If that comes true, Strider continued, the Unspoken Ones, who are extremely powerful, will be freed from Cronuss rule, and theyll be able to do whatever they want. Like, I dont know, eat every human on the planet. I noticed they prefer an organ-rich diet.
Shit didnt cover it. Thats awesome.
I summoned Cronus, hoping to talk to him about this, to see if there was any way we could destroy the Unspoken Ones before Galen got creative with his blade, but hes ignoring me. Torin summoned him, too. Nothing. And get this. I just ran into Danika. Shed just finished her newest painting.
Dread curled through Gideon. Usually, Strider relished an upcoming challenge. Now he just looked sickened. I dont want to know.
You might change your mind when you hear this. It was of Cronus and his wife, Rhea. Oh, yeah. Did anyone tell you Rhea is helping the Hunters? Anyway, they were with Lysander, Cronus fuming and Rhea cheering. You know Lysander, right? Hes the angel shacking up with Bianka.
No. Yes.
No biggie, right? Strider said. So what if Cronus is pissed at Lysander and Rhea is pleased with him. The angel doesnt really concern us. Well, your demon will really dig this. Thats a lie. The angel concerns us big-time.
Please, dont go on, then. Dont hurry with the details. I mean, I love that youre dragging this out. Which he was probably doing because he didnt want to drop the bad news at all and was having to work up the courage. Still. Gideon couldnt take much more.
Strider looked up, expression grim. Aeron was there, in the painting. Lysander had just taken his head.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
IT WAS THE PAIN that woke her.
Olivia slowly cracked open her eyes. Beep, beep. At first, the room was hazy, as if someone had smeared it with oil. But then, bit by bit, clarity descended. Not full clarityher eyes were swollenbut enough to see that she was still in the warehouse, though in another room. This one had hospital gurneys. She was hooked to an IV, and electrodes covered her chest, monitoring her heartbeat. Her broken arm wasnt in a cast, she noted, but was cuffed to the bedrail.
Lysander? Even speaking those few syllables caused her throat nothing but agony. Tears flooded her ravaged eyes.
There was no reply.
She tried again. Lysander.
Again, nothing.
He was gone, then. He wouldnt have ignored her, that wasnt his style. He would have yelled at her some more and right now, that yelling would have been welcome. She was alone and scared.
No, not alone, she realized as her gaze scanned the rest of the room. Beside her was a man on a gurney of his own. A man she didnt recognize. He was young, perhaps early twenties, and there were bruises under his eyes. His cheeks were hollowed out and his skin a little jaundiced.
He was watching her.
When he realized hed been found out, he blushed and said, Uh, hi. Glad to see youre awake. My names Dominic.
Olivia, she replied automatically. Ow. That had hurt even worse.
You sound terrible. Remorse and guilt poured from him. Were supposed to be the good guys, you know. Stefano told me youre Wraths girlfriend, but I dont care. You shouldnt have been hurt like that. No human should be hurt like that.
She didnt have to ask who we was. The Hunters. Her gaze shifted over the boys body, checking for injuries. He was shirtless and there were bandages around his shoulder and middle. The one around his middle was dotted with dried blood. He wore a pair of loose scrub pants. Hurtyou, too?
He didnt seem to hear her, too lost in his own thoughts. They told me our leader is a demon, too. As the last word left him, he began coughing. Coughing so forcefully, he spit up blood. When he finally calmed, he added, I should have believed them. After what was done to you, I have to believe them.
Them. The Lords? She couldnt sense a lie in his tone, but then, she couldnt sense the truth, either. Either way, she knew deep in her bones that he wasnt going to live much longer. She hated that he would die like this, in here. As she probably would.
No. No. She shouldnt think like that. She was a joy-bringer at heart, yes, but that didnt mean she was helpless. Shed withstood the fires of hell. Shed endured having her wings ripped from her body. She could escape this. She would escape this.
Dominic sat up, wavered a bit and rubbed at his temples. When he steadied, he kicked his legs over the side of the gurney and stood.
Careful, she managed to croak.
Again, he didnt seem to hear her. They found me on the streets. I was a thief and a whore, and they told me it wasnt my fault. There was shame in his voice, shame far greater than his remorse had been. They told me it was their fault. The Lords. That the demon of Defeat was feeding off me and my circumstances. I believed them because it was easier than blaming myself.
Lied, she said. He was making a last confession, and that nearly made her sob. Death shouldnt bother her. It never had before. But now she knew the finality of it. This kid, for thats what he was, should have had a chance to live a long and happy life. Instead, hed known only sorrow and regret.
One wobbly step, two, he worked his way around his gurney, approaching hers. I know they lied. Now. The Lords, they sent me back. Set me free. They didnt want to, but they did it. Defeat did it, and there was compassion in his eyes. I saw it. Evil doesnt feel compassion, does it?
No.
I studied him, you know? More than the others. I wanted to kill him myself, but he saved me. And Stefano, what he did to you Dominic shook his head, scowled. Theres no compassion in the act of beating a defenseless woman. Galen was pissed when he found out, but the angel didnt punish Stefano for his actions.
Galen, upset at her mistreatment? Surprising.
When Dominic finally reached her, he offered her a small smile that managed to be sad and happy at the same time. Those bastards never thought Id help you. He pulled one of the ties from his pants and there at the end hung a thin strip of metal. They were wrong. Over the years, I learned to always be prepared for anything.
Her eyes widened in surprise as he worked at the cuff holding her captive. They teared again, as well. The pain was unbearable, nearly sending her back into that welcome black void. Thankfully, the metal clicked before she fell, freeing her, easing the agony somewhat.
Thank you.
He nodded. Weve got ten minutes. Maybe. Someones always coming in here to check on you. As he spoke, he helped her sit up. Plus, I was supposed to call Galen when you woke up. Of course, I wont do that. With barely a pause, he added, At the door, were going to turn left. Well walk past all the other doorways, and hopefully my body will block yours. There are men here, only a few, but even though theyre the medical staff, they wont hesitate to gun you down if they realize who you are and that youre free.
Uncertain, Olivia placed her weight on her left foot, then her right. They held. A sigh of relief parted her lipsand made her cringe. Her lips were cut and the action, small as it had been, split the abrasions apart.
I cant leave without the Cloak, she said. Where is
Impossible. Galen keeps it with him at all times. The only way to get it is to confront him, and you wont survive if you do that.
Dominic was right. She didnt have the strength to defeat Galen. But she couldnt leave that Cloak in his possession. Someone else could be taken by him. And would be. Galen wouldnt hesitate, and he might not be solenient with the next person.
Come on, Dominic said, and with his arm around her waist, he led her toward the only door.
Wheres Galen now?
Oh, no. I know what youre thinking, but I already told you. We cant do it. Theres just no way.
I have to try, she said, letting her determination seep from her.
He stilled, closed his eyes. She could feel his heart banging against his ribs, erratic, too hard. Hes here. Waiting. Impatient. He laughed bitterly. I tried to wake you sooner, but you were pretty out of it.
If she left, Galen would leave this warehouse and never return to it, knowing she could bring the Lords here. Shed no longer know where to find him, and that was an edge she wouldnt give up.
I want you to go on without me, she said. She spouted off directions to the fortress. The Lords will spot you once you reach the hill. Ask for Aeron and tell him
No. Dominic shook his head. How many times do I have to tell you? You cant beat Galen. Hell kill you before he parts with that Cloak. Im dying, anyway, and dont care if I do so here or somewhere else. But youNo, he said again. I wont let you. I wont die knowing I did nothing to help you.
She opened her mouth to protest, to tell him anything needed to convince him to do as she wanted, but the sound of pounding footsteps and a distant shout stopped her.
Dominic stiffened. Hes coming back to check on you, he whispered, horrified. Shit. Shit. He dragged her to the door and pressed her against the wall next to it, where they would be hidden when that door opened.
I cant leave without the Cloak. I just cant.
Again Dominic closed his eyes, as if he were weighing his options. Only took a second, a second that seemed to drag into eternity, but when he opened them, there was more resolve banked in his expression than shed ever seen in anyone before.
The Cloak will be in his pocket. As it folds, it shrinks. Its gray, soft. Grab it and run. Dont look back. Just run. Okay?
Like his, her heart was pounding against her ribs. Sweat was beading over her skin, her limbs were shaking and her mouth drying. What about you? He claimed he was ready to die, but she wasnt ready to watch him do so. He was a nice kid whod seen too many bad things in his short life. He deserved a happily ever after.
Ill handle Galen. Okay? He pulled the other tie from his scrubs and there was a blade attached. His knuckles whitened as he clutched the hilt. Just reach into his pockets, grab whatever you can and run.
Pockets. Galen wore a robe just like Olivias, so she knew that there were three pockets. Two on the right and one on the left. It would be impossible to frisk all three at the same time. Still, she said, Okay, and prayed she chose correctly.
The door swung open, and Galen strode inside. He stopped in the center of the room, head swinging left and right to survey the empty gurneys. She didnt think about her next actions, just propelled into him and slid her hands along his sides, into two of his pockets.
He cursed and tried to push her away. Perhaps Lysander was helping her, after all, because Galen did not succeed.
Her broken arm throbbed, the fingers swollen and slow to react to mental commands, but she grabbed everything she touched, turned and ran. Just ran. Just as Dominic had wanted. Fingers snagged in her hair and jerked, but she kept moving.
She passed the door, halfway expecting hard hands to settle on her shoulders or tangle in her hair again, but that never happened. Instead, she heard a shout, a roar of pain, and knew Dominic had just stabbed Galen.
A stabbing wouldnt keep the immortal down for long.
Through the open doorways of the other rooms, several men raced into the hallway. As their confused, panicked gazes hit her, she increased her speed and peered down at her bounty. There, in the center of her palm, was a square of gray material.
Relief. Excitement. Yes, she experienced both. They gave her strength. Olivia dropped everything else, it wasnt important right now, and shook the material out. Because of her inattention, she plowed into a solid wall of man.
The action jarred her, hurt her, but not enough to stop her from continuing to shake out the material as she fell. Just as the man bent down to grab her, she wrapped the Cloak around her shoulders.
One minute she could see her limbs, the next she couldnt. Dont even breathe. Be quiet.
All of the men spun, frowning, looking for her. They fired at where shed been, but shed already moved. She pressed against the wall, and they finally darted past her, shouting for help.
Galen stomped out of the room, blood spurting from his gut. He was scowling and dragging an unconsciousplease, let him be aliveDominic behind him.
Whered she go? he demanded.
I dont know.
She just disappeared.
Galen ran his tongue over his teeth. He dropped Dominic, who didnt even utter a gasp. She couldnt have gotten far. Shes injured. Spread out and move toward the demons lair. Thats where shes headed. If you feel anything you cant see, shoot. If you hear a woman panting but cant see her, shoot. Do you understand? Im done playing nice. She has something that belongs to me. Do not set foot on the hill, though. The Lords will see you, and Im not ready for that yet.
A chorus of yeses rang out, and the men were off.
Galen stood there for a long while, popping his jaw, breathing deeply. Olivia didnt dare risk an exhalation; she simply held the oxygen in her nose and waited. Finally, he stormed off, following behind the men.
She tiptoed forward and placed her fingers at Dominics neck. No pulse. Her chin trembled, and tears once again filled her eyes. Hed been ready to die, had wanted it even, but it still broke her heart. Hed never known joy. He should have known joy.
Pray for his soul. Later. You cant help anyone if you die, as well. Olivia stood, her tears pouring down her cheeks like rain. She could barely see in front of her, but she stumbled forward, taking the same path as Galen.
The hallway led to an empty area, but that empty area led to a closed doorway. The exit? Most likely. The seam between the double doors revealed a stream of sunlight.
Gulping, she held out her uninjured hand and pushed the panels open. Warm air instantly enveloped her. And sure enough, the sun was shining brightly over a parking lot. Too brightly for her now-sensitive vision. Still, she blinked against those rays as she trudged onward.
Until a smiling Galen stepped into her path.
His wings were spread wide, and she was moving too quickly to stop. She knocked into him and careened backward, falling into the metal wall of the warehouse. With a shocked, pained gasp, she slid to the rock-laden ground.