Dead of Winter (The Arcana Chronicles #3)(58)

Instead of denying such a wild claim, Jack said, “I was bored that weekend, me.” He wasn’t a braggart by nature, but feeding this rumor was smart.

“You ride with those Arcana,” said another man.

“Got a new pair with me right now,” Jack replied. “One’ll be staying with me, the other’ll be riding on.”

Aric gave a humorless laugh. —It’s almost fascinating how confident he is.— As he’d done yesterday, Death watched him avidly.

“Back to the questions,” Jack said. “Any of you a doctor?”

No raised hands.

“An electrician or a mechanic? And doan bullshit me, ’cause I know enough about either to tell if you’re lying.” Jack had read those trade books so he could determine whether someone had helpful skills. “Do any of you got experience that’s valuable today?”

A few raised their hands.

“No attorneys,” Jack bit out, and one man lowered his hand. “I ain’t looking for auto detailers, hedge-fund managers, or salesmen.” With a wink back at me, he said, “And for f*ck’s sake, no shrinks.”

Zero hands were left in the air.

“I’m goan to release you when we head out. Now, some of you are probably thinking about following ma belle fille here, ’cause you’re just plain stupid.” He narrowed his eyes at one guy who was staring at me and licking his lips. “She is an Arcana. The Empress of them. Which means she’s pretty much a wrathful Mother Nature.”

—If the shoe fits.—

Shut it. I was in no mood. Though Aric’s honesty had affected me, I was still a little raw from reliving those hardships.

“She’s full of poison, and I’ve seen her tear a man in two with her vines.” Jack turned to me. “Show them some of what you got, Empress.”

I hesitated. I’d never demonstrated my abilities for anyone except Arcana. But then, Matthew had said remaining secret didn’t matter anymore.

So I let my body vine grow, a rose stalk. Creeping out from my collar, it stretched upward like a serpent, then twined around my head in “crown” position, leaves jutting up. I found wearing it like that a comfort.

Jaws dropped.

As the air grew thick with the smell of roses, I raised my purple claws. Reaching for the nearby breaker box, I slashed the metal door like it was paper. Gasps sounded.

With a chuckle, Aric headed back inside, and I followed.

I heard Jack tell the men, “Anybody not a fan of his balls, try something with that one. Anybody else, know that we’re goan to be building a haven in Louisiana, a place called New Acadiana, for white hats only. If you fit the bill, you got something mighty fine to look forward to.”

By the time Jack locked the garage door and joined me and Aric in the living room, Rodrigo had returned, dressed, armed, and holding a two-way radio.

When Aric strode toward the fire, spurs clinking, Rodrigo stared after him with a blend of awe and fear.

Jack snapped his fingers at the man. “You heard anything?”

“Meeting’s tonight. They’re sending a truck here.” He stepped on one of the new carpet stains, and blood splashed up around his boot. “I’m heading outside to flag them down. ETA fifteen.”

Jack told him, “I’m bringing my girl with me.”

Aric slowly shook his head. “Do you truly think I’ll allow you to take her out of my reach? Straight into a meeting with soldiers? You’re deluded in your young age.”

Rodrigo said, “Uh, the conditions of the meet are that you come alone and unarmed, with no Arcana.”

Once the man had left, I told Jack, “I don’t like you going by yourself. Much less with no weapons. Let us follow you.”

“Tonight’s important, peek?n. You got to trust that I know what I’m doing.”

“In other words, the Empress should trust that you know who to trust,” Aric said. “If your co-conspirators betray you, our element of surprise will be gone. Surely Milovníci put a price on your head.”

“He did. I’m the general’s most wanted, and he ain’t dicking around. The bounty’s a woman, free and clear.”

My claws sharpened at the threat to Jack—and at the idea of a woman being passed around like that.

“You bade the Empress flaunt her abilities, but not just to frighten those slavers,” Aric said. “You’re using us to secure power. Once freed, those men will disseminate information—that you shaped.”

Jack nodded. “There’ll come a time when soldiers are more afraid of us than of the general.”

“Wars are won by perception.” Aric stroked his golden stubble. “Again and again, I’ve witnessed this.”

“I let that rumor grow about me and the Bagmen because people want to believe that something like that can actually happen. They need to believe it.” A new story to tell. “Like they need to believe there’s a girl out there who can seed the ground, if they could just ease her wrath enough.”

“You’re turning her into a nature deity. With her own fables.” Aric’s tone wasn’t disapproving, more contemplative.

“Ouais. Right now I want as many people as possible to think I’m riding the countryside with life and death—”