by Alyson Noel
“Something like that. But seriously, just keep your cool. I can’t be worried about you starting trouble when I need to focus on locating Dace.”
“Fine.” She frowns. “I solemnly swear that, for the time being anyway, I will refrain from going medieval on Cade. But just so you know, when the time comes, I plan to be right by your side, taking him down.”
I start to turn away when Xotichl calls after me.
“Just … be careful,” she says.
I nod.
“Also, if you don’t return soon, we’re going after you. So no long reunions when you find him, okay?”
I flash a tight grin and make for the hall. Unwilling to tell them the truth—that Dace has changed so much there’s no saying what I might find, or if I’ll be able to help him.
But I have to try.
If it’s the last thing I do, I have to at least try.
seventeen
Daire
Despite the original plan being to charge straight for the vortex without any pretense, by the time I reach the bathroom I change my mind. Thinking a little caution never hurt anyone, I steal a moment to lean against the wall and fumble aimlessly through my bag, all the while scanning for Richters. Any Richter. They’re all working against me.
As soon as I’ve ensured the all-clear, I make for the long hall that leads to the vortex. Covering only a handful of feet, when a familiar voice calls out from behind me.
“Daire. Daire Santos.”
I respond with a lowered chin and a quickened pace.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me when we both know you did. I will chase you down if that’s what it takes.”
For a brief moment I consider letting her make good on her word. But since there’s no point in making this any worse than it already is, I stop in my tracks.
“When’d you get back?” Her spiked heels snag the carpet as she approaches.
“When’d you get back?” I turn just in time to find her heavily made-up eyes hooded with suspicion and fixed hard on mine.
“You never learn, do you?” She tucks a lock of bleached-blond hair behind her ear and fiddles with her large silver hoop earring with a hand that seems to sag under the weight of the massive rock that she wears. A large, square-cut, brilliant blue tourmaline on a platinum band, flanked by slightly smaller blue tourmalines, that, if I had to guess, came straight from Cade’s mine.
“Seems we have that in common.” I motion toward her new engagement ring, nearly triple in size to the one she wore before. Caught by the way she lifts her hand high and flutters her fingers. Eyes widening in admiration, and … something more … something I can’t quite determine.
Her gaze dreamy, she says, “For the record, I appreciate everything your mom did for me. She really helped me. Went above and beyond.”
“Jennika’s a good person. She’s always willing to help those in need.”
Marliz returns her hand to her side as her irises clear once again. “Still, don’t get the wrong idea. I’ve no plans to return the favor.”
“Jennika’s set. She’s not really in need of your help,” I say. Convinced by the edge in her tone, and the strange look on her face, that this is no random conversation. Marliz has an agenda. All Richters—and, in her case, soon-to-be-Richters—do.
“She may not need my help, but you do.” Marliz continues to study me. Looking as though the sight of me pains her. “Go home, Daire. Go back to where you came from.” She drops her gaze to her feet, digging the toe of her boot into the dirty gray carpet.
“You’ve been saying that to me since the first night we met,” I reply, noticing how her voice went from vengeful to wistful in a handful of seconds. Her moods changing so quickly it’s hard to keep track.
“Maybe it’s time you listened. It’s the best advice I can give you.” She centers the pointed toe of her boot on a wadded-up gum wrapper and kicks it out of her way.
“And why should I listen to you, when you can’t even manage to stay away?”
“I have my reasons.” She glances down at the rock on her finger, eyes wide and luminous.
“Let me guess—you’re back with Gabe?”
She continues to gaze at the ring, nodding ever so slightly.
“So, you’re willing to trade your happiness for a handful of shiny minerals?”
Her gaze hardens into something dark, feral. Dropping whatever hint of pretense remained. “You’ve got ten seconds to return to your friends and take your party elsewhere,” she says.
I square my shoulders and tighten my grip on my bag, poised for pretty much anything. “I think we both know that’s not going to happen.”
She looks me over for a long moment, then snakes her fingers into the front pocket of her denim miniskirt, retrieves her cell phone, and says, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be. From what I can see, you have far more problems than me.” I start to turn, troubled by the encounter, but not for the reasons she thinks.
“I’m not kidding, Daire! I’ll tell them what you’re up to!”
“You have no idea what I’m up to,” I mumble, eager to put some distance between us.
“You leave me with no choice!” she shouts.
“There’s always a choice!” I glance over my shoulder long enough to see her tapping on her cell phone, bringing it to her ear, then I break into a run. Racing down a hall that, while not technically booby-trapped, may as well be.
Leandro’s office lies just before me, with the door ajar and a phone ringing.
I rush past the opening, barely reaching the door’s other side when a familiar voice barks, “What is it—I’m busy.” Followed by, “What? The Seeker? You sure? Cade swore she was dead!”
Leandro’s muffled curse soon followed by a hand crashing hard against a desk, and the squeak and protest of a body launching from a stiff leather chair, as I storm the hall at full speed.
My insides sear with a pain that’s white hot. My lungs threaten to explode in my chest. Still I push past the agony and sprint for the vortex. Ignoring Leandro’s voice calling out from behind me, commanding me to stop, I slip my hand in my purse, retrieve the cigarettes Paloma gave me, and dive in headfirst.
Shoving through the wall that isn’t really a wall, I burst free to the other side, only to be met by a sinister voice saying, “Hello, Daire. Last I saw you, you were dead.”
eighteen
Daire
The heels of my sneakers screech and slide across the tin floor until I’m standing flushed and breathless before Cade.
With a long black scarf wrapped loosely around his neck, and a black knit cap pushed back on his head, he looks cozy, relaxed, healthy, and fit. Having planted himself at the entry of the large tin pipe that acts as a passageway to the cave and the second vortex beyond, he lounges in his overstuffed, antique chair like a spoiled young king at his throne. Bearing not a single sign of having bled out from a gaping hole in his gut just a few days earlier.
I steady my breath, regain my footing, and say, “And last I saw you, you were dead too.” I move toward him, wanting him to know that while he may have succeeded in surprising me, it’s not the same as scaring me. “But that was before your faithful Coyote restored you.”
Cade tilts his chair back. Assesses me through narrowed eyes. The corner of his mouth tugging in amusement, he motions toward the stash of cigarettes in my hand, and says, “Seriously, Daire—three packs?” He makes a disapproving cluck of his tongue. “You really should reconsider. Smoking is a dreadful, nasty habit that’s been proven to hasten your mortality. And I think we both know that, as a Seeker, it’s a risk you can’t afford. Your kind tends to die young.”
I move toward the edge of his chair, shooting him a bored look as I sing, “Been there, done that.” I settle before him. “Actually, I brought these for your friends. Last few times I was here they really seemed to enjoy them.”
Cade crosses his legs and drapes his hands over the armrests in a way that allows m
e to see the blue tourmaline ring I don’t remember him wearing before. “Very thoughtful, Seeker. But, as you can see, my friends, as you call them, aren’t here at the moment. In anticipation of your visit, I gave them the night off. Sent them to a dimension far, far away where they can keep an eye on my brother.”
His eyes meet mine as though daring me to react, but other than a quick intake of breath, I keep my face neutral, refuse to show the slightest trace of concern. Refuse to let on how the mere thought of his demons sniffing around Dace sends my heart racing. Dealing with Cade is like a never-ending poker game. With stakes this high, I can’t afford a single mistake.
“It’s a shame about that whole Echo business, isn’t it?” He tilts his head to the side and impersonates a thoughtful expression. “Guess that’s something Leandro didn’t anticipate when he was conjuring us.” His lips pull into a frown as he breathes a staged sigh. “Leandro certainly has his faults, and sometimes I can’t help but think he’s a burden. Though I’m sure you feel the same way about Jennika and Paloma. It’s such a drain trying to humor their outdated ideas while we forge much greater destinies of our own. Still, what are we to do?” His gaze drifts along with his voice, musing on the idea for much longer than it warrants, before returning to me almost as an afterthought. “Anyway, you really should forget about Dace. Trust me, it’s for the best. Last I saw, he wasn’t looking so good. Which left me with no choice but to hide him in a place where no one will ever find him.”
“Guess that remains to be seen,” I say, with far more confidence than I feel. Rejecting the picture his words form in my mind. Unable to bear the thought of Dace injured and suffering, left to rot in a demon-filled land.
His face hardens into a series of sharp angles and edges, as he uncrosses his legs and leans forward. Technically, he may be Dace’s identical twin, but Dace is incapable of looking like this. Or at least he used to be.
“I hate to break it to you, Santos, but this is as far as you’ll get.” He grips the armrests so tightly, it seems he’s struggling to contain himself, trying hard not to shift. “You’re trespassing, and I just won’t allow it.”
“I’m not sure you have a choice.” I stand my ground, aware of the nagging tug of foreboding swirling inside me.
“Tough words coming from someone who, not long ago, was lying spread-eagled beneath me.”
I start to go at him, if for no other reason than to permanently erase the smirk from his lips. But then I remember all of the reasons I can’t kill him, or at least not yet anyway. And I force myself to settle for glaring instead.
“Too bad Dace interrupted us when he did. I could tell you were really starting to enjoy it.”
He’s baiting me. Wants me to react, lose my cool, but I refuse to bite.
“And yet, now that you’re back … well, I’m beginning to think I liked you a whole lot more when you were dead. Turns out, the memory of you is much more appealing than the reality.”
“Sorry to disappoint.” My shoulders rise and fall as I stare at a point beyond his shoulder and calculate my next move.
Two dozen steps from here to the cave? Two and a half?
“Oh, you’ve disappointed me so many times I’ve lost count.” He drums his fingers against the armrests, the metal band of his ring clinking hard against the dark wood echoing all around me.
I crick my neck from side to side, and heave a bored sigh. “So tell me,” I say. “Are we done here?”
He lifts his chin and stares down the length of his nose.
“Are we finished with the banter? Is the repartee portion of the evening over? ’Cause if so, I’d really like to get going. I have places to be.”
“This is as far as you go, Seeker.” His irises glow a deep burning red, but only for an instant before turning icy-blue and opaque once again. “Your little adventure ends here. Now.”
“As if you could stop me.” I take another step forward, stopping when my knee nearly meets his.
“What’re you going to do Seeker, kiss me or kill me?” He squints in amusement.
“I’m going to kill you,” I say, my tone straightforward, just stating the facts as I know them. “But not yet. Though someday, I promise you, I will.”
“Sounds like a date.” He wiggles his brow, runs his tongue around the rim of his mouth.
“Best one you’ll ever have.”
I slip around the side of his chair and break into a run. Taking the tunnel at full speed, pushing myself harder, forcing my strides to be longer, when the crash of my shoes slamming hard against the tin floor is soon joined by his.
If I am operating on pure adrenaline as Paloma claimed, I hope it holds long enough for me to escape him.
The sound of the chase blares in my head. A screaming, deafening crescendo of bodies pounding tin that causes my ears to ring, my eyes to tear, until the next step lands on softer ground—propelling me out of the tunnel and into the cave.
A far cry from the spartan cave of my Santos ancestors, the Richters’ cave is one of carefully curated luxury. Plush. Luxurious. Loaded with fine antique furniture and art-covered walls. Ill-gotten gains.
I swerve around the couch. Nearly clearing the den, when Cade rushes up from behind me, moving with unfathomable speed.
He gropes at my shoulder. Yanks hard on my hair. Slowing me just enough to grab hold of my bag and jerk hard on the strap. The sudden reversal flinging me backward until I smack into his chest.
He absorbs the blow easily, lifts his free arm, and secures it tightly against my neck. “It’s too late for you, Seeker,” he hisses, his breath surprisingly hot in such a cold space. “You should’ve never left the Upperworld. That is where the glowing one took you, isn’t it?” He loosens his grip just enough for me to confirm it, but when I gasp a lungful of air instead, he tightens his chokehold again. “This town already mourned you. Their collective grief lasted less than a day. Seems you didn’t make much of an impact during your brief stay in Enchantment. Even Paloma, as ineffective as she is, boasts a better record than you. Guess that makes you the Sorriest Excuse for a Seeker That Ever Was.” He laughs a crude laugh as he hauls me up tighter against him. Repositioning his arm so it’s pushing hard on my larynx. “This feels a little redundant, doesn’t it? I resent having to kill you again. I have better things to do with my time.”
“But it was so much fun the first time,” I croak, the words garbled, unintelligible.
He presses down on my windpipe, severely cutting my oxygen supply. Using his other hand to lift the edge of my sweater, he says, “I want to see your wound, Seeker. I want to see how the little glowing man fixed you. Why do you think he did that—hmm? Why do you think he would come all the way down from the cozy trappings of the Upperworld to save you? You got a thing for Mystics? You been two-timing my twin?”
He throws his head back and laughs, and I use the distraction to jab my elbow hard against my side in a desperate attempt to keep myself covered and hang onto my bag. I can’t afford to lose any of the tools Paloma stashed in there.
But my head is growing dizzy. My vision faint. And Cade is so unfeasibly strong, he merely rips the bag from my shoulder and chucks it clear across the room in one seamless move.
“Oops!” He clucks in a way that reverberates hard against my eardrum. “Seems you’re flat out of luck. You’re completely unarmed and outmatched, Santos.” His breath is hot, fetid, as his tongue runs a leisurely lap around the shell of my ear. “How will you ever defend yourself now?”
It’s a good question. One I’m not sure how to answer. Still, I shore my resolve. Tell myself I can do this. I cannot let him win.
But with my neck tissues collapsing, and the flow of oxygen reduced to a trickle, I have only a handful of seconds at best before I fall completely unconscious.
Ignoring the fiery pain seizing my chest, I raise my leg high, center my foot, and brutally slam it into Cade’s knee. And while it doesn’t take him down like I hoped, it’s enough for him to loosen his grip so I can
break free.
I stagger toward my bag, coughing and wheezing as I gulp down great mouthfuls of air. Having just grabbed hold of the strap when Cade appears beside me and circles my arm in a viselike grip.
“You’re done, Seeker.” He spins me until I’m staring into his unfathomable eyes.
Just like looking into Dace’s eyes the last time I saw him.
Which is why I have to survive. I have to reach Dace, restore his soul, and reverse whatever horrible thing he did to make himself resemble his brother.
“That’s what you said last time, and look, I’m still here,” I croak, my voice hoarse, damaged, still I manage to jerk free and put a few more steps between us. Though it’s not until I’m standing triumphantly before him with my hands curled into fists, when I realize he freed me too easily.
For Cade, this is no more than a game.
This is how he enjoys himself. This is why he was gripping the armrests, trying to hold on for whatever treat he’s planned next.
I didn’t break free.
I’m exactly where he wants me.
No sooner have I realized the truth, when he launches his body hard into mine. The impact of his weight knocking me to the ground so brutal, I’m amazed my head didn’t explode on contact. And before I have time to react, he’s waling on me.
He fights for real. Fights dirty. Fights to the death. His fists pounding into my flesh until it’s all I can do to deflect.
“You’re no good to me now, Seeker!” he shouts, his knuckles repeatedly driving into my skin. “The prophecy has begun. I am the darkness ascending. Whatever strength I drew from the love you shared with my brother, is no longer needed. I have risen. I have transformed. I have become what I was created to be. You and your kind are no match for me.”
He drones on and on. Ranting about his greatness, his power, his birthright to rule all. The tiresome diatribe eventually mutating into some ancient, tribal dialect I’ve heard him use before. And not long after that, his hands are back on my throat.
I buck wildly beneath him. Thrashing, kicking, biting, hair pulling, scratching at his hands, trying to loosen their grip, but it’s no use. Whatever I do barely penetrates.
