Iniquity (The Premonition, #5)(33)

“Why would he do that? He’s her dad!”

“I don’t know, but he did it. I tried to kill him for it—I failed.”

“Which explains your new accommodations,” Russell says without humor. “They beat the snot outta ya,” he states, indicating the fading bruises that still haven’t healed. “We’ll have to come up with a plan to get you out.”

“No,” I say flatly.

Russell sighs heavily. “Whaddaya mean no?”

“I’ll get myself out after I recover the whistle from Tau.”

“And you’re gonna do all that on your own?” Russell asks skeptically. “You’re gonna need help. Lookatcha, sittin’ there all tied up and twisted. I can see your breath, so I know ya must be freezin’.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine! We’re comin’ to get ya.”

“You can’t come here. Dominion wants you—wants to control you. They’ll arrest Anya—they see her as a traitor. You have to protect her.”

Russell’s humanity rebels at the notion of leaving me here. “I’ll make Anya stay behind—the Reapers will find her somewhere safe—”

I shake my head. “Tau can use that weapon on you with less remorse than on his daughter. He may just decide that he wants you gone and send your soul back to Paradise. In his mind, you’re not supposed to be here. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you—an extra man cluttering the board.”

“That was until I busted into Brennus’ lair and helped free his daughter. Tau promised me anythin’ if I helped save her and I’m gonna collect: immunity for Anya.”

The wind howls through the panes of the barred window above us. “I can’t leave here without that whistle, Russell. He can’t be allowed to use it against her again.”

“Why do they even have somethin’ like that? Were they afraid they weren’t gonna be able to control her?”

I hesitate.

Russell snorts in derision. “And Tau used it on her? Just like that?” Russell asks in a hollow voice. “It doesn’t make sense to me. I saw Tau’s eyes when he knew his daughter was with Brennus. He was afraid for her—he was half insane with it. He’d never kill her; it’d destroy him. Trust me. I was a father—many times over. He’d die first before he’d let that happen.”

“Then the weapon is not for her,” I deduce.

“If it’s not for her, then who is it for?” Russell asks. “They didn’t plan on me. Evie changed the game plan by savin’ me accordin’ to Anya—I’ve always kind of known that since it happened.”

“Brennus intimated to Evie that you’re not the only one of your kind—there is another male of your species.”

Russell’s clone rises from his crouch and kicks the air in anger, his arms spreading wide. “We’re relyin’ on the undead freak’s intel now? That vampire is like a hundred car pile-up waitin’ to happen!”

“We can’t deny that he has connections—his allies align with the Fallen. He knows what goes on in dark.”

“It’d be nothin’ to him to feed us false information!”

“Us, but not Evie,” I reason. “It’s in his best interest to keep her well out of the hands of the Fallen. She’s his treasure; the only place his heart can beat is within hers.”

“So this key thing—this weapon the divine Seraphim have isn’t for Evie; it’s for the fallen version of Evie?” I nod. His clone paces my cell, sometimes disappearing briefly into a cell wall before reappearing again. “Do they know who it is—the evil half-breed?” Russell’s clone pauses and looks at me.

“No, or the army that Tau has amassed would be at war with him. They need Evie to draw him out. She’s their lure. Bait. I think we’ve already met him Russell—at the house today.”

Russell’s clone loses some of its golden glow. “I have to get the girls outta Crestwood. Now.”

“Zephyr should already have a new location.”

“He does, it’s—”

“Don’t tell me—I shouldn’t know where you are. Keep looking for Evie.”

“What do I do when I find her?”

“She’ll tell you what to do.”

A smirk forms on Russell’s lips despite everything. “You know her pretty well.”

“I do,” I nod.

“I should go then,” he says with a reluctant look.

“You should.”

“Alright then.”

“Russell,” I say, as his clone nears the wall.

He turns back and says, “Yeah?”

“How are you with knots?”

“I suck at ‘em.”

“How about magic?”

His eyebrows rise as he pushes out his bottom lip. “I’m better at that.”

“You think you can break this angel hair knot tying my wings together?” I ask.

He frowns. “I never tried to use magic through a clone before.”

“First time for everything.” I rise from the floor, showing him my back so he can assess the problem.