Indigo(87)

But she was reluctant to do that. She didn’t want him to know she was here—though she couldn’t exactly say why. Perhaps because she didn’t want Damastes to get so close to him? Perhaps because she didn’t want to get drawn into explanations? Or perhaps because she was ashamed of her recent actions and was fearful that Sam would see right through her mask and be shocked or disappointed in her?

His eyelids fluttered. He frowned. Although his lips were still moving, he made nothing but small, inarticulate sounds.

Then he suddenly became still, as though he was on the verge of waking and knew someone was in the room with him.

Softly he said, “Nora?”

Taking fright, Nora instantly became Indigo and twisted like smoke toward the block of shadow between the chunky little bedside cabinet and the wall. By the time Sam sloughed off the caul of sleep and opened his eyes, she was gone.

*

“Where the hell did you go?” Selene said.

Her face was the first thing Nora saw when she returned and emerged from Indigo’s shadow. The slaughter nun was glaring at her, as were Xanthe and Megaira, the latter’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“She was with him,” Megaira said, startling Nora. Then she realized the slaughter nun meant Damastes, not Sam. “He controls her. I don’t like it.”

Nora was glad of the spark of anger that Megaira’s malice roused in her. “He doesn’t control me. I control him.”

“So where were you?” Selene asked. “Why disappear like that?”

“It was not cool,” muttered Xanthe.

Nora blinked at her. “What is this? Mean Girls?” When her comment met with blank looks, she sighed. “Look, I needed some time on my own, all right? Time to think. I … I went to see Sam. My … friend. He’s in the hospital.”

Megaira still looked suspicious. “What use is he?”

“He calms me.” Nora flushed. “I don’t expect you to understand.”

Selene put a hand on Nora’s arm. “But you’re back with us now? You’re focused on what we have to do?”

Nora nodded. “I … have a proposal. You won’t like it, but it’s an alternative to getting yourselves killed.”

The three Androktasiai stared at her, saying nothing. Nora took a deep breath. “I could create a Heykeli, siphon the essence of Damastes into it. He could fight for us. He’d fight with all the rage and power that a murder god possesses. But I’d keep a tight rein on him. Plus he’d be expendable—or at least his body would. If the Phonoi destroyed the murder golem … I mean, his physical form … I’d take him back into me again. No harm done.”

She had spoken quickly, her voice getting increasingly louder as the Androktasiai had realized what she was proposing and started to protest. Megaira and Selene were shaking their heads vigorously; Xanthe looked shocked.

“Are you crazy?” Selene exclaimed. “Do you actually know what you’re proposing?”

“Of course she does,” Megaira said. “Because he put her up to it.”

“No, he didn’t. It was—” Nora fell silent because she had been about to say it was Shelby who had first told her about murder golems.

But Shelby wouldn’t have existed if it hadn’t been for Damastes, would she? So was this idea simply another trap she had been led into?

“It was what?” asked Selene, giving Nora a shrewd look.

Barely pausing for breath Nora replied, “I was going to say it was actually Rafe Bogdani who told me about Heykeli during our first tussle. He tried to bargain with me, implied that if I trapped Damastes in a murder golem and handed it over to him, I could walk away unscathed. I didn’t believe him for a moment, of course.”

She paused, aware of Damastes’s mirth deep inside her, like a subterranean rumble. His velvety, sibilant voice—which she suspected was merely the archetypal villain’s voice, one her subconscious had concocted for him in order to translate his thoughts into words—filled her head.

What a delicious little liar you are.

She closed him off, knowing how much it infuriated him. It wasn’t that she wanted to keep what she was about to say secret from him, because even though she’d mean every word, she knew that in his arrogance he’d think she was bluffing simply to convince the Androktasiai her idea was good; it was that she wanted to piss him off, put him in his place, show him who was boss.

“But my thinking now,” she continued after a moment, “is that I can use a murder golem to take Bogdani down. It would be the ultimate irony, don’t you think?”

Selene, though, had barely stopped shaking her head. “I still say it’s a crazy idea. It’s far too dangerous.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you were me. You underestimate the hold I’ve got over Damastes.”

“You only think you’ve got a hold over him,” said Megaira. “He’s lulled you into a false sense of security.”

“Oh, so how come he hasn’t broken out in the twelve or so years he’s been inside me? Do you think he’s been asleep? Biding his time? Bullshit. It’s because I’ve been containing him.”

“That’s all very well,” said Selene. “But if you release him…”

“Partially release him. Just enough to animate a murder golem. To do our bidding. To save your sorry asses.”