A Glimmer of Hope (The Avalon Chronicles #1)(109)

“You did a lot of good work here. They’re lucky to have you.”

“That’s what Tommy said. I want to be here for people, Layla. I want to make sure that what happened to you doesn’t happen to anyone else. I want to use my powers for good.”

“Like Spider-Man?”

“Just like him. Except for the powers and spandex. Other than that, I’m just like Spider-Man. An Asian Spider-Man. I’m excited about the marketing possibilities.”

“Obviously. And the forthcoming movie.”

“Oh, I’m going for a TV show. I feel that would better suit my character.” Harry laughed. “It’s good talking to you again without all of that mess we just went through.” He waved his arms around to signify what that was.

“Yeah, it feels like a lifetime ago when we were at that club.”

“And now I’m sort of like a secret agent.”

“So, you’re James Bond and Spider-Man.”

“I can be both.”

Layla raised an eyebrow in question.

“I can be both. Don’t crush my dream, Layla Cassidy.”

Layla laughed. “I’m going to go talk to Tommy before my superhero name gets taken.”

“Get in there quick, Magneta.”

“No.”

“The Steel Warrior.”

“No. Please stop.”

“Titanium Terror.”

“I’m begging you here, Harry.”

Harry laughed and walked away, leaving a still smiling Layla to knock on Tommy’s door. After receiving no answer, she knocked again, before opening it and finding the room empty.

Layla walked into the office. “Great. This is shit.”

“You looking for Tommy?” Chloe said, entering the room. She walked over to Layla and hugged her tight.

“I am.”

“He’s waiting for you in the living room. He asked me to come fetch you. Remy made a joke about dogs and got punched for it.”

“Sounds like him.”

They set off together without another word. “This place was just beginning to feel like home,” Layla said.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. I’ve always loved it here.”

The pair had spoken several times since Elias had been killed, and their friendship was stronger than it had ever been. Layla had been worried that Kasey and Chloe’s long-term friendship might mean that she would be frozen—no pun intended—out, but the exact opposite had happened.

They reached the door, and Chloe stopped Layla from opening it. “Are you sure about joining up?”

Layla nodded. “I can’t sit on my hands and do nothing. Not after everything I’ve been through. And not after everything I’ve learned I can do. It would be . . . unlike me.”

Chloe opened the door and stepped inside, with Layla beside her. Tommy sat on a leather armchair in the living room. Sitting around him were Remy, Diana, Jared, Harry, Kasey, and Kasey’s mum, Olivia. She got up and hugged Layla and Chloe, who sat down next to Remy, leaving Layla standing.

A man she’d never met before stood beside Tommy. He was about five foot eight, with short dark hair and broad shoulders. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt with a picture of the Ghostbusters symbol on it. He rubbed his hand over several days’ worth of stubble on his jaw and smiled. Layla thought he had a rugged handsomeness to him, and when he smiled his face lit up, but there was something behind his eyes. Part of it was a darkness that made her nervous, but there was also power. A lot of power.

He offered Layla his hand, which she shook. “I don’t think we’ve met,” she said.

“My name is Nate Garrett,” he told her. “I’m a sorcerer and used to work with Tommy, back when we worked for Avalon.”

“You don’t anymore.”

“No, I’m more freelance these days.”

Remy coughed and spluttered, and Nate sighed, but never once glanced his way.

“I have a proposition for you. I want you to work with Tommy and his people.”

“I was going to ask to do just that.”

“I know; it’s been the worst-kept secret since I arrived here yesterday. But I don’t mean in general. You see, Nergal and his people are going to try to overthrow Avalon. They’re going to try to expose us all to the world. They want to enslave all humans who are capable of helping them achieve their goals of turning this planet into their empire, and slaughter anyone who isn’t. Nergal won’t stop with Elias’s murder. So, I need to ask you to do something.”

“What?”

“A few years ago, I promised I’d train Kasey to be a better fighter. I then started training Chloe, and a few months ago several more joined that group, including Jared. I want you and Harry to join too.”

“Why?”

“Because I want all of you, in this room, to be a strike force. You’re mostly unknown by Avalon, and that’s in our favor at the moment. Also with Diana, Remy, and Tommy helping and guiding, you’ll be excellent at it, I’m certain.”

“A strike force for what?”

“To stop Nergal. To find out who his allies are and stop them too. To find umbra before they do. To stop innocent people dying.”

“And how many are in this group?”