“What about the Wyvern?”
Mr. Singkham gives me a funny look, then silently shakes his head. “There’s ... more to it than that.”
When it doesn’t seem like he’ll say more, I look back at his book. “You know who these all belong to?”
“Some were found in the backs of the pods of the Forty-Eight that crashed, but less than a dozen. Eight, I believe. The rest, we haven’t a clue. And the Champions don’t feel anything in particular when they approach the various weaponry that would give us any indication who the weapon might belong to or what it might do.” He adjusts his tie. It’s red with little blue comets—the pods falling from the sky.
I feel uncomfortable giving this information to Mr. Singkham without Darius’s knowledge, and I’m worried I acted too hastily. In the last seventy-two hours, I’ve watched the guy who I grew up idolizing turn into a gigantic blue beast, fucked him, dealt with my godsister getting her legs broken by the Marduk, met with the Marduk—who I’m pretty sure was going to kill me until he found out I was Taranis’s key, whatever that means—and then been fucked again by monster dick after being presented a series of contracts meant to strip me of autonomy and bind me to him.
I haven’t admitted it out loud, but the truth is that I’m scared. I don’t know what to tell to whom. I don’t know who to trust. What to feel. What I’ve started to feel for Darius is in complete conflict with what I feel for Taranis. For a minute there, lost in the expanse of his blue skin, I thought that Darius might be surging as his dominant personality, but after our last meeting, I’m concerned that Taranis is winning. And I don’t trust Taranis. Especially not after hearing his talks of murder.
I swallow hard, sparing Mr. Singkham a glance. Does he really deserve to die? He might be a shrewd businessman at the end of the day, but does that qualify him for the casket? If Darius is looking for an out, he has other options. Or is Taranis simply looking for a reason to make a grab for even more power?
“Anything on this page?” Mr. Singkham asks, pointing to a new sheet. The weapons are all rusty and dark, some too difficult to hardly make out.
“Is this an axe?” I ask.
“We aren’t sure.”
I grunt at the photograph of a weapon that looks like an axe blade but has a handle in the shape of a circle. “Terrifying.”
“I certainly wouldn’t want to see it in practice—at least, not in the hands of a villain.”
“Me either.”
“Any others look familiar?”
“No ... these aren’t swords. This is a whip.” Black and dull and utterly uninspiring looking. “Wait. I think ...” I drag the binder closer to me and squint at a rusty red thing. It does seem to be the right shape ... and the markings look almost familiar ... “The color is wrong. Do you have anything bigger? Closer up?”
“Yes, of course.” He flips a few pages farther, and I recognize the weapons on first glance.
My finger stabs down on the large images taking up the full-page spread. “It’s that one.”
“The wrist swords.”
“Yes. They were the same shape. Not the same color, though. These look kinda rusted and dim. His were bright white and, like I said, buzzing with electricity.”
Mr. Singkham immediately moves around his desk, leaving me with the binder. He fires up his computer and starts typing furiously. An email to the SDD head? Sending the Navy SEALs to arrest Taranis right now? Or just taking notes? “Incredible.” He shakes his head.
“Are you going to ... confront him?”
“Yes.”
I tense. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“We have no concrete proof that Taranis stole these weapons, so I’d like to see if there isn’t a way to convince Taranis to come to us willinglywith this.” He pauses typing and shoots me a glance. “You could be exceedingly helpful in convincing him to come in.”
“No thank you.”
He grunts. “Then I may need to consult the SDD president, Ms. Lemon.” He frowns. “It could be dangerous.”
“And yet, you asked me to do it?”
Mr. Singkham has the decency at least to blush. “Did you see any other weapons in Taranis’s possession?”
“Nope.” Whew. At least I can admit that in the negative. But what to do with the other information I have on Taranis? Before accusing him point-blank of conspiracy to commit murder, I know I need to talk toDariusfirst.
“This is fantastic work, Ms. Neumann, simply fantastic. I cannot thank you enough. If there is anything else you might have come across or any other information you have for me, please do let me know.”
