Echo (The Soul Seekers #2)(65)
When the guy in front of me hands me a T-shirt, I take a moment to examine it. Noting how the grin in Cade’s picture is a perfect match for the one he wears now.
Fake.
Empty.
A meaningless void.
It’s the smile of a psychopath.
An egomaniacal freak with no access to human emotion, so the best he can do is imitate.
I crunch it into a ball and discard it at my feet. I have no intention of wearing it. No intention of working for him. My immediate goal is to determine what he’s up to. And then—
And then I’m no longer sure.
This wasn’t part of the plan.
“You’ll be mining for tourmaline. Pure blue tourmaline. Which, just so you know, is one of the most precious, rarest, and therefore most costly, stones on earth. Though make no mistake— you will enjoy all of the labor and none of the profits. And any of you even considering pocketing a rock you think no one will miss—think again. We are watching you at all times. The price for that kind of treason is immediate death with no questions asked. And any of you wanting to turn back—it’s too late. There is no escape.”
A few grunts of protest erupt from the crowd, but it’s not like Cade cares. He expects nothing less than their absolute submission, and there’s no doubt he’ll get it.
He turns on his heel, confident that we’ll follow (we do), as he leads us across a blackened scorched land to an elaborate mining operation guarded by an army of more undead Richters. The sight of which leaves me gaping in astonishment.
I’m out of my element.
Out of my league.
The double-sided knife I’ve stashed up my sleeve is a joke, no matter what Paloma claims.
There are way too many Richters—way too many heads to remove—versus only one of me.
While the athame may hold the power to slay Cade, I won’t even get that far before I’m overcome by the rest of them.
I’ve completely miscalculated.
Ignored common sense in favor of anger and thoughts of revenge.
Despite Valentina’s claim: Your intent fuels your will, and your will is your way—I don’t see how either one of those things will bring me to victory when I’m so outnumbered like this.
I crouch behind the guy before me, tipping my hood just enough to see what a mess this place is.
The mine is the cause of this environmental disgrace. The very reason why the ocean is polluted and the fish are all dying. But Cade won’t care. Violating the Lowerworld will not only result in profit for him but will also ensure that the Middleworld will soon fall to ruin—just as he planned.
When my fellow travelers crowd into the shaft, I slip free of their ranks and hide among a grove of burned-out tree carcasses. Stealing a moment to observe the goings on while I decide my next move.
There’s no reason to take any chances. If I’ve any hope of helping these people—of getting them out of here—I have to make it back to the Middleworld, where I can consult the elders and come up with a much better way to handle this.
When the entire group disappears inside the mine, Cade looks around with a creepy self-satisfied grin.
A creepy self-satisfied grin that fades the instant he tips his nose in the air and captures my scent. Whirling in my direction, his eyes deep, opaque, and fathomless, he says, “Do you know what I find most fascinating about ravens?”
I swallow hard. Slip the athame into my hand. Watching as he snaps his fingers and raises his arm, smiling in triumph when a moment later Raven, my Raven, obediently lands on his finger.
“Not only can they be trained to come on command, but they’re also exceedingly gifted at mimicry. They can repeat all manner of sounds and phrases with absolute perfect pitch. For example—” He peers at Raven, cooing softly when he says, “Go ahead, tell Santos what you know.”
Right on command, Raven’s purple eyes glimmer as he croaks, “The Seeker loves the Echo.” His voice a perfect match for Cade’s.
I remove the sheath from the blade, keep it close to my side.
“Cute, huh?” Cade gives Raven an affectionate tap on the head. “Of course, we’ve only just started, got a ways to go still.” He releases Raven, watching him lift into flight only to land on a branch just a few feet away. The sight of it causing Cade to make a face of distaste. “He’s so nosy.” He shakes his head and returns his attention to me. “How did you stand it?”
He strides toward me, as I grip the hilt tighter. Fingers pressing into the smooth black wood, ready to use it at the first opportunity. Allowing myself to exhale only when he stops a few feet away.
“But then you’re not here to watch stupid pet tricks, are you? And surely you’re not seeking a job, or at least I should hope not. It’s mind-numbing, soul-crushing work that wouldn’t even begin to utilize your many talents and skills.” He tilts his head, runs his tongue across his front teeth. A move so lurid, so obscene, I have to force myself not to react. “It’s not exactly what I had in mind when I approached you about working together. So, why don’t you just admit it, Santos, you’re here to see me.”
He shoots me one of his smug grins, and before I can stop myself, I say, “You’re completely delusional!” I step free of the tree, seeing no point in hiding when my cover’s been blown.
“Am I?” He regards me carefully. “And yet you can’t stop thinking about me—what’s up with that?”