Infinity Son (Infinity Cycle #1)(48)

“And maybe how you survived the Blackout?” I ask, my voice cracking.

Eduardo shakes his head. “It may not seem like it as you turn me into your punching bag, but this is not some negotiation. Besides, I’ve already won.”

“Oh yeah? What did you win?” Maribelle asks.

Eduardo looks from wall to wall. “I mean, I could go for a bed and some rosewood candles to get rid of the dirty mop smell. But I’ll take whatever security I can get from the Casters.”

“Are you serious?” Iris asks.

“I’ll settle for vanilla candles if that’s all you have.”

Iris folds her arms. “You can turn into anyone. Move across the country. They would never find you.”

“The last time a shifter specter fled, he didn’t make it very far before the gang tracked him.” Eduardo goes still as a statue. “He was tortured for so long that he died between morphs—absolutely unrecognizable. Stanton very kindly showed me pictures the night of my initiation. Friendly warning.” He looks up at us. “The only way I can truly be safe from Luna and the Casters is in this hideout. Wherever we are.”

Maribelle crouches and gets in his face. “Tell us everything we want to know or we’ll release you.”

“That would be more threatening if I wasn’t holding the keys to the car you want to drive. There’s no way you’re letting me out of your sight.” Eduardo’s cocky grin reminds me of his father’s confidence during speeches. “You won’t find anyone alive more calculating than Luna. She’s taught me how to play the long game.”

“I promise you’re not as smart as you think you are,” Maribelle says.

“Maybe not, but I was clever enough to get you to the arena,” Eduardo says.

She doesn’t say anything.

Gray light washes over Eduardo, and he shrinks into a shorter white girl dressed in acolyte gear. He plays with the long blond hair and stares at Maribelle with bright blue eyes. “Have hope,” he says in a high voice.

“I don’t get it,” I say.

Maribelle glares. “She—he—was Hope, the acolyte at the dock who tipped me off about where we could find June and the other Blood Casters.”

“I knew you were gunning for her because of that YouTube interview. Figured I would give you what you want.” Eduardo morphs back into himself. “If you’re pissed that I manipulated you, then go ahead and release me. It’s win-win for me as long as I don’t sell out Luna.”

I can’t believe the boy we have chained up is the one who has us cornered. He’s definitely the son of a corrupt politician.

“You’re right that we won’t let you go,” Maribelle says. “If you’re not going to tell us how you’re alive or who June is or what Luna is up to, then you leave me with no other choice but to beat it out of you.”

She arches her fist. I speed forward and catch her punch with both hands. I can’t know what she’s going through in trying to avenge her parents. The only mystery revolving around Dad’s death is whether or not he would’ve lived longer if he hadn’t gone for the clinical trial. Maribelle’s heart may be in the right place, but she can’t come undone to get answers. I have to believe the person who helped train me is better than this.

Maribelle rips her fist out of my grip. “You have no idea what the hell you’re doing. You’ve been here for what, two weeks? All of a sudden you think you know what we’re about.”

“I know what you’re supposed to be about,” I say. “We can’t go attacking people for answers. That doesn’t make us better than their side.”

“I want justice, and treating our prisoners with comfort is not how we’re going to get it.”

“Couldn’t hurt to try,” Eduardo says.

Maribelle looks like she might throw me across the room so she can stomp out Eduardo, and I can’t blame her if he keeps running his mouth. “Emil, I would love for this to be black-and-white, but war makes us do things we didn’t know we were capable of. We’ve shown compassion, but we’ve also had to become violent to stay alive. To try and win.”

“That’s not me,” I say. “I’ll be a soldier, but I’m not a murderer.”

Eduardo’s posture straightens as he eyes me.

“Take a walk, Maribelle,” Iris says.

“You don’t boss me around!” Maribelle gets all up in Iris’s space and looks down at her. “We’re going to lose. We don’t stand a chance under your leadership or with Emil playing nice with the other side.” She spins, and she’s so close to me that our noses almost touch. “What do you think soldiers in the military do? Do you think they gear up for battle and then lay down their wands? No. They take their shot, and they do their best to not miss.”

“I get that, but our endgame is peace with the rest of the world. So many deaths will be in vain if we can’t get everyone to trust us, right?”

“Don’t talk to me about deaths that will be in vain. Not while you get in the way of me figuring out who assassinated and framed my parents.” Maribelle closes her eyes and shakes her head. “I was wrong to put my faith in you. We all were.”

She storms out, and the door slams behind her.