Chapter 12

12

O f all the things that Vanth expected his mother to say at that moment, the name of the Etruscan god of the dead wasn't one of them.

"What about Orcus?" he asked.

The music had stopped, and Vanth pulled his half of the pendant free. "Were you a devotee of him like she is with Charon?"

Eiline swallowed, clutching the pendant so hard, her fingers whitened. Her gaze cleared, and Vanth knew she was lucid, her curse pushed back for a moment.

"I was never a devotee of him. Orcus is your father. And you, Elektra must be a reaper. A good one too if Maria gave you this."

"I am, my lady. It's an honor to meet you," Elektra replied, bowing again.

Eiline nodded and looked at the mural she had painted. "Fuck. It's starting, isn't it? They are trying to break the patch on the Veil because it's weakened. When did this attack on the temple happen?"

"Four days ago. The high priestess sent me to find you and your son," Elektra replied. "A shade of a reaper told us Lazarus is also trying to find a way to trap Orcus in order to use his power."

"The audacity of that bastard," Eiline hissed.

Vanth was still frozen in shock. He forced his mouth to work. "What do you mean Orcus is my father? Which Orcus? Be specific because there're a lot of necromancers out there who get off on giving themselves dumb names."

" The Orcus. The real one," Eiline said primly. She placed her hands on his cheeks. "It's a long story, my baby boy, and we aren't safe here."

"None of you are going anywhere," Clara said, coming into the cottage with three men. They were all mages with hard eyes, their magic humming.

"Clara?" Vanth couldn't make sense of what was happening, only that his world was breaking. The nurse he had been friends with seemed to have a completely different aura. How had she hidden it for so long?

"She's one of them. How long has Lazarus had you posted here to spy for him?" Elektra asked, looking down her nose at Clara.

For the first time, he could see the imperious royal in her. Damn, she was so beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

Clara's return smile was chilling. She didn't even try to deny it. "As soon as we located Eiline hiding in this place, I was sent to watch her. The curse has kept her from being useful until now. Whatever this reaper bitch has told you about us is wrong, Vanth. You know you can trust me."

"Can I?" He was going to be sick. He had been bringing Clara coffee and flirting with her for years. He thought she had actually cared. What a fucking fool he had been. He pointed to the mural. "So that didn't happen? Is it a lie? Or is your boss responsible for murdering people for their magic?"

Clara's smile widened. "It served a higher purpose. All of you will come with us now. Don't make it harder than it needs to be. Lazarus doesn't want to kill you, Vanth. He wants to recruit you. Talk to him, and you will see what we are really trying to do."

Elektra unsheathed her sickles and shot Vanth a glare. "I'm so glad you talked me out of wearing my suit. Why would I need tactical gear in a hospital?"

"Don't sass me, or I'll spank you," Vanth clapped back.

Elektra winked at him. "Stop threatening me with a good time, or I'll take you up on it."

"Stop flirting and come with us. We don't want any more bloodshed," Clara interrupted.

Vanth pulled his dagger from his boot in case any of them were dumb enough to get close enough for him to use it. "You clowns aren't going to lay a finger on my mother."

The three mages reacted before Clara could say a word. The first one threw a fireball towards Elektra. She dodged it, and it hit the mural, blowing a hole right through the wall. Before he could summon another, Vanth picked up a dining chair and threw it him. It crashed into him, distracting him long enough for Elektra to close in on him. She sliced off one of the mage's hands with her sickle before taking off his screaming head with the other. Two ghouls crashed through the back door.

"You guys took your fucking time," Vanth snarled. "I swear it's like you stopped for a snack on the way."

They threw themselves at the other two mages who had been closing in on Eiline to trap her in a room. Spells bounced off the ghouls as the mages hurried to try and go on the defense. It was useless. The ghouls had a hunger that could never be satisfied. They tore into the screaming mages and ripped their throats out. Clara was nowhere to be seen.

"Are you okay, Mom?" he called.

Eiline's shimmering gold protection shield dropped. "Yes. We need to leave."

"And go where? They know exactly where I live because I wrote it on the hospital's paperwork," Vanth replied. His safe little sanctuary had been an illusion all along.

Eiline went to her wardrobe and pulled out a battered black pack. "Car. Now. Clara will be calling for backup, and we can't stay here. I'll explain on the way."

"You take the lead," Elektra said to Vanth, her sickles still in her hands. "I'll protect our backs with your abominations."

Outside, the grounds were quiet as they always were. They ran down the twisting lanes to the main gate. The gate had been broken, and Vanth could only assume his ghouls were to blame. The security guard was cowering in the small box he worked from. He was still alive, so Vanth didn't have time to feel bad about his ghouls traumatizing the guy.

They piled into the van with Elektra in the back with the ghouls. They were looking at her with dreamy expressions, like they were infatuated with her.

Something to look further into later. They drove out into the streets of Inferno without looking back.

"Where am I meant to be going now?" he asked, feeling more unhinged by the second.

"The fae district, on the west side, near the forest. I'll guide you when we get there," Eiline said. She reached over and squeezed his arm. "I don't know how long this lucid period will last, so if you can put your foot down, my heart, I would appreciate it."

Vanth did as he was told, the van lurching forward. "Okay, what is in the fae district? Where are we going, Mom?"

Eiline leaned back into the passenger seat. "We are going home. We need to see your grandfather."

Well, fuck.