by Holly Hook
"Are we going to Trish and Elsina's places?" I asked.
"I have to see them," Xavier said. He summoned his ball of light and held it in front of him with his free hand. "Just for a second. Then we need to go to my house. Thoreau will be weakest there due to the anti-demon wards."
I hoped that he was right. I wanted to ask if I could get in, but that might make Liliana freak out even more.
Xavier ran faster and faster. I could sense that he was holding out hope that Trish and Elsina were still here, but when we turned the corner to Trish's little infirmary, his face fell. There was nothing but darkness.
Trish's table remained along with her old vanity mirrors and medical equipment, but there was no Trish. I sniffed but remembered that I could no longer pick up scents. I couldn't tell how long it had been since anyone had come here.
"Xavier," I said, squeezing his hand. "We saw Trish getting taken into the bunker on the news, right along with Elsina."
"I know," he said. "I just had to see this place. I have to imagine that Trish is still here."
I knew what I needed to say. "We'll get everyone back." I felt like I was pushing the words out, but I did it. The glamour was helping, maybe because the full horror of what I now was wasn't in my face constantly. I could pretend that I was the old Alyssa for a little bit.
Xavier turned away from the infirmary, perhaps with anger. "Do you want to see Thorne's dojo?" he asked.
"What's the point? We can't mess around," I said. "The mayor could be coming for us right now."
"We need to get home," Liliana said. "We'll be safest there. Leon can help hold Thoreau back if he shows up."
"You used to call him grandpa," Xavier said as we followed her.
"I don't know if I can anymore," she said. "He treats you like crap."
"Since when does my kid sister care about that?" Xavier asked with shock.
We didn't say anything beyond that. There was no sound in the Underground other than our footfalls. It was eerie. I imagined Shadow Wraiths waiting to burst out of the walls. Would I feel dread from them anymore? Demons weren't supposed to be bothered by them. Xavier and I were now immune, but Liliana wasn't. I knew that losing her wouldn't affect our mission, but Xavier's grief wouldn't help our plan.
Great. I was thinking selfishly again.
Then another thought hit me. "Can I get through the wards around your district, Xavier?"
"We're battle partners. You should be able to. Allunna could."
I got another look of horror from Liliana, but I forced myself to ignore it. We turned down Frankincense and picked up our pace. Doors to apartments gaped open, and belongings lay on the floors. Bed sheets hung off beds and spread over tiles. The ATC had struck when many people were sleeping and unaware. In the dim purple light, I spotted a stain that might be blood in the middle of the hall. Nearby, bullet holes riddled the wall. There had been fighting.
But no one had left any bodies.
Liliana continued in front of us, bounding like she was trying to escape the sight. I knew I should feel horror. Sadness. It just wasn't coming to me, even with Xavier's contact. The feelings were painful, and I was glad that it didn't affect me too much right now. Xavier, however, kept his hand on mine and squeezed with anger.
The hallway widened. The apartments now sported balconies and potted plants. I felt no wards holding me back and no tingling. I could still get through.
Even the wealthy district hadn't escaped the ATC. Some doors had splintered from shooting. No one remained. A potted plant had fallen off a balcony and lay broken on the street, with dirt strewn everywhere.
Liliana broke into a run.
Xavier and I bolted to catch up.
She let her light die, but Xavier kept his going. We made a left, like Janine and I had so long ago to visit Xavier's place for the first time. The stars winked above, the fake glamoured ones on the ceiling. At least some of the magic still worked here.
Xavier's place was at the end of the street. One of the double doors was open, showing only darkness inside. There was no sign of anyone. Police tape blocked the way forward, but Liliana ducked underneath it.
"Is anyone here?" she yelled.
Her voice echoed through the corridor, dismal and desperate.
"Keep it down," Xavier said. "Alyssa, I can take the glamour off your sword and the Orb now."
I shook the cane out, restoring its true form, but I had to hand Xavier the backpack while the three of us stood in the entryway. Liliana fought back the tears. One of the chairs in the room lay overturned as if someone had used it as a shield.
"Aunt Primrose is alive," Xavier reassured her. "Leon wouldn't have let Thoreau do anything to her."
"Then she's enslaved," Liliana said. "That's just as bad. Nora isn't even here. Nora!" She turned in a circle, calling for the Lovelli's maid.
Only echoes and then silence responded.
"Keep quiet," I said while Xavier held the fake backpack and muttered more words over it. The Orb reappeared, filled with dark blood. He had to hug it to his chest. Xavier maintained his light, which floated above his free palm. The blood appeared black.
Like my insides.
Like my blood must be. Thankfully, all signs of my gunshot wounds had vanished, and along with it, any blood.
"What is that thing?" Liliana asked.
We didn't have time to explain. Xavier waved us down the hallway. I had no choice but to follow.
Xavier pushed open a set of double doors at the end of the hallway. The smell of chlorine washed over me.
The Lovellis had a pool, which shouldn't have surprised me. Unlike the rest of the Underground, the torches inside this room were still burning in their mounts. A dolphin statue overlooked the giant pool, which sparkled in the firelight. The place was so lavish that there were marble columns on the walls and a dolphin mosaic on the bottom of the pool.
It looked Roman.
"Excuse the overwhelming snob factor," Xavier said. "We should break the Orb in here, spill all the blood in the water, and drain the pool. It's the safest way. I know where the switch is."
"That's because you drained the pool before Aunt Primrose hosted her swim party last year," Liliana reminded him.
"You what?" I asked.
"I'll tell you about it later," he said with a smile.
"You will not be draining my beloved pool, young man."
Oh, no.
I turned.
And standing right between two of the columns was Leon.
Chapter Sixteen
I drew my sword and willed something awful to surround the blade, something that would end Leon. My green Death Magic burst to life, casting my sword in an otherworldly glow.
"There is no need for that," Leon said in his raspy voice. He wore Thoreau's suit, which was too big on him, and he appeared as old and frail as ever. He held my Blood Amulet. The charm pointed at me, lifting in the Elder's grasp. "I am not here to fight. Listen to me, Xavier, if you want any chance at restoring our family honor."
Thoreau had followed us to the Underground. We had given him time to get down here by visiting Trish's place. Once he had gotten here and crossed the wards, Leon had a chance to take over.
"No need?" I asked. I wanted to destroy him. I searched for any signs of Thoreau coming through, but there were none. Leon's eyes remained blue with violet flecks. He was still strong here.
"Xavier," Leon said. His gaze softened.
Xavier glanced at me like he wasn't sure what to think. I had never seen Leon look at Xavier with anything other than hatred.
"You can restore the Lovelli family honor," Leon rasped. "There is still time."
"Excuse me?" Xavier asked. He hung back by Liliana.
"I thought that Thoreau would help me regain mine, so I helped him," Leon said. "He told me that I could become immortal. That demon knew what I wanted most. Then he betrayed me. He Bound my favorite daughter. Now I will soon fade away." Standing before us was a broken man with his last hope
s destroyed. Thoreau had shattered his pride, his most valued possession.
"We heard," Xavier said. I sensed intense emotion coming over him. Hatred. Sadness. Regret. My battle partner was too choked for any more words.
Leon cleared his throat and continued. He looked frailer than ever like he might trip and collapse into dust. It was hard to believe that this was a powerful Elder War Mage. "I have seen Thoreau's thoughts at times," Leon said, "and what he and Allunna have done to tarnish your reputation. I was wrong about you, Xavier."
My battle partner trembled. He was close to breaking down.
Did Leon forgive him?
But the Elder faced me and his gaze hardened. I still wasn't the favorite. He must have known what I now was. His glare gave it away.
"You hold the Blood Orb," Leon said. "You cannot break it yet."
"Sure, I can," I said. "It's glass. I can smash it right here." I watched Leon for any signs of Thoreau's rage.
None appeared. That meant that Leon could hold the demon baron back, but Leon clenched his fists as if he were fighting the mayor. "You need to hurry," he said. "Try to smash the Orb, Alyssa. Right now."
Xavier raised his eyebrows in doubt. He handed the Orb to me. I lifted it and smashed it to the floor.
I flinched, waiting for it to shatter, but instead, the glass flashed an angry magenta on impact. It was so bright that I had to squint. Lightning bolts of the same color shot in all directions. One struck a torch. It wobbled and went out.
The Orb remained on the floor, rolling towards the pool. It hadn't even sustained a crack. It stopped inches from the edge, blood sloshing.
"What was that?" Liliana asked.
"Thoreau has had the Orb protected with War Magic," Leon said. He faced me and shuffled a bit closer. "Thoreau wanted to make sure that no other demon, Noble or otherwise, could free his slaves. He forced the War God to protect this artifact with the one type of magic that can destroy you. In fact, no being can smash the Orb as it is right now."
"What?" I asked. "So I can't break this? Allunna said that I was the only one who could."
"She told you that you were the only one who could free it. She was right, but breaking it is another matter. There is still a chance, however. Thoreau may have Bound the War God, but he is not cooperative, even though his punishment for disobeying the baron would be horrific," Leon said with a hint of pride. "He fights his contract. Thoreau has to keep him imprisoned to manage him."
His words rang a bell. "Where?" I asked. The mayor had mentioned something about moving the War God into position. "We're supposed to free him, aren't we?"
Leon didn't smile. He turned to Xavier. "Only then will you be able to break the Orb. He is captive under his part of Thoreau's ritual circle."
"You mean at the park?" Xavier asked.
Leon nodded, facing him. "Go there. Free the War God. He will help you, but he will burn for it. I will slow Thoreau down for you, but I can't keep him here indefinitely." He reached into his suit pocket, producing the Blood Amulet again. "I will throw this into the pool drain, but Thoreau will know what I've told you. Go."
Leon tossed the Blood Amulet into the pool, where it sank towards the holes at the bottom. I watched the charm, and then the chain vanish into the darkness, never to be seen again.
The Orb remained by my feet, still filled with blood. The glass kept a faint magenta glow that made me reluctant to touch it, but I scooped up the Orb anyway, alarmed at how hot it felt to my touch. War Magic was one thing that could still burn.
"Come on," I said, trying to force myself to care about the tears forming in Xavier's eyes.
* * * * *
Janine texted me again and again as we climbed the ladder to the surface. By now, the sun had risen. We had spent some time in the Underground, more than I thought.
I climbed into the alley, not sure how this was going to go. So far, so good on the glamour, but the sun might be a different story. Bathory's blood must still be active if Thoreau could use me to merge the worlds.
I was right. As the sun rose higher, I felt a headache starting between my ears. It wasn't nearly as bad as before, but it was clear that I had some lingering vampire traits. I'd have to keep that in mind. In a way, it was comforting. Headaches during the daytime were familiar to me.
"Janine wants to see us," I said after reading one of her texts. "She's in a warehouse not far from here. I can see it on the map. It's five blocks from us."
"I don't know if we have time," Xavier said, tightening his hand around mine. We had never done so much hand holding, but I knew what would happen if he let go. Every time he did, I went dark inside. Even maintaining contact didn't chase all of the darkness away.
"We might need all the help we can get to free the War God," I said. "She and George can smell and hear well. Besides, it's the full moon tonight. George is one tough werewolf."
"He's going to transform whether he wants to or not," Xavier said. "Yeah. Let's get them. Leon won't be able to hold back the mayor for long, though."
My headache got a little worse as the three of us emerged into the full, late-morning sun, but it was nowhere near as intense as before. We followed the directions on the phone to an abandoned warehouse that looked like it used to manufacture cars. Xavier checked the quiet street before blasting down the closed gate to allow us entry.
Janine must have heard us coming. She opened one of the sliding metal doors before we reached her. She still wore sunglasses, the way I did, making us a pair. George peeked his head out as well.
He sniffed.
And then he made a face.
Horror washed over me. I had forgotten about something. To Janine and George, I must smell the same way Allunna and Thoreau did. My new secret was already out.
George reached over Janine and put his hand on the door like he was about to pull it shut.
"Stop right there," Xavier said. He reached into his pocket, producing the cologne bottle that he'd stolen from the mayor's desk. "Alyssa's not going to hurt us."
"You're...different," Janine said.
"I know I am," I said, trying not to snap at her. "I'll tell you about it later." I coughed as Xavier sprayed the cologne all over me. "Um, isn't that going to make things worse?" Humiliation tried to drag me down into the ground. To some creatures, I gave off the worst smell in the world. Well, Gaozu might top it, but still.
"The Infernal changed you," Janine said.
George hesitated, then let us into the empty warehouse. I was glad to be out of the open and grateful that Leon had disposed of my Blood Amulet. I took the glamoured Orb off my back and set the fake backpack down. Xavier went to work removing the glamour once again. The Orb reappeared. Janine looked at all the blood sloshing around inside, staring for several drawn-out seconds. Then she forced herself to look away.
I couldn't tell how far Turned she was, not with my senses dulled.
"Is that the thing Allunna was talking about?" George asked, eyeing the Orb.
Xavier gave them a brief rundown of what had happened in the Infernal. He skipped over the full changes that had come over me. He knew, the way that I did, that Janine and George would never trust me again if they learned that they had a full Noble in their midst. Even so, Janine eyed me with horror and searched me over, maybe trying to see what was different. She sure hadn't hugged me since I had come into the warehouse. She hadn't done that once since I discovered that she was Turning. A big piece of our friendship was already gone.
The thought made me harden over again.
George looked at the floor once Xavier finished, and an ominous growl came from his throat. "I'm going to transform tonight," he said. "I will be there to fight Thoreau."
"Hey. We don't know what's going to happen," I said, trying to direct Janine's attention from me. "We don't even know if he's going to show up at the grand opening now that the ATC building caught fire."
"He'll be there," Xavier said. "The fire won't matter if he succeeds tonight."
"But Leon threw away the Blood Amulet," I said. "We can still run, right?"
"Thoreau will have another made," Xavier said. "Even if he doesn't, he still has Marissa. If she could Transpose Leon's body to her, she can Transpose a live person, too. There's no doubt you left a hair or two in his path."
I thought about it. The memory of Leon's body vanishing from the funeral roared back. That had been thanks to Allunna, too.
It would take Marissa a while to set up a ritual, but she could make it work. Freeing the War God had to come now. "Janine, can you tolerate the sunlight at all anymore?"
She kept several feet between her and me. I hoped that only the smell had something to do with it. "Barely," she said. "I think...I think I'm almost there, and it'll be all over in hours."
An apology was in order, but I couldn't make myself say it.
George glared at me. I had done this to his cousin, and he was never going to let me forget it. I should feel bad.
But it was natural to turn my attention away.
Being bad was easy.
Xavier wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. He could almost read my mind. "I know what it feels like, Janine," I said. "It's awful. We'd give you Xavier's coat if we still had it."
George's glare softened. I was keeping the peace for now.
"I think I'll manage," Janine said. "Let's go find this War God and free him."
Chapter Seventeen
The abandoned warehouse had a few semis parked near the side. It took me a few minutes to figure out how to hot-wire one. Apparently, these vehicles had been driven in the near past, because this one had a half tank of gas and started.
It wasn't easy getting five of us into the cabin. This truck had a compartment right behind the drivers' seat for a trucker to sleep in during long hauls, which was fortunate for Janine. She hid back there, ducking out of the sun. Liliana and George slipped back there as well. Xavier and I kept the front seats.
