Kael answered.
“The customers said you were looking for a fight when you arrived,” Dante added.
“We were looking for Gavyn, not a fight,” Bran corrected him. “You don’t happen to know the location of Mount Hermon, do you?”
Dante frowned and exchanged a glance with Kael, then they both shook their heads. “No, but we can find out,” Dante said. “You think your brother is hanging out with these demons?”
“We think he summoned them,” Bran explained.
Dante frowned. “Why would he do that?”
This time Bran explained his theory about what happened to the humans. “We have no idea how two of them managed to survive. One is a woman with children, so we assumed the demons either felt sorry for her or decided to punish her by making all her children ill.”
“Demons don’t show mercy,” Dante said.
“Really?” Sykes asked, then he pressed a fist against his chest, imitating the gesture Dante and Kael often made whenever we met. “I always thought you two were the picture of gallantry.”
Dante ignored him. “I have not heard of a demon capable of doing what you just described.”
“What if the Tribe is a breed of demons from somewhere else?” I asked.
Dante’s eyes narrowed. “The Tribe?”
“We think that is their name—the Tribe. What if they were summoned from, say, Tartarus?”
Telepathic communication between Dante and Kael happened so fast all I caught was ‘Summoners’ and ‘no way’, then silence.
“If you know something, tell us, please,” I cut in, my eyes moving back and forth between the two nature-benders.
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