Knights of Light (Book 2 of The Conjurors Series)

Chapter 24

Restless after her unsettling encounter with Thai and her failure with the Grand Masters, Valerie quietly avoided her friends for the rest of the day, instead deciding to wander around Silva alone to plan her next move.

She had left the edges of the city and was heading into the forest when Zunya stepped out from behind a tree. Her first instinct was to run, but he had already locked eyes on her. Even from a few yards away, he could take her power if he wanted to.

"No need to run, little rabbit," he jeered. "I'm only projecting."

"Like on Earth?" she asked, surprised. "I didn't think you could do that on the Globe."

"The rules binding the Globe are weakening, thanks to a little ingenuity by the Fractus. You might want to reconsider which side you're on," he said, his smile growing wider.

It was a disturbing sight, and she looked away. "What do you want?"

"To show you something."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

He laughed. "Afraid the big bad wolf will eat you up? Don't you know if that's what I was after, you'd be dead already?"

The Laurel Circle turned cold on her thumb, a reminder to herself to reach down and find her little shred of anger and confidence. "Is that so? It didn't seem like that at the Capitol when you attacked me and I escaped—twice."

"Only because Oberon was there to protect you. You're all by your lonesome this time," he said, but she could hear the simmering rage underneath his words.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say."

"You'll want to hear this. If you ever want to see Jet alive again."

"What about Darling?" she asked, the worry she had been repressing for the little creature bubbling up uncontrollably.

Zunya quickly masked his surprise at her knowledge. "Nothing will happen to the little rat. He's being treated like a guest."

"In your dungeon? I hardly think so."

"Is it that little brat, Shade, who told you all this? I knew that sniveling good-for-nothing would turn on us."

"My brother and I sensed Jet's mind and saw what you did to him," she said quickly, not wanting to bring Zunya's wrath down on Shade.

His face cleared a little at her explanation, and he almost sounded impressed. "Ah, brother and sister, joining forces. How sweet. Reaper knew that together you'd be a powerful tool."

"Not for you!" Valerie spat.

"So you say, but we certainly appreciated your words at the Capitol today, even if the vote didn't swing in our favor. Maybe we have more in common than you think," Zunya said.

"I've known you for most of my life, and I know that we don't have anything in common."

He grinned at her. "Maybe you're right. But we do have something you want. Come now. This offer won't be repeated."

He stepped into the woods, and after a second of hesitation, Valerie followed. She chased him through the trees, but she didn't have to run far. He stopped in a clearing. Next to him was a portal like the one Chern created to take them to Ephesus, a window to another part of the Globe. Through the patch, she could see a wavy vision of the cell Jet lay in.

The wolf was white, as she remembered. He was skin and bones, but he lapped at some water in a bowl on the floor.

"Alive," Zunya said. "He thought you'd want to see proof."

"Who?" Valerie asked, barely able to process her enemy's words while staring at the shell of the wolf that had once been so strong.

"Reaper. He'd like to propose a trade."

"Jet...for what?"

"Nothing much, really. He wants to meet you. In person," Zunya said, his yellow eyes narrowing as he examined her reaction.

"I see. And I'm guessing my chances of surviving this meeting are pretty minimal, given his attacks on me lately," Valerie said, struggling to keep her calm mask from slipping.

"It's true that Reaper wanted you dead before today. But now he thinks maybe your interests are aligned. He only wants to talk to you—your life will not be taken in this meeting."

"I see. And if I refuse?"

"Jet dies, of course. And we'll see about little Darling."

She shuddered. There had only been one answer to Zunya's request, but she didn't want him to know how ready she was to hand herself over if that was Reaper's demand for Jet's life. She was glad she had kept her mouth shut.

"Fine, I'll meet him," Valerie agreed. "When and where?"

"All in good time. Reaper wants to make sure you're alone, so we won't be giving you time to prepare. For now, it's enough that you accept and you keep your mouth shut. I'll be in touch soon," Zunya replied.

The sound of footsteps crunching against the leaves on the forest floor startled Valerie. Midnight appeared, and when her eyes settled on Zunya her power pulsed powerfully.

"He's not really here," Valerie said.

"Taking her to the woods to slaughter her? Not this time. Get away from her," Midnight snarled, not listening. Valerie had never seen her so enraged. "Let's finish what's between us today."

The hum of power that emanated from Midnight took Valerie's breath away. Zunya's lips formed a thin line, as if even at a distance the power of her hatred intimidated him a little. But he quickly regained his usual confidence.

"Still haven't forgiven me for killing Aurora? I'm heartbroken," he said, but his usual heartless sarcasm had a note of something that Valerie would have thought was regret in anyone else.

"I'll kill you for that," Midnight said, her voice quiet and far more frightening than when she had shouted a moment earlier.

Valerie could have sworn she saw Zunya flinch at the words. "That's not how this will end."

Zunya vanished, and the portal showing Jet collapsed. Valerie was left with Midnight, whose fists were clenched.

"I was alerted to someone illegally projecting in Arden and came right away. What did he want from you?" Midnight asked. The Guardian Grand Master seemed to sag, empty of the power that had lit her up when she confronted Zunya.

Valerie didn't trust Zunya's promise of her safety. But she did trust the repercussions if she didn't meet Reaper, or if she told anyone what he planned. He was obviously done with Jet, whatever he had tried to use him for. It was the last chance to save his life. She couldn't ruin it by telling Midnight the truth.

"He was trying to scare me into abandoning the search for Jet," she replied, settling for a half-truth.

"But you never will," Midnight said with a wry smile. "You never abandon you ideals. It is why you remind me so much of my daughter."

"Aurora?" Valerie asked, but she already knew the answer. She could see the raw, beating pain of a loss that even Valerie couldn't completely fathom.

"She tried to reform Zunya, convinced that he would turn on the Fractus and help the Knights to end their threat forever," Midnight said, her voice sounding faraway. "I think she really came close to finding a shred of humanity in him. He had many chances to kill her, but it was years before he finally stripped her of her power, and then her life. He left her dead body on my doorstep."

Valerie's stomach churned. "He's a monster."

Midnight's face was rigid. "Yes. Alive, he is a reminder to me of the importance of the work we do to keep the Fractus away from Earth. But I would still prefer him dead."

Valerie swallowed, letting a dark hatred burn through her. "I'd prefer him that way, too."

Midnight and Valerie left the forest and theirpainful conversation behind, though Valerie couldn't leave the knowledge of whowas coming for her behind with it.