I couldn’t vouch for her. She wasn’t herself, and she had screwed me over before. “It’s not that simple.”
Aric’s muscles had swelled with aggression, yet his voice remained ice-cold. “We must make it simple. For our son. Everything for him.”
Too late, Lark looked nervous. The bloodlust receded, leaving a scared teen in its wake.
Two Arcana had died in this castle in a span of months. How to save a friend? How to keep my alliance on track? “Please put down the sword. I’m asking you, Aric.”
Gazing down into my eyes, he bit out a curse in Latvian, then lowered his weapon.
With the immediate threat past, I turned to Lark. “Look at it from his point of view. That creature could kill us so easily. And what if you die in battle? We’d have no way to control it.”
One of her fangs dug into her bottom lip as she clearly thought through scenarios. “So if I stop resurrecting things, I can stay?”
Before Aric could speak, I said, “Yes. If we can trust you to stop and to get rid of that creature, then of course you can.”
Aric didn’t contradict me, hadn’t moved.
“Why don’t you head to your room, Lark? I’ll come see you in a bit.” And ask about her new revelation.
She nodded with relief and hurried out of the study.
Aric returned his sword to the stand and began to pace. “You suffer guilt over the past games—gods know I’ve heaped the blame on you myself—but you can’t let it cloud your judgment. You’ve softened so much toward other Arcana that you’re placing yourself and our son at risk.”
I needed to make him understand. “When Lark removed the cilice from my arm, she took a leap of faith and trusted me not to hurt her. Then she remained by my side to fight. I’ve got to do the same for her.” Despite my doubts.
He exhaled a long breath.
“What?”
“I cannot fault your loyalty. It’s what makes you so different in this life. I think that’s part of why I fell in love with you for the first time in this game.” He’d told me that he’d desired me before, but had never surrendered his heart. “Yet sievā, I fear your trust will be your downfall.”
I weighed his words until a thought occurred. “Will Richter and Zara betray one another?” After all, Sol had turned on them. Could we get so lucky—even when luck was Zara’s domain?
Aric said only, “Humanity is depending upon it.”
10
The Hunter
Day 645 A.F.
“Take a look-see at that.” I passed around a pair of binoculars to the guys, not that Gabe would need them.
In a valley below stood a lone house that might’ve once fronted a cover of some fancy architectural magazine. Mostly metal and glass, the structure had survived the Flash intact.
Joules peered through the binos. “Looks like some rich bloke’s weekend hideaway.”
“Not anymore.” A swath of ash led straight to the front door. After following Richter’s trail for the past two weeks, we’d found his lair, the one he shared with Zara and Sol.
The many windows and bright lights gave us a clear view of the interior, but so far we hadn’t spied anybody inside. I did see plush couches and wood paneling—all flammable. “If Richter was burning hot, he’d have incinerated that house from the inside.”
Joules went on alert. “If he’s not hot, then I can kill him.” His lips curled into an ominous smile.
Anticipation jangled through me. Maybe defeating Richter wouldn’t require a one-way trip. I asked Kentarch, “What say you?”
“In his own lair, the dragon doesn’t burn.” His gaze swept the area. “We have to assume Fortune resides there as well.” We didn’t have a plan to take her on. Not yet.
I surveyed the rest of the valley. “Where’re Sol’s Bagmen? Richter said a horde of them guarded their place.”
Joules’s voice scaled higher with his excitement. “Fancy that—Richter lied.”
I turned to the Archangel. “Can you do a flyover? Check for Baggers and Zara’s copter.”
Nod. “With pleasure.”
“Just be careful.”
He exited the truck and took off into the air.
While we waited, Joules cracked his knuckles. I plucked my crossbow string. Kentarch sat utterly still.
Gabe returned with red cheeks and frost clinging to his hair. “Her copter is in the back. I saw no Baggers. I scent our foes and believe the three are somewhere inside.”
Holy shit. If they hadn’t recently topped off their power reserves, we might have a shot at doing some damage.
With his usual logic, Gabe said, “We should lie in wait nearby. If we see them leave, we can investigate.”
Wait? Instinct told me to hunt. “They might not leave for weeks.” Wasn’t like folks ran to the store these days.
Kentarch said, “I can teleport to the castle to retrieve Death’s armor. We can finish this tonight.” He clenched his left hand. “My demise feels blessedly near.”
I shook my head. “When I texted Domīnija that we followed Richter’s trail, he told me he comes with the armor, no exceptions.”
“I can retrieve him as well.”
Then Domīnija would die tonight.
Would Evie survive that loss? I’d debated Death’s plan till my brain hurt and decided that I couldn’t risk him, not when upending the game was a possibility.
I’d make sure he met his son—and took care of Evie for as long as he could. Noble, for the record, hurts like a blade to the heart. “No. He stays put.”
Sounding gut-sick, Kentarch muttered, “So we are not to fight?”
I was about to point out, “Not unless you want to die,” but he did, so I said, “What if we can wrap this up without fighting? I’ll plant some explosives around the house and on her copter.” Domīnija had given us C-4 he’d bought on the black market before the Flash. Sol would be shit out of luck, but he was fair game after DC. “If I get caught, then you can teleport the others away.”
Domīnija would have an aneurism if he knew what I’d just proposed. But he was the one who wanted me to lead a band of soldiers; I would show some initiative.
Sorry, coach, sometimes QBs go off play.
“Your plan is sound,” Kentarch said, though he stared at the house with longing, like he’d stared at Issa’s corpse.
“You cannot go alone.” Gabe shook out his icy hair. “You did when you ventured into the Hanged Man’s dome of power, and that was a close call.”
A seriously close call. I recalled how dizzy I’d been from hunger—and how Gabe had nearly slit my throat. Still, I said, “I’ll be fine.” His talents wouldn’t help much in the close confines of a house. I climbed out of the truck and headed to the back to stuff gear into my bug-out bag.
Joules hopped out as well. “I’m comin’ with you.”
“I thought your mère warned you not to step into the ring?”
“She never warned me not to. Just to have a bloody good reason. You need backup.”
I debated his offer. Didn’t want to die tonight, me, but I also didn’t want to jeopardize a friend and a valuable Arcana.