by Jaye Wells
“David?” I repeated stupidly.
He spread his arms wide. “In the flesh, so to speak.”
Thinking was like wading through oatmeal. I looked around for some sort of clue about what I was supposed to say or do. But the silent crypts weren’t offering up any etiquette tips. “How? Why?”
The apparition crossed his arms. “The how doesn’t matter. Not really.”
“And the why?” My voice sounded thick.
A smile quirked the corner of his lips—an odd sight on a nearly transparent man. “Before I tell you why I’m here, we need to get a few things straight.”
“I’m listening.”
He moved closer. His legs didn’t move, though. His body just kind of glided above the grass. I clenched my jaw against the instinct to run again. Then I remembered I wasn’t in my body and my astral form probably looked a lot like his right then. He finally stopped a couple of feet away.
“First, you need to know I am not here because I want to be. You’re the last person I’d be helping if I had a choice.”
Not a surprise, really. I swallowed the fear clogging my throat and nodded.
“And don’t ask who sent me. You wouldn’t believe me anyway.”
I might be confused and shocked, but I wasn’t an idiot. “Tell me anyway. Just for kicks.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “She said you’d demand to know.” He shrugged in a suit-yourself gesture. “Lilith sends her regards.”
My mouth fell open, but he continued on as if he hadn’t just dropped an epic bombshell on my ass.
“Second, this is really happening. Your sister is inside that box.”
“Wait a second,” I interrupted. “Lilith sent you?”
He nodded impatiently in a yes-we’ve-covered-this way.
“Why?”
He rolled his eyes. “Sabina, she’s the Queen of Irkalla. We don’t question her motives without serious repercussions.”
“No, I mean why send you?”
He crossed his arms. “Instead of Vinca, you mean?”
That stopped me. David died before I’d ever met Vinca. If they’d met in Irkalla I highly doubted it was just a coincidence.
“Lilith thought you’d spend too much time blubbering to the nymph about being sorry you got her killed to listen.”
I tried to sort through the flurry of questions scrambling to get out. But before I could choose one, he interrupted. “Look, we don’t really have time to play twenty questions right now. Soon that mage of yours is going to panic and pull you back.”
“I’m so confused right now.”
He shot me a look. “All you have to do is listen. Can you handle that?” He paused until I nodded. Then he smiled at me, like he was going to enjoy sharing his message. “Lavinia is really going to summon Cain here tomorrow.”
I squinted at him. “That’s your news?”
He grimaced. “Let me finish. You’re going to have to make some tough choices tomorrow night. Choose unwisely and all will be lost.”
My stomach cramped. “What are the right choices?”
He shrugged. “That’s the wrong question.”
I clenched my fists in frustration. “What’s the right one?”
“The correct question is: Can you have it both ways?”
“Godsdammit, David. Enough with this cryptic bullshit.”
“There’s something else,” he said, ignoring my growing agitation. “The human told you the summoning would happen at midnight?”
I didn’t bother questioning how he knew what Alodius told me. “Yeah.”
“He was wrong. That’s what they told him to tell you. Lavinia knew you were smart enough to figure out his involvement. If you show up at midnight, Cain will already be here and all will be lost.”
I sighed from so deep in my chest that it took a good five seconds to clear all the air. “What exactly is Cain’s plan for me?”
“Sorry, babe. I can’t tell you that. There’s rules about these things. But I can tell you that there will be repercussions for years from your choices tomorrow night. And more battles to come before this all plays out. That is, if you survive, which, let’s face it, would take a miracle at this point.”
Pushed past the limits of patience, I threw my fist at his nose. Only instead of making contact, it passed through his face with a sickening frigid sensation. His mocking laughter was one insult too many. “You’re an asshole.”
“Nice. You killed me, but I’m the asshole.”
I sighed. “Look, David, you have to know if I had it all to do over again—”
A slow smile spread across his lips. “You’d have done the same thing.” I frowned and opened my mouth to argue, but he held up a hand. “Let’s not bullshit each other, Sabina. There’s powerful forces at play right now. Things bigger than the both of us. Whether you’d killed me or not, you’d still be in the middle of it.”
I shook my head. I didn’t deserve to be let off the hook. “You don’t know that.”
He tilted his head and regarded me with a mixture of pity and regret. “Actually, I know it for a fact. Like it or not, we’re all just fate’s pawns.” He looked up at the sky for a moment. Wind rushed through the clearing, too chill even for October. A tunnel of shimmering magic formed over us. “It’s time to go.”
“Wait, I have more questions.”
He shook his head. “I’m all out of answers. Bye, Sabina.”
I opened my mouth to call out, but suddenly the wind reversed direction, creating a vacuum. The force sucked my soul up and into the tunnel. I screamed, struggling to stay. To demand David give me more answers. But the pull was too strong.
Colors swirled and danced around me in fast-forward. Warped sound assaulted my ears. Then, before I knew it, my soul crashed back into my body like a comet. The impact forced a gasp from my lungs. My eyes flew open. A scream ripped from my chest, “David!”
25
Cool liquid splashed over my raw vocal cords, soothing the heat left from my impression of a B-grade horror actress. With each breath, the herbal-fresh-purple scent of the lavender oil Rhea applied to my temples slowed my pulse. But as much as I appreciated the aromatherapy and the water, what I really wanted was to be alone. To have some time to gather my thoughts and weigh options. To collect myself before I had to talk. But judging from the eager stares pressing in on me and the tension thickening the air, privacy was a luxury I couldn’t afford.
When the final drop of water hit my tongue, Rhea took the glass away. Before the meager mouthful worked its way to the back of my throat, the questions had begun. I tried to keep my tone even and relay everything I remembered with cool detachment. It wasn’t easy, though, and before long the strain of little sleep, exposure to the sun earlier that day, astral projection, emotional upheaval, and good old-fashioned stress caught up with me. By the time I finished, my throat was hoarse and clogged with unshed tears.
Adam took my palm and squeezed it. “She’s going to be all right, Sabina. We’ll get her back.”
Giguhl patted my back. He’d come in after Zen asked her voodoo pals to give us some privacy. “You did good, Red.”
Pussy Willow walked in with the map Zen asked her to fetch. She handed it to me with a small smile. Shadows under her eyes hinted at fatigue, but I was glad to see she’d emerged from her rooms.
I unfolded the map with clumsy, shaking hands. Finally, I managed to spread it across the floor between Adam and me.
“The cemetery is right next to City Park.” I ran my finger over the map, trying to retrace my path in two dimensions. I circled an area. “Somewhere in here.”
Zen lifted the map to get a closer look. “There are six cemeteries within a mile of the park.” She pointed to a spot on the map. “We can rule out Metairie Cemetery, because that’s across the interstate. And this here,” she moved her finger, “is Holt Cemetery.”
Remembering the name from our visit there, I shook my head. “Definitely wasn’t that place. All the tombs
were aboveground.” Then I remembered the detail I’d forgotten to mention. “There’s a large building set at one end, like it’s connected somehow. Looked kind of like a government building.”
PW frowned. “Did it have a dome?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be damned,” Zen breathed.
“What is it?” Rhea asked. Everyone leaned in, eager to hear Zen’s answer.
She waved the map in the air triumphantly. “They’ve got her in the Guild Society Cemetery.”
On the heels of that announcement, several different reactions filtered through the room. Giguhl and PW high-fived each other, Zen crossed herself, and Adam and I shared a confused look.
“I hate to be a downer, but are you sure?” Adam asked.
Zen nodded eagerly. “Yes, the Guild Temple of Philosophy and Art has a cemetery behind it for members and their families.”
“Why would the Brotherhood use a cemetery owned by another secret society to hide a prisoner?” he continued. “Alodius acted like they didn’t think too highly of other fraternal orders.”
“Unless,” Giguhl said, “The BBEM and this Guild Society are one and the same?”
The room fell silent as we all pondered the possibility. “But I know some of the members of that lodge,” Zen said finally. “They do all sorts of charity work. After Katrina hit, they raised a ton of money for displaced families.”
“Yeah, and Alodius seemed like a great guy on the surface,” I said. “Face it, Zen, people have all sorts of secrets. Especially, I would imagine, people who join secret societies.”
“Look,” Zen said, “that might be true, but does it really matter? We know where Maisie is now.”
“Actually, it matters a lot if Guild Society sects throughout the world are all working with the Caste,” Adam replied.
“You sound like one of those wacko conspiracy theorists,” Zen said.
“Zenobia, a secret Brotherhood trashed your property and almost killed your friend. Do you really deny that some serious conspiracy is afoot here?”
She pursed her lips. “You have a point.”
“Okay, I think it’s time to table the theories for now and focus on next steps,” Rhea said. “We need to take all of this information to Orpheus and the Queen.”
I’d known this moment would come, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow. “There’s no time. We need to go in tonight.”
Adam’s gaze shot toward me. “Why tonight?”
“David said that Lavinia wanted us to show up after she’d summoned Cain. If we wait too long, he’ll already be here when we go in.”
Rhea shook her head. “Not possible. Too many logistics need to be sorted out first. And as much as I know you hate asking for permission, Orpheus and the Queen deserve to have a say in the decision.”
“Besides,” Giguhl said. “No offense, Red, but you look like warmed-over death.”
I frowned at my minion. “Thanks, G.”
“Just sayin’.” He shrugged.
The stubborn set to Zen’s chin told me that arguing would only make her dig in more. So I switched tactics. “Is there any way to talk to them without going back to court? Some sort of magical conference call that would speed this up?”
PW spoke up. “Or we could, you know, use computers like the good Lord intended.”
Adam stood and helped me up. “Rhea, call Orpheus and tell him to get himself and the Queen in front of a computer STAT.”
* * *
Thirty minutes later, Rhea wrapped up her debriefing of the situation to Orpheus and the Queen. Adam sat next to his aunt, occasionally clarifying points or answering questions. I stood behind Adam like a spectator. We’d agreed, given the Queen’s dislike of me, that it would be best for the mages to take point on the discussion.
“Judging from the evidence you’ve presented,” Orpheus began. He stood next to the Queen, who sat in a throne at the head of a conference table made from burled wood. Apparently the treehouse court had state-of-the-art conferencing and computer systems, because it took no time for them to pop up on Zen’s computer. “The best course of action would be for you to sit tight tonight. We will send a contingent of Pythian Guards and Fae Knights to assist you in the attack tomorrow at midnight.”
I tensed but kept my mouth shut. Adam shifted uneasily. “Sir, with all due respect, I feel that any delay on our part would not be advisable. Lavinia is expecting us at midnight. Why not attack tomorrow afternoon or at sundown at the latest?”
Zen spoke up from her position next to me. “Actually, during the day won’t work, either. Tomorrow is November 1—the Day of the Dead. The cemeteries will be full of families leaving flowers on the graves of their relatives. Some cemeteries even host masses completed with brass band parades, second lines, and picnics. If you try to attack before the cemetery closes at sundown, you’ll risk human casualties and/or police intervention.”
“Which means Orpheus’s plan is still the best option,” Queen Maeve said. “Draw up a list of supplies you’ll need and we’ll send them with the team tomorrow.”
Almost as soon as she stopped talking, Adam was ready with a rebuttal. “While I agree that waiting until dark is probably the best option, I really think we—”
“Who asked you to think?” the Queen snapped. “We have made our decision.”
My gut clenched for Adam. How dare that bitch belittle him like that? I jumped in. “It’s the wrong decision,” I said in a loud, clear voice.
The Queen’s eyes widened. “You dare?”
“Sabina,” Adam said.
“No, this is bullshit. We told you what David said—”
“David? You mean the ghost you supposedly saw who claimed he was sent by the goddess Lilith?” the Queen snorted. “Surely you don’t expect us to make battle plans based on a hallucination.”
My mouth fell open. “You’d rather make plans based on the lies of a human who conspired against us, then?”
“Sabina,” Orpheus said. “Stand down.”
“No, I—”
“Sabina,” Adam gritted out. The tension in his tone told me I was only making things worse. Onscreen, the Queen’s expression went permafrost.
With a tight jaw, Adam spoke quickly. “She meant no offense, Your Magnificence. We’re all a little tense.”
“Yes, well, I’m sorely tempted to demand she be taken off the mission altogether for her insolence,” the Queen said.
I tensed to speak again, but Zen grabbed my hand in warning. I looked up at her and she shook her head hard. “Trust Adam,” she whispered so low I barely heard it.
“I’ll keep her in line,” Adam said. My stomach tightened at his words. But then my ears registered his tone of voice. Was it me, or did I detect some trademark Lazarus irony?
“Fine,” Maeve said. “Now, I’m sending the captain of my guard, Ilan. He will lead the attack.”
“What?” Adam barked. The Queen’s eyes narrowed. “Your Magnificence,” he said, recovering smoothly. “Ilan is a proud and capable warrior, but I’m concerned his lack of involvement in the mission thus far might not make him the best choice of lead.”
“I suppose you feel you should have the honor?” The Queen said. “Doubtful you can handle both that and keeping the mixed-blood in line. She seems quite a handful.”
Orpheus spoke up. “Adam is one of my most trusted Pythian Guards. His knowledge of the complexity of the situation makes him the obvious choice.”
The Queen waved an insolent hand indicating her agreement. “Fine. Now that that’s settled, we have some news.” Maeve shifted in her throne with excitement. “Ever since we discovered Tanith was telling the truth about Maisie’s whereabouts, we’ve been in talks. In fact, we’re quite close to finalizing a peace accord. The only roadblock we face is that Lavinia is still alive. As long as she remains so, she is still the de facto leader of the vampire race.”
The Queen let that hang in the air for a couple of seconds. “Therefore we will need you to e
nsure Lavinia Kane dies tomorrow night.”
I let out the breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. On some level, I’d been expecting her to say we couldn’t kill Lavinia, after all.
Adam nodded. “Not a problem. That’s on our list of things to do.”
“You misunderstand,” she said. “Killing Lavinia will be your sole priority.”
Adam’s head snapped up. “I don’t follow.” His tone clearly implied he followed perfectly well but rejected the implications. Couldn’t blame him, since I felt like she’d just sucker-punched us.
In a bored tone Queen Maeve said, “Let me spell it out for you: If it comes down to a choice, you will sacrifice Maisie Graecus to kill Lavinia Kane.”
“What?” Orpheus gasped. “We didn’t discuss this!”
My fists clenched so hard the skin of my palms split open. At the desk, Adam’s shoulders went rock hard and the muscles of his neck corded into knots.
Maeve’s response to Orpheus dripped with ice. “I do not need your leave to make orders.”
“You do when your decisions doom my people to death. I demand you rescind your order.”
The Queen speared the High Councilman with an icy stare. “You forget yourself, mage. At present you are little more than a beggar at my door. I have tolerated your opinions as far as I am willing.” She rose. “Lavinia dies. It is the only way to ensure the war you couldn’t prevent yourself doesn’t come to fruition. I hope the girl makes it, but not as much as I want to end the threat Lavinia poses to all members of the dark races.”
Orpheus was red-faced and panting. A parade of strong emotions marched across his face as he struggled to find an appropriate response. Watching the drama unfold onscreen, I felt like a voyeur to his shame.
The air in the office was so thick with tension it was hard to breathe. I stepped forward and put a hand on Adam’s shoulder. His hand came up to grab mine, his grip so tight I winced. We might all have a stake in this, but Adam was watching his boss and mentor get emasculated in public. And Orpheus’s next move could well dictate all our fates.
