Page 108 of Broken Souls

“So I’m going to make this quick. Talon’s been spotted in Alaska, working at a bar.”

“Where in –”

The line goes dead.

I breathe in slowly, then out. Going through my contacts, I call Quinton. Dayne was supposed to be here a few days ago, but someone took out a hit on him. If Quinton wasn’t watching over him, he would have died in France. They’ve been on the run for the last couple days, but I got a text last night to tell me they have dealt with the team chasing them and would be here later today.

“Yes, sir?” Quinton answers, not a slick of tiredness in his voice despite the early hour.

“Where are you?”

“New York.”

“I need you to head to Alaska and figure out where Talon has been spotted. I’ve been told he’s in a bar.”

There’s a moment of silence. Then, “Did you ask them which bar?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“He didn’t say.”

“That seems –” He stops. “Ah. You talked to Aleric. Yeah, that checks. Do you want me to call Vlad?”

If he knows, it would save us a lot of time. “You think he’ll tell us?”

“He won’t tell you if Aleric’s told him not to, but he owes me a favor.”

“Then do so.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll do it now.”

He hangs up, and a few hours later, as I’m researching more ways to apologize to Micha, I get a text from him with an address in Nome. The town has an airport, but if the reaper books a plane, Talon will know about it. There aren’t any roads leading into it either, and I am certain he has eyes on any boats coming in. It’s going to be an utter bitch for Khalid to get there and take a lot of time too. We can’t spare him for that long. With every day that passes, there’s a bigger chance that Antonio has finally perfected whatever drug he gave to that wolf to turn him into a super soldier.

According to Aleric, Cara Jervis still hasn’t managed to crack the disease. Everything she’s made out of it has either been too unstableor far too dangerous to let loose in the world. Over a hundred years ago, when she was young and bold, she wouldn’t have cared, believing herself capable of controlling whatever she created. But then a war between her and Terra Harrison, another witch progeny with the innate power of disease, broke out, and she created the Spanish Flu. Nearly a third of the population in the entire world – five hundred million people, were infected within a single year. Fifty million of them died, including Terra and two of Mother’s children. Since then, Cara has been more cautious about what she creates.

Glancing back at my computer, I skim the article I have up.Twenty Ways to Apologize After Hurting Her.1. Buy her flowers – she doesn’t want any. 2. Bring her breakfast in bed – she isn’t eating. 3. Redo a date you’ve done before to rekindle old feelings – that date ended with me tattooing my name on her, which she’s since skinned off. I don’t think that would be a good idea. 4. Genuinely say sorry – I have, and it isn’t enough.Fuck.

My lips tight, I close the laptop, then stand. Grabbing my phone, I leave the office, texting as I go.

Varius:I need someone who can phase. Talon’s holed up in a town without roads.

Aleric:You are asking a lot of favors. I’m starting to feel used. The sex ain’t even good.

Varius:The benefit comes when we kill the Death Hunt together.

Aleric:Ugh. Fiiiine. I’ll send Vlad over. Text him when you sort the ward for him, and he’ll come quicker than a girl on my fingers with a werewolf breathing down her neck.

My eyes narrow on the text, but I don’t ask him to clarify what timescale that is. Opening up that can of worms will surely lead to me bleaching my brain.

Slipping my phone away, I open the door to my room and step inside. Micha’s found the wand I purchased for her and is holding it in both her hands. Her eyes are wide, and I know she can feel the power radiating from it.

The wand is pitch black with bright purple lines running through it like cracked lava with the tip brighter than the bottom. It isn’t made of wood but from the shed horn of a kezja alicorn – a pegasus-hellhound-unicorn mix, with lava-like veins beneath its feathers. The wand’s handle is plain and smooth to make for a comfortable hold, but its length is carved so intricately as to mimic a line of fire with various creatures dancing inside its flames.

“This isn’t from Earth,” she eventually says as she looks up at me.

“No.”