Midnight Shadows (Sky Brooks World: Ethan Book 3)

by Emerson Knight

  “Yes,” he said. “Follow me.”

  As I followed our guest to the clinic, I wondered what the connection was to my godmother that brought this reluctant servant of the Creed to our aid, and just what aid he could provide.

  We found Dr. Baker hunched over a microscope on his desk, a stack of seemingly obscure medical books in disarray next to the microscope. At our entrance, a glint of hope lightened his tired mood. He rose to greet the assistant with a shake of his hand, which was politely accepted. Gideon nodded from his chair in the corner—the farthest corner from Kelly’s bed, where Gavin stood close. At the sight of our guest, a bitter recognition flashed in his eyes.

  He sidled closer to Kelly as he greeted the assistant with a twisted sneer. “Bernard.”

  She glanced between the two, skeptical.

  The assistant smirked back. “Gavin. It is good to see you here. The new city must be a welcome change.”

  A nasty retort was on Gavin’s lips until a look from Kelly stopped him. He remained silent, but the resentment in his glare spoke volumes. I wondered what it was that had previously brought these two men together.

  Disrupting the tension between them, Sebastian described just how Kelly had become afflicted, and by what. Bernard listened with apparent indifference.

  Once Sebastian had finished, Dr. Baker added with an uncomfortable gaze toward Kelly, “The paralysis is progressing. It appears to have a different effect on her than it did on Gideon.” He gestured to the elf. “It left him comatose, but once the creature was removed, he regained consciousness after about an hour.”

  Bernard turned to Gideon. “It was on you first?”

  The elf nodded.

  Bernard’s expression became puzzled. He turned back to Kelly. “Madame, did things happen as they report?”

  “Yes.”

  He walked to the table near Dr. Baker’s desk and examined the jar with the creature trapped inside.

  “It’s a sleeper,” Gavin stated.

  “Yes, a Tod Schlaf,” Bernard said admiringly. He glanced over his shoulder to Gavin. “But the boorish translation would be sleeper.” Ignoring Gavin’s indignation, Bernard straightened, drawing his hands together at his waist. His thumbs worked over and around each other while he considered the details of Kelly’s situation.

  The room was still, silent, as we waited for him to provide answers.

  When he finally spoke, his tone was perfunctory. He addressed Kelly without bothering to meet her gaze. “Madame, you are not cursed, are you?”

  She looked to Sebastian, confused.

  “No,” he answered for her, “she isn’t a were-animal.”

  “But you consort with the cursed,” Bernard said, his gaze roving over each of us from above the rims of his glasses. “Would it be too much to ask why?”

  “I work here,” she explained, as if the answer were obvious.

  “Are you indentured?”

  “No.”

  “If you work here, I doubt your skills are substandard,” he remarked, pushing his glasses back up onto his nose. “Could you not find employment among the civilized?”

  I tensed, suppressing an irritated growl.

  “I chose to work here,” she snapped, “because I like them and I like my job.”

  Bernard’s lips spread into a thin semblance of a sympathetic smile. “You seem wise, but your choice in associates has shown a true lapse in judgment. I hope once this is over that is remedied and you find that your love of this job isn’t worth what you will endure by sheer association”—his eyes flicked toward Sebastian—“with certain people.” He sniffed obnoxiously, then continued before she could respond. “And your connection to Claudia, may I ask the particulars?”

  “Does it matter?” she asked, barely hiding her dislike behind a joyless smile.

  “Yes. I am curious why a woman of such power and means, who chooses a position of abject neutrality, is so interested in your survival. Why have you been given such favor?”

  If not for my godmother, and for Kelly’s need, I would’ve cuffed his head and schooled him on proper courtesy. Whatever sway or obligation she held over Bernard, he wasn’t here willingly. I wondered if his provocative, insulting manner was an attempt to draw a reaction that would justify his leaving us without fulfilling his obligation.

  I glanced at Sky, noting her particular interest in the reference to my godmother. That was going to lead to questions, eventually.

  Realizing he wouldn’t get more than a harsh stare from Kelly, Bernard turned to Abigail. “Do you know how to get to Elysian?”

  She blushed as she shook her head.

  “You’ve never been considered worthy of an invitation?” he asked, surprised.

  Shamed, she glanced down at her hands.

  Bernard sighed as he drew a piece of paper from his vest pocket and handed it to her. “These are the directions to Elysian, along with the required supplications. There, if granted admission to the dark forest, you should find what you need to help her. I can’t offer any more than this, but it should help you. Whether or not you will be allowed entrance will be up to you. It would be in the interest of both parties that you choose the one among you all that would be considered least offensive to ask for admission.”

  “I will go with her,” Gavin insisted.

  Bernard chuckled. “If you wish to receive cooperation, I advise you not to flaunt the more unflattering aspects of their history to them. He would not be a good choice.”

  Gavin’s Brooklyn accent was apparent as he snapped in anger, “Why didn’t they just get rid of me instead of sentencing me to the bowels of the world and holding a grudge that will outlive my existence?”

  I rolled my eyes at his histrionics.

  Bernard blinked rapidly as he smiled. “You hate it here? Perhaps the intended justice has been served.”

  “Screw. You.” On Gavin’s way out of the room, he made a point to bump Bernard’s shoulder.

  “So eloquent and refined. I see why Jessica was so enthralled by him,” Bernard explained to Sebastian. “Worth the shame her betrayal and infidelity caused Conner.”

  “Yes,” Dr. Baker growled, “Gavin should have been penalized for the loose morals of the New York council head’s wife. Gavin is truly responsible for him not choosing a more suitable and monogamous spouse. And it definitely is Gavin’s fault that elves are so simple that the actions of their spouses reflect upon their ability to remain on the council. No, it’s not their flawed system that should be held accountable, it is definitely Gavin’s libido that is responsible for the crumbling government of the New York elves. Are you going to offer assistance or continue to pass judgment, Bernie?”

  The smug grin faded from the assistant’s visage. “Bernard,” he corrected haughtily.

  “Okay.” Dr. Baker sneered. “Bernard.”

  With a sniff, he raised a hand to Sebastian. “Your phone, sir.” Receiving it, he placed his satchel on the table and withdrew a binder. After flipping through a few pages of photographs, he took a picture with the phone, then handed it back to Sebastian. “Find this and you will find the cure. It often camouflages itself among the trees, but will find shelter behind what it perceives as the vilest predator. This is how it survives because its defenses are weak in comparison.”

  He removed a pen and notepad from his satchel and scribbled a note for Abigail. “I wish you success in this endeavor.” He packed up his satchel and turned to Kelly. “It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope you maintain your favor with Claudia; it will serve you well in the future.”

  She summoned a gracious smile. “Thank you for your help.”

  The rest of us couldn’t do better than scowl at him as he left.

  Dr. Baker arranged a bed in the clinic for Abigail, while I put Marko in charge of the elven pair’s security. They were not allowed to leave the room at the same time, a guarantee against flight as I knew neither of them would abandon the other. The clinic must’ve felt like a prison to them, because it was
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  CHAPTER 11

  While the rest of the house settled in for the night, anticipating an early rise, I spent the next two hours lifting weights and working the cardio machines, intending to exhaust myself. Only in the depths of hard physical exertion could I forget the constant, agitating thrum of dark elf magic as it coursed through my body, but anxious thoughts remained. The dark forest was a prison for all the dangerous creations the elves had made over the centuries. We’d no idea what dangers we’d face there. Distraction could mean death. Others depended on me, and on this mission there was no margin for error. There were simply too many variables, too many unknowns to anticipate. We’d have to go with our guard raised, alert to any danger that would have to be resolved on the fly.

  Eventually I tired of the constant loop of worried thought and showered before climbing into my bed. As I slowly lowered my head into the softness of the pillow, the thoughts continued, magnified by the silence. The vibration of dark magic reappeared, as well. In an effort to distract myself, I sent my mind casting for some other thought to focus on and found myself calling up images of deceased Dennis; not the images of him as he’d appeared to me, but as I imagined his death, his throat torn out and his life draining in crimson pulses. Did he think of his daughter in his last moments?

  As my mind played through his possible deaths, a pattern emerged that raised questions about the wounds on his doppelgänger. At his last appearance, his throat had been torn and his torso shredded, as if an animal had gripped his throat while eviscerating him with its claws. Michaela’s love for torture was well known, but her methods were more precise. The detective’s torso had been a gory mess. A wolf might do that. In his previous appearances, he’d had deep claw marks across his face and bite wounds to his chest. A wolf might do that as well, but not a vampire.

  I sat up and glanced about the room, expecting Dennis to appear. There was something about his appearances I wasn’t seeing. I was too fraught with guilt, too tired from exertion and lack of sleep. The frustrating pulse of dark elf magic distracted my thoughts, making it difficult to think clearly through the mental cloud of constant agitation. Tired of it all, I tried to push the images and thoughts from my mind so that I could gain at least a little sleep. That was a failure as all those elements came rushing back to me in the evening quiet.

  I rose and paced my room like a caged animal. Growling, I lashed out at a lamp and sent it crashing into my dresser before it fell to pieces to the floor. I clutched the sides of my head in both hands, grimacing. For a moment, I considered calling Dr. Baker. He’d already left the retreat, but there might be some sleeping pills in the clinic. I could search for them without bothering him, but there was the medication hangover to consider. For the trip to Elysian, I needed to be alert.

  I remembered the silver necklace in a plastic bag in the pocket of my jacket. There was a reprieve there, the kind that might last long enough to allow me to sleep without hindering my ability to operate optimally in the morning.

  Glancing at my forearms, I saw the previous marks on my skin had healed entirely. Slowly, I walked to the closet and retrieved the bag from my jacket. The plastic crinkled as I rolled my thumb over the necklace inside. It’s such a little thing, I thought, staring at the delicate silver chain. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pulled the necklace from the plastic and let it dangle in front of my eyes before draping it over my left forearm.

  I lost track of time. Eventually the smell of singed flesh dissipated and the pain in both arms subsided, leaving clarity behind. The stimulation was too much to allow sleep, but it gave me relief.

  By the time the sun rose, the thoughts and agitation were creeping back into my mind. I showered, dressed in jeans and a dark blue shirt with long sleeves, then met Sebastian in his office to finalize our plan for entering Elysian. The map provided by Bernard gave us the location of a hidden gateway, but it didn’t guarantee entry. A supplication had to be made. Permission had to be granted, and Liam, the current leader of the Makellos, was not fond of the pack.

  “I will do the supplication,” I stated.

  Sebastian said nothing, while Josh gaped as if the decision were idiotic. “He’ll deny you out of hand.”

  I agreed. “My appeal to his authority will appease him.”

  “We only have one shot to enter Elysian.”

  “You think Liam will respond better to you?” I snapped.

  Before Josh could answer, Sebastian declared, “Josh won’t be going with us.”

  My brother’s expression soured.

  “We’re already risking the pack’s Alpha and Beta,” Sebastian explained. “If there’s a betrayal, Gavin will need you to launch a rescue mission.”

  Josh accepted Sebastian’s rationale, but he didn’t like it.

  Sebastian looked to me. “Skylar will perform the supplication.”

  I faced him squarely. “There is no reason for her to go with us.”

  “He will demand a price from either of us, a price befitting his disdain. But he doesn’t know Sky. He holds no resentment of her. More importantly, she holds no authority to grant him any concession of consequence.”

  Josh nodded. “He might let her pass for a minor tribute.”

  I opened my mouth, then bit back a sharp retort. I preferred to try our luck with anyone else, but Josh was right that we only had one shot, and Kelly was counting on us. We had to gain access to Elysian.

  Sebastian read my concerns. “If his price is high, I will step in and accept the responsibility for it,” he promised.

  “She gets us in,” I warned Josh, raising a finger to him, “and that’s the end of her role. Once there, she’s a ghost in our wake.”

  He nodded unconditionally, but that didn’t put my concerns at ease.

  A short time later, the twin elves led us to an unremarkable wooded area outside the suburbs. With no trailhead, we made slow progress traipsing through the thicket, weaving our way between mature trees and young saplings as we followed Bernard’s directions.

  As I walked, I reflexively clenched and released my fists in an effort to expel agitation from the dark elf magic.

  “Why do they live separately?” Sky asked, stepping over a fallen rotting tree branch.

  Abigail hesitated, considering whether to answer. If she intended to hide her envy of the Makellos, she failed. “They are different than those of us that populate this world. Most of us are products of a relationship with someone other than an elf. Gideon and I are among the few that are considered ‘unchanged’ that do not live in Elysian.”

  “Unchanged?”

  Sebastian explained, “They are full elves, from a pure line.”

  “They’re snobs,” Gideon said, attempting to soothe his sister’s jealousy, “the strongest of our kind, and they do not care to descend from their ivory towers to ever consider associating with the likes of us. A world of only self-professed royalty. They are arrogant, narcissistic jerks that my sister and I would never join no matter how sweet the offers were. They make the vampires seem humble.”

  My sister and I would never join …. Her envy made me think that she’d never been invited, but Gideon had, and he’d declined the offer rather than be separated from his sibling.

  We continued into an increasingly dry, sickly part of the woods where it seemed the rain never touched. Trees and foliage were sparse and thin, with pale brittle leaves and dying branches. The usual clatter of insects and foraging small animals was entirely absent, as if shielded by a void. Even the sounds of our heartbeats and respirations were muted. It was an unnatural silence.

  I glanced about, looking for the vague borders of a glamor.

  Abigail stopped, bringing the rest of us to a halt. Standing in the center of a small ring of dead flowers, she unfolded the paper given to her by Bernard and read aloud. Whether it was a spell to open a way through the glamor, or simply a formal request, I wasn’t sure. Either way, it worked. A narrow doorway opened in the air, just wide enough for us to pass sin
gle file. Sebastian went first, followed by Sky and then me. I doubted we would be attacked on the other side, since we could only enter by permission, but it was always best to be prepared.

  Stepping into Elysian, I found ten elven soldiers barred our way, the butts of their spears, held in one hand, propped vertically on the lightly wooded hill. Dressed in blue button-down tunics with epaulets on the shoulders, they stood in a uniform line, posture military straight. A gentle breeze tickled the gaudy feather plumes on their ornate galea helmets.

  The royal guard, I assumed, suppressing a sardonic smile. Liam was going out of his way to make an impression.

  I took in our surroundings at a glance. In contrast to the brittle, dying terrain on the other side of the door, Elysian was a lush green paradise, blooming with fruit and avocado trees, but it was wrong somehow. The flora appeared familiar, but overly bright, like a candy version of itself. The smells were slightly wrong as well, putting my wolf at unease. The greenery extended from the hill as far as the eye could see, peppered with the crystal blue of small scenic lakes.

  Tactically, the hilltop was a sound defensible position. Elves always were more style than substance. I assumed the location of the entryway to Elysian was chosen to grant new arrivals a majestic view, but it also put the elves at a disadvantage should they find the need to fend off an invader. Glancing at the elven troopers, I figured we’d have no problem defeating them and then escaping through the doorway before more pressure could be brought to bear. We’d certainly see reinforcements coming—if the situation went sour.

  As Abigail emerged from the door and took in the scene, a look of awe came over her, which she was quick to suppress. Gideon arrived behind her, greeting the elven paradise with grim indifference—for her benefit, I assumed. Unlike Abigail, he’d probably been here before.

  The soldiers parted as Liam walked through their line, scrutinizing us with a stern expression as if we’d just fouled his precious Eden. His ash-gray linen suit and pear-colored shirt contrasted with the military dress of his guard. He was slightly taller than me, muscular but slender. His hair was gray and his eyes an intense silver.