28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

A glass shatters, and I bolt upright, wiping the sleep from my eyes. Light streaks through the windows, and I'm momentarily disoriented by the sound of clucking chickens outside.

Razenna stands before me, frozen with a shattered mug at her feet. Her bloody black fighting gear is quite the contrast to the quaint, serene setting.

"What are you doing here?" she asks through gritted teeth. "You're wanted by every guard in the library." She rubs her hands over her face and starts to pace.

Charlotte runs into the room and slides on the wooden floor. "You're back!" she says, running into Razenna's arms. Their embrace is long and heartfelt. The way they cling to one another makes my heart ache. I long to be missed like that.

"You're in trouble," Razenna tells Charlotte before kissing her. "I'm gone for less than 48 hours, and you find another stray to bring in—a dangerous one at that."

Charlotte ignores Razenna's chiding remarks and jumps up and down like a child in a sweets shop. "Raz, the goddess took over for several minutes. She lost complete control."

Razenna turns to me with an unreadable expression. "Are you certain?" she asks Charlotte without breaking eye contact with me. Her chest rises and falls as if she's anticipating something.

"I'm certain."

"I have to tell August," Razenna says. "Goddess above, this is such a mess. Luc went berserk when we couldn't locate her, and August threw him in a holding cell. We have to protect her." She hugs Charlotte one more time and runs out the door.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

Charlotte gives me the most insincere smile I may have ever seen and shoos me off the couch. She folds up the blankets I was sleeping on and takes them to the back room.

My stomach growls, and I stand, unable to contain my nerves and turn straight into August as he and Razenna phase into the living room. He does not look happy.

"Sit down," he growls.

I sit on the pink sofa, and my mouth goes dry. Charlotte avoids eye contact with me and suddenly becomes very interested in the intricate details of her teacups. Razenna sits in the floral chair to my left and folds her hands in her lap.

Still in his battle armor, August is truly a frightening sight, with the remnants of gore still clinging to him. "Have you read any of the books I brought you?" he asks, crossing his arms. "Don't answer that. I know you haven't. You may be the single biggest thorn in my side I've encountered in the last fifty years." He's nearly shouting now and begins to pace.

"August," Razenna pleads.

"Stop," August says, holding a finger up to her. "Razenna seems to think you're important to her mission. I've been reluctant to believe it. However, it seems the fates have brought you two together, and I mustn't stand in the way."

"Thank you, August." She stands up. "I'll make sure she stays in line."

"No," he says shortly. "I will. I can't risk her putting my people in harm's way again." He turns to me, and the muscles in his jaw clench. "You can stay in my court and continue our contract under one condition."

"What?" I ask. I can feel my heartbeat in my fingertips as it pulses at an accelerated rate.

"You begin training with me, and you start tonight." His tone is authoritative and leaves little room for discussions or negotiations.

I swallow hard and nod. There's so much I want to ask, and I have the overwhelming urge to reach out and touch him, but his presence today is pure power, authority, and death.

"Good," he says. "Now we need to deal with Lucanis."

"I have an idea," I say apprehensively.

"What?"

I sigh, not sure how much I want to reveal. "I have a theory about the sword of regret: where it is and how to retrieve it."

"Great." Razenna pipes up with what feels like false enthusiasm. "What does that have to do with Luc?"

"I think we need him to help us retrieve it."

Razenna looks at me as if I've sprouted another head. "That sounds borderline treasonous."

"You said we need the power of dozens of black powder barrels. I think he, or maybe I, could do that. I felt this power last night and think I used some of it. It definitely wasn't mine. It has to be his."

"Interesting," August says. "How do you know what sort of power it is?" He runs his fingers through his beard as he studies me.

"It felt . . . huge. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it felt explosive. I could ask him."

"Where do you think it is?" Razenna chimes in.

"Some place called Doth Murial. If we can get Luc to agree to help us, I know someone who can make a replica of the relic again. I imagine this one will be even more realistic since the sword has no visible magical function. We could give him that one."

August's eyes flash to Razenna, and they stare silently at each other. Razenna nods so slightly that I wonder if I really see it. "Doth Murial is in one of the four hells."

Razenna jumps up. "Why even bother," she says, seething. "We should just leave him locked up and get it ourselves, August."

"If we leave him locked up, Helios will come for him with everything they've got." August crosses his arms. "We can't risk that on a hunch. Besides, if Bronwyn is to use the power, he has to be close enough for her to pull it from him." He turns to me. "Give Razenna your contact's information. We will send drawings of the relic to them straight away. This may work." His gaze hardens on me. "I'll see you tonight."

He's not asking me. He's telling me. I nod my head and wonder what sort of training I'll have to endure. I know I'll be sore in the morning if it is anything like Eoin was putting me through. In the blink of an eye, he is gone.

"We need to talk," I say to Razenna. Charlotte hands us each a hot cup of tea and a slice of pumpkin loaf, and we walk to the backyard. We lean on the fence, and four sheep wander from the barn towards us.

"I'm surprised it wasn't Sorensen we had to lock up when you went missing." She sips her tea and tosses a piece of her loaf to one of the sheep.

"I'm not. He's too smart for that. He's probably trying to find me."

She runs her hand through a juniper bush and plucks a couple berries. "You're probably right."

"Why did you choose me? Why have you been scouting me specifically."

She closes her eyes and lets out a long breath. "You can't repeat this." Her crimson eyes pierce me with a convicting gaze.

"One of my gifts is extremely rare, probably the rarest of gifts. Only August, Ciaran, Mads, and Charlotte know I have it, and once I tell you, I'd like it to stay that way."

"Okay."

"That means Eoin too. You can't tell him. It's too dangerous."

I don't like the sound of this, but I'm in so deep now. I nod.

"I can see the future. Or rather, strands of time and the many variations and paths before us. Some things are much more likely to happen than others, and sometimes I am wrong. But most of the time, I'm right."

I'm unsure how to respond, but she seems to expect this.

"War is coming. I see it on every timeline. I cannot stop it." Her jaw tenses as she plucks another juniper berry and tosses it. "And something worse than war comes as well, and that's where you come in. This isn't about finding relics and chasing riches. It's bigger than that. I see your face in my visions, your black eyes and fingers. I know it's you."

My stomach clenches. I don't like this. Her scarlet eyes find mine, and genuine fear grips me. "You think I can stop this thing, this thing worse than war?" Maybe she's crazy.

"Perhaps." Her lip trembles. "But my reasons for finding you are selfish, and I'm afraid you're now caught up in a net you can't escape."