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His eyes gleamed, and I felt them slicing through me as if he were peering into the heart of my power, and when he did, he smiled again, and it made me shiver.
“Perhaps, but she’s a child, my lord. You know what the Berithian Treaty says about wooing youths. Quite unfair, I agree, but she will be an adult soon enough, and if you allow me to cultivate the child by completing my contract…”
He glanced in her direction. “Whatever deal you’ve made with the child can be completed another time. I’m not letting you slip away again so easily. You have a penchant for disappearing. ”
“But she-”
“Is powerful enough to summon you when she wishes. ” He turned back to me and before I could move away, his hand was under my chin, holding it, the guard’s dead fingers oddly warm. He tilted my face up to his and murmured, “Grow up strong, little one. Strong and powerful. ”
A blast of hot air. Diriel whispered, “I’m sorry, child. ” And then they were gone.
I jumped over the guard’s fallen body and raced to the door. The handle turned before I touched it. I looked around, ready to run, but there was no place to run to. I took out the gun and backed against the wall. The door opened. A figure peeked in.
“A-aunt Lauren,” I whispered.
My knees wobbled. There’d been a time when I’d chafed under Aunt Lauren’s constant mothering, but after two weeks of relying on myself and other kids who were as scared and lost as I was, her look of concern was like a warm blanket on a freezing night, and I wanted to throw myself into her arms and say, Take care of me. Fix this.
But I didn’t. She was the one who ran over and hugged me and as wonderful as it was, that feeling of wanting to be rescued passed, and I felt myself pulling away and heard myself saying “Come on. I know the way. ”
As we hurried out, she glanced back in the room and saw the guard’s body.
She gasped. “Isn’t that-?”
Without missing a beat, I cut her off, stammering, “I-I don’t know what happened. I g-got scared and he just walked in here and-”
She hugged me, whispering, “It’s okay, hon. ”
She believed me, of course. I was still her little Chloe who’d never think of raising the dead.
As we slipped into the hall, she saw the gun and took it from me before I realized what she was doing. When I protested she said, “If we need to use it, I’ll be the one who pulls the trigger. ” I knew she was trying to protect me from having to shoot someone. I didn’t want to shoot anyone, but there was something about giving up the gun that chafed, the feeling of being shoved back into a role I no longer fit.
“Simon and Tori are in Dr. Davidoff’s office,” I whispered.
“We’ll go this way. It’s longer, but we’re less likely to bump into anyone. ”
We turned a corner and a balding guard stepped from a room. I tried to tug Aunt Lauren back, but he’d already seen us.
“Don’t move, Alan,” Aunt Lauren said, raising the gun. “Just step back into that room and close-”
“Alan,” said a voice behind him.
He turned. A shot fired. The guard dropped. Mrs. Enright stood there, lowering a gun.
“I really do hate these things,” she said, lifting the gun. “So primitive. But I thought it might come in handy. ”
I glanced at Aunt Lauren. She was frozen in a binding spell.
“Look what your aunt did, Chloe. ” Mrs. Enright waved at the guard, motionless on the ground. “Such a shame. They won’t let her off with house arrest this time. ”
I looked from Aunt Lauren to the dead guard.
Mrs. Enright laughed. “You’re thinking of raising him, aren’t you? Such a resourceful girl. I suppose we have you to thank for all this. ” She waved her free hand at the cracks in the walls. “That’s what I like about you. Resourceful, clever, and, apparently”-she motioned at the guard again-“getting more confident in your powers each time we meet. I’d almost like to let you raise him, just to see what you’d do. ”
“Let us go or-”
“I’m the one with the gun, Chloe. Your weapon takes longer to activate. If he so much as twitches, it’s good-bye to Aunt Lauren. Any bargains come from me, and I’m still quite willing to deal with you. I think we could-”
A dark shape leaped on her back. As she fell, she twisted to see a huge black wolf pinning her. She opened her mouth to cast, but Derek grabbed her by the back of the shirt and whipped her against the wall. She recovered, rolling aside and reciting words in a foreign language. He grabbed her and flung her again. She hit with a crack, then lay still.
I raced forward.
“Chloe!” Aunt Lauren shouted, freed from her binding spell.
“It’s Derek,” I said.
“I know. Don’t-”
I was already there, dropping beside him as he panted, flanks heaving, fighting for control. I grabbed handfuls of fur and buried my face against him, tears threatening.
“You’re okay,” I said. “I was so worried. ”
“You weren’t the only one,” said a voice.
I glanced up to see Liz and smiled. “Thank you. ”
“I just went along for the ride. After that happened-” She waved at Derek. “You know how blind people need Seeing Eye dogs? Well, apparently werewolves could really use Opening Door poltergeists. ”
Derek rumbled deep in his chest and bumped me.
“We need to go. I know. ”
I started getting to my feet, but he leaned against me. I could feel his racing heart. He pressed his nose against my neck, breathed deeply, shuddered, and his heart slowed. When he sniffed again, his nose went to the back of my neck, finding the blood and grumbling with concern.
“It’s just a bump,” I said. “I’m fine. ”
I wrapped my hands in his fur one last time, holding him tight, then pushed to my feet. I turned to Aunt Lauren. She stood there, staring. Just staring.
“We have to go,” I said.
Her gaze lifted to mine and she stared some more, like seeing someone she didn’t recognize.
“Liz is here,” I said. “She’ll scout the way. ”
“Liz…” She swallowed, then nodded. “All right. ”
I gestured at Tori’s mom. “Is she…?”
“Still alive, but it was a hard blow. She should be out for a while. ”
“Good. Derek? We need to get Tori and Simon. Follow me. Liz, can you go ahead and make sure the way is clear?”
She smiled. “Yes, boss. ”
I took a few steps, then realized Aunt Lauren wasn’t following. I turned. She was still staring.
“I’m okay,” I said.
“You are,” she said softly. Then firmer, “You really are. ”
We set out.
Forty-six
