Endless Knight (The Arcana Chronicles #2)(93)

“I know, right? At least he doesn’t want to off you.”

“For now.” I turned back to the window just as another bolt struck. Lightning forked out over black. Greenish-yellow forked out over red?

My breath caught. Slitted black eyes stared back at me.

Ogen.





42

“FEAST! OFFERING!”

“Lark!” I screamed. “Run—”

“SABBAT!” Ogen’s mighty fist burst through the window. Glass shattered, riddling me as his fist connected with my entire torso.

Lark was shrieking when I slammed into the far wall. Bones fractured. Skull? Ribs? Shoulder blade? Shards jutted from my skin. Unable to rise, I watched Ogen snatch at Lark as the wolves defended, tearing at his arms. This far across the room, she and I were out of his reach.

Though I expected her to flee, following the exodus of creatures tromping and flying to safety, she darted over to me, helping me stand. She’d caught a lot of glass too.

Ogen twisted his great bulk, wedging himself through the window opening. “ALTAR EMPTY!” he boomed. “FRESH ENTRAILS.”

Recognition hit my panicked mind. In his own way, Matthew had warned me of this. The lightning hides the monster. I’d just glimpsed Ogen by the light of a bolt. And Matthew had given me instructions: You must slice yourself when the altar is empty. Ogen’s altar was empty; it was time to lose my cuff.

I whispered to Lark, “T-take me to the basement. To the sunlamps.”

“Shit, shit! Boss’ll kill me.” But she did start out the doorway, whistling for her wolves to follow. She yelled to Ogen, “Hey, dickwad, meet me in the kitchen!”

“MEAT YOU!” he yowled, withdrawing from the window so quickly the building shook.

With my arm stretched across her shoulders, we scrambled away, heading in the direction opposite to the kitchen, a trio of wolves at our heels. As we fled upstairs, I gasped out, “What’s happening?”

“It’s some Sabbat that I’m not aware of,” she murmured. “Could be some big annual one.”

We lurched up more stairs, a flight that I didn’t remember seeing before.

“I’ve never seen him so big, Evie. I’ve called for reinforcements from the barn, but it might take them a while to follow my instructions to pick the lock.” We careened along a corridor until she stopped in front of a wall.

She pressed her hand against the wainscoting, and a panel swung open. Just before it hissed closed behind our troupe, her falcon gave a piercing cry and dove inside.

In total darkness, I was again forced to rely on Lark’s night vision as we hastened down flight after flight of stairs. Had we gone up, just to go down into the belly of this building?

The air grew humid, our surroundings quieter. I couldn’t hear the rain, only paws padding behind us, wings flapping, and my bones grinding as they began to reset themselves.

I called for Aric. We’re in trouble—you have to return! No answer. I even called for Matthew. Nothing.

“Just hold on, Evie. We’re here.” She propped me against a wall.

I heard a key jangling in a lock, then the sound of a wheel turning, like with a bank vault. With a click, a door groaned open, and light spilled into the landing where we stood.

Warm light.

I was dumbfounded by the sight in front of me. As big as Warehouse 13, and filled with table after table of growing plants. Sunlamps covered every inch of soaring ceiling, cascading light onto my thirsty skin.

Lark locked us and her creatures inside. “This door might not keep Ogen out when he’s in this form.” Leaning back against it, she pulled a shard from her hip. She was bleeding from the glass almost as badly as I was. “I’ll leave the falcon here to listen for him. Let’s get to the back.”

As Lark and I set off across the bunker, wolves in tow, I soaked up the light, feeling my brain starting to fire again. I plucked shards from my own skin, my regeneration accelerating.

We passed rows of plants, like orderly battalions. There were potted vines and even saplings. They wouldn’t be as strong as giant oaks or as stealthy as my weapon of choice: roses. Still, this was a decent army—if I could reclaim my powers.

Ogen would find us down here eventually; I only hoped I could lay a trap before then. “Lark, I need a really sharp knife.” Or, depending on time . . . “Maybe an ax?” It’ll grow back.

“Gee, forgot both of mine in the rush.” She peered around the garden. “I can get you a spade. Or a trowel.”

I gazed down at her claws, dreading what I knew must happen. “You’ve cut through skin before, right? With your claws?”

“Oh, hell, no. Don’t even think about this, Evie.”

“Believe me, I’m open to alternatives.”

“Boss is supposed to be back today. Maybe he’ll get here in time?”

“Willing to bet your life on that?” I snatched her hand. “You help me get this cuff off, or we die.”

She gazed at me as if awed. “You are stone-cold, aren’t you?”

“No. Not at all. But I’ll still get you to cut on me.”

By the time we’d reached a back corner, I’d gotten her to give in.

“Fine!” She flared her claws. “Tell me what you want.”