Court of Nightfall (The Nightfall Chronicles #1)(42)

I gestured for them to sit, which they did, but T.R. eyed me suspiciously. "Why are you two wearing masks? You've seen our faces. We should see yours."

"Maybe she's someone we'd recognize," Trix suggested.

"I'm not one of you," I said. "Neither of us are. And I won't have our identities compromised if one of you is captured."

"My guys would never break," T.R. said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We all break," said Trix, more moderately. I liked her.

"You didn't tell them anything," he said, his voice less caustic with her. More… loving. Interesting.

"Nothing important," she said with a shudder. "But people have different priorities. N's right. Someone might give out her identity if they didn't value it. And like she said, she's not one of us. So why would we value her?"

"My plan will strategically benefit you," I said, tired of being talked about as if I weren't there.

"How exactly?" asked T.R.

I spoke quietly into Evie and she projected onto a blank wall the video I cued up. It was images of Jax. "This is Sir Jaxton Lux, a high-ranking Knight of the Teutonic Order, sentenced to death for executing deserters."

"I heard they were Officers," T.R. said.

"They were killing innocents, claiming they were killing rebels. Sir Lux ordered them to stop. When they refused, he stripped them of their rank. When they refused again, he executed them."

"Saw this on the city camera's, did you?" asked Trix with a smirk.

I nodded.

I could see the outrage forming on T.R.'s face. "Bastards are saying he just murdered them…"

"So what's the plan, N?" Trix asked.

"We rescue Sir Lux."

T.R. jumped up from the bench, hands fisted. "Are you crazy? After what just happened, the whole city is a fortress. We'll never get close to him, not to mention get out."

I stood and faced him. "Tell me, T. R., did I or did I not secure The Shadow of Rome's escape?"

He scrunched his face. "Yeah, but—"

"And they were waiting for you," I reminded him. "This time, we'll be the ones to surprise them. This time, there will be no casualties, I promise you."

"There's no way you can promise that," he said.

I smiled. "I do. No one will die. Not even the Inquisition."

His mouth fell open for a moment, and he snapped it shut. "And what do we get from this? A chance to play your puppets?"

I shook my head calmly, pulling in all my anxiety and fear that they would say no. "Sir Lux is a powerful Zenith. I witnessed his abilities when he executed the deserters. After his rescue, I will convince him to join your ranks. It'll be a huge public blow to the Orders, having one of their own join the rebels."

"And what if he doesn't want to join?" asked Trix, crossing her legs casually. She stayed cool and collected where T.R. was all fire. I'd have to remember that.

"He will. He'll have no other options." I would do whatever I could to make him. That I vowed.

T.R. was not impressed, based on his scowl, but Trix nodded more thoughtfully. "It's a good idea, N. You want to strengthen us once again, but why? I'd say you know this Lux fellow, but that wouldn't explain why you helped rescue me."

"My reasons are my own," I said.

"I get the privacy," she stood as well, but Zorin stayed to the side, silent and imposing. "We all have reasons of our own, and not just the fighting for equal rights stuff. Sure that's important, but we've all lost things, people. Something deeper drives us. And, I want to know, what drives you N? Because then, maybe we could trust you."

They both looked to me for answers I couldn't give them. "I've already helped you. Isn't that enough?"

"It's a start," she said. "But you could still be part of the Inquisition. This could still be some Inquisition scheme to gain our trust. So, I ask you again, N. What drives you?"

I couldn't tell them the whole truth, but I had one last move up my sleeve. "You're right. We've all lost things." I leaned down on one knee and drew the first half of the Nephilim symbol. A symbol of trust.

I saw the recognition in T.R.'s eyes as Trix knelt next to me and completed the symbol. She looked at me with awe on her face and whispered, "You believe they'll return?"

"No," I said, dropping my cloak to the ground as a warmth spread through my back and I unleashed the silver glow of my wings in all their glory. "I believe they already have."





Chapter 18


Nightfall


I'd always wanted my own aircraft. I just never thought I'd get it by stealing from the military.

I also never imagined it would be The Night Raven, a small stealth jet with hovering capabilities and cloaking.

A multi-billion dollar machine.

It wasn't hard. Once Evie hacked the Airforce base to find the identity and home address of the Head of Security, I caught him as he left for work and used my powers to compel him to program a Night Raven to leave base and arrive at the Cathedral. "You will remove all tracking and will not search for it. It will remain in your database."