A Glimmer of Hope (The Avalon Chronicles #1)(73)

“You should know something, Shane,” Masako said as she walked toward him. “I’m aware of your past and your abilities. Do not attempt to make me one of your victims. You won’t like where that takes you.”

Shane’s smile was replaced with a nervous expression, but he soon regained his composure, and the smile along with it. “Not a problem, never dreamed of it.”

“We both know that’s a lie,” Masako told him, but followed him out of the room anyway.

“She’s delightful,” Reyes said to Elias when they were alone.

“She’s going to help us find Layla. Her personality matters little in that endeavor. If it did, you wouldn’t still be here.”

“Ouch, boss,” Reyes said, with humor in her eyes. “I’m damn sad about that.”

“Reyes, leave me be.”

Reyes giggled and picked up her book. “If she knows where Carpenter is, this might all be over soon. You can go back to working for Nergal in his compound until we’re needed again, and then we run off and do this all over again with whoever Layla’s daddy manages to find. You think this is worth it?”

“Nergal does.”

“Not what I asked, boss.”

“Is it worth finding umbra who would join us? Is it worth finding sorcerers, trolls, and anyone else who would aid us in the plan to control Avalon? Yes, obviously it is.”

“You really are a believer, aren’t you?”

Elias felt the pressure of his anger building inside. “Don’t mock me, Reyes. It won’t go well for you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. I was actually being sincere. I’ve met people who say they believe in what Nergal and his companions want to create, but few truly believe. Most just want to ride the coattails until they can have the cast-off power and glory.”

“I don’t care about either of those things. The ritual to make me a redcap gave me power, but Nergal gave me purpose. His dream, his plan, and the plan of those he works with is my dream. Is my plan. I am with him until the end.”

“How noble.”

“Not really, Reyes. Just loyalty and trust. They’re all that really matters in our world. Power is fleeting, and there’s always someone who wants to claim it for their own, who wants to fight you for a taste of what you have, but loyalty and trust are commodities that are more important in the long term. Without either of them, Nergal’s plan would be a pipe dream.”

“I agree with you, boss. I just want to make sure that we find this girl and get out of here before whatever anger you’re bottling up boils over.”

“I will kill Chloe for what she did.”

“What if I told you I had a better idea of how to deal with Chloe?”

Elias crossed his arms over his chest. “Please, do go on.”





27

It turned out that all Tommy wanted was to tell everyone the rules of the house. They essentially boiled down to no going out after dark, and not walking around the grounds alone. Layla understood why Tommy felt the need to tell everyone, but she really just wanted to feel like she had more control over her life, not less.

She left the room wondering whether Elias and his people were already on their way to find her.

“You need to take your mind off it,” Jared told her as she walked out of the front door and sighed.

She turned to him—he was sitting on the top step of the stairs leading to the drive.

“Do you happen to have a large bottle of vodka on you?”

He patted himself down. “I left it in my other jacket pocket. Sorry.”

She sat opposite him. “So, how long have you been an umbra?”

“A few years now.”

“And you accepted your drenik and spirits?”

“Well, I’m not a drooling wreck, nor am I trying to kill you with a spoon, so I’m going to say yes. I accepted them all. You having trouble with that?”

“The drenik showed me visions of me killing people. I can’t say it was the most fun I’ve ever had.” She considered explaining how she’d fought for so long to ignore those little voices in her head that told her to hurt someone, and that she got enjoyment out of fighting. Out of winning. But she didn’t because she’d just met Jared, and also because she liked him and didn’t want him to sprint off the second she admitted it.

“They like to do that. The problem is, you can’t just say you accept; you have to actually mean it deep down inside your core. Anything else just doesn’t work. You need to accept the drenik and all of its insanity. It’s a hard thing to do. Took me a while to get used to the idea of having a dangerous being trapped in my head.”

“So much has changed in such a short period of time.”

“We live in a weird world, Layla. But it takes a bit longer than a few days to get used to it all. Even now there are things I’ve never seen before. Magic that can create storms, or people who can turn into incredible beasts; it’s exhausting trying to remember it all.”

“So, what can you do?”

Jared held his hand out in front of him and his fingers began to glow orange as he created a small sphere in his palm. When the glowing stopped, the sphere was about the size of a marble and shimmered a mixture of gold and red.

“I am . . . the Incredible Marble Boy!” he said dramatically.