A Glimmer of Hope (The Avalon Chronicles #1)(64)

It took a few seconds, and Kasey’s grin, for Layla to realize that she was joking.

The three of them entered a glass lift, and Kasey pressed the button for the top floor. Layla felt nervous as she watched the ground move further and further away.

“You not a fan of heights?” Kasey asked her.

“I’m okay with them, just glass lifts are a bit weird.”

“You get used to it. Or you go crazy and refuse to step foot in the building. Probably one or the other.”

“Not as bad as Nate,” Diana said. “Took him centuries to get over his fear of heights. He’s still not thrilled about them.”

“Nate?” Layla asked.

Diana smiled, and Layla knew she felt genuine warmth for the man. “Friend of ours. Nathan Garrett. He’s not here at the moment. In fact, I’m not sure where he is or what he’s doing. Probably getting in trouble. It’s what he excels at. If you stay around long enough, you’ll meet him, though.”

“If?”

“You’re not a prisoner, Layla,” Kasey pointed out. “You’re free to go, we’d just rather you didn’t. Keeping you safe is easier if we know where you are.”

Layla sighed.

Kasey placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know it’s hard.”

“Do you?” Layla asked. “My whole life has been turned upside down. People who were friends have lied to me, people want to kidnap me, others would probably rather I was dead. I’ve seen people murdered, I’ve seen monsters and things I’d have been quite happy to have never witnessed in my whole life. Do you have any idea how all of that feels?” She breathed out and immediately regretted the tone she’d used. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

Kasey shook her head. “It’s fine. I was born into this life. Everything here is something I grew up knowing existed. I know it’s a lot to take in; I still find things hard to take in. Gods, goddesses, monsters, it’s a huge amount to get your head around. And you have spirits in yours vying for attention. I get that. I understand that accepting all of this must feel terrifying, but we’re trying to help. I promise you that.”

The lift stopped and the doors parted into an empty hallway. Kasey opened a door and led Layla into a second hallway that had several doors along each side with large windows showing the meeting rooms beyond.

At the end of the hallway was an intersection. Layla looked left and right, but saw nothing other than more doors leading to what were probably more meeting rooms. Directly in front of her was a door with a golden sign adorning it, which said “Director” in big, black letters.

Kasey knocked and pushed the door open, holding it so that Diana and Layla could go in first.

Layla followed Diana in, looking around the room as she walked. It was large, with a wall of glass opposite her. A desk sat over to one side, behind which sat a young woman with brown skin and dark red hair. Next to her stood Tommy, who smiled and walked over to Kasey, hugging her tightly.

“How’d it go?” he asked.

“Blood elves,” Kasey told him. “A fair few of them. I didn’t think they were able to come through to our realm.”

“Apparently Nergal and his people have managed to keep all kinds of secrets from us,” the woman behind the desk said as she got to her feet and walked over to Layla. “My name is Olivia Green. I’m the director of the LOA.”

Layla’s expression remained blank. “The same people who arrested my father? The ones who weren’t exactly forthcoming about who you actually are?”

“I’m sorry about that. If I’d been in charge of your father’s case, you would have known all about us.” She motioned for Layla to take a seat in one of the two large brown leather chairs in front of the desk.

Layla did as she was requested, hoping she might actually get the answers she wanted, rather than having to ask even more questions.

“I’ll see you later, Layla,” Kasey called out. “My parents will walk you through everything.”

Layla turned back to Diana and Kasey. “Thank you. Both of you.”

Diana walked over and grasped Layla by the shoulder. “You’re safe here, Layla. Nothing is going to happen to you.”

Layla’s small nod was to ensure that the uncertainties inside her mind didn’t spill out of her. The last thing she wanted was to make things worse by allowing her emotions to overwhelm her.





24

When Layla was alone with Olivia and Tommy, Olivia returned to her seat opposite Layla, and Tommy took the one beside her.

“Do you want me to go?” Tommy asked. “If you’d be more comfortable just with Olivia, I’m okay with that.”

“I’m fine,” Layla promised him. “I just want to know what’s happening and why I feel like Alice in Wonderland right now.”

“The LOA stands for Law of Avalon. We . . .” Olivia paused. “Let’s start at the beginning. With Avalon’s creation. With Merlin.”

“Merlin?” Layla asked. “The Merlin? Knights of the Round Table, King Arthur? That Merlin?”

Olivia nodded. “The mythology and reality are usually quite different. Merlin is . . . hard work. Many believe he took his authority too far, but many others feel that he hasn’t gone far enough. He’s a divisive figure.”