Page 113 of Change

“Not in the way you’d think,” Ms. Protean said. “What do you want with me?”

“The organization I am with has a few questions for you,” Jameson replied. “Regarding the council.”

“Too bad.” Gloria was frowning at him as she inched closer to me. “I’m notinthe council anymore.”

Jameson didn’t appear to be perturbed. “Well your information will still be useful. I have a feeling it’s easier to get you to talk than Gregory Stephens.”

Gloria narrowed her eyes. “You’d be surprised.” She crossed her arms, now a statue between me and the onmyoji. “Gregory has a history of running his mouth when it’s not warranted.”

He gave her a look that indicated that, clearly, he did not believe a word she said. “In any case,” he said, “neither of you interests me, but there’s no use looking a gift horse in the mouth.” He released the falcon, which promptly disappeared in a jump of smoke and light, and he turned from us. They instantly attacked. Gloria was quickly overwhelmed by the wolf shifters encircling her, and Ada was pinned to the ground in a flurry of snarls.

I’d made it to my stomach and was in the process of moving onto my knees when the hair on my arms stood up. I didn’t even have time to move—to look behind me. My vision darkened as the rough, dark cloth pressed against my nose, and I clawed at the hands tying the bag at my neck.

“Let’s go,” a low voice commanded, and I struggled as my captor pulled my arms behind my back. “Someone is going to notice if we stay here any longer.”

An arm wrapped around my neck, pulling me back into a too-warm frame, and my breathing began to quicken.

No. My panic swelled, and my skin tingled. We couldn’t be taken. This was supposed to be my first official case! I’d fought Uncle Gregory for this! How pathetic would it look if we couldn’t even manage that?

But as I was dragged through the darkness, my attempts at digging my heels into the ground useless, there was no stopping it.

When we first arrived, I’d been pushed roughly onto a cold, wet floor, burning shackles snapping around my wrists and ankles, as the sounds of struggle faded into the distance. The bag remained over my head, and I was dizzy, disoriented, as I forced myself to breathe slowly in order not to pass out.

Forever passed—or at least it felt like it, and my muscles were tight by the time the sounds of footsteps and murmured cursing returned. I rolled to my knees as a door slammed and a loud metal screeching caused my teeth to chatter.

“Useless!”

A low grunt, and the sound of a body slamming against stone.

“I told you,” the slow voice replied. “I don’t have anything to say.”

More grunting and a movement brushed against me. My senses snapped to alertness, but I barely had time to recoil as the bag was jerked off my head and my attacker stepped away. Even though it wasn’t bright, my eyes still hurt, and it took a moment for the sight of Gloria being chained to the wall by a second man to register.

Her hair was loose around her, and her arms and face scratched and bruised. She growled at the man as he finished closing the chain around her wrist. When he didn’t move away quickly enough, she spat blood at him. “You might as well give up.”

“Gloria, Gloria.” Jameson stood in the open cell doorway, inspecting his fingernails. “Didn’t you know that beating up on an old woman leaves such a bad aftertaste? Why can’t you just cooperate, and we’ll all be happy?”

Gloria glared at him. “I haven’t been involved in the dealings of the council in decades. So I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish.”

“They’re simple questions.” Jameson held out his hands out in front of him, as if his request was perfectly logical. “You could bypass so much of this drama.”

Gloria spat in his general direction.

Jameson sighed, finally looking at me. “What do you think the fae knows?” he asked mildly.

Gloria’s mouth slammed shut as her attention moved to me.

As the cloud continued to lift from my thoughts, my surroundings began to grow into focus. We were in a basement of dirt, stone, and bars. The basement part was obvious by the very small opening high against the tall ceilings, where the darkness of night and the sprinkling of stars were only somewhat visible.

Gloria shared a space with me, and it was small, no larger than twelve by twelve. Outside of the single doorway behind Jameson and two of his lackies was a short hallway, no wider than two people standing side-by-side, with another similar room along the other side.

A hyena—Ada—was pacing alongside the bars, panting heavily as she glared at Jameson’s back.

“Would youknow anything?” the onmyoji mused. His eyes raked over me, making my skin chill even though he hadn’t even come close to touching. “Probably not,” he said finally. “This might even be your first foray out of the house.”

His eyes held mine—seemingly bottomless pits of darkness—and my chest tightened. I tried to move to my hands and knees, to back away, but it was then I realized that I, too, was in chains—trapped between the corner and exit with not much leeway at all.

“It is.” Gloria’s voice sounded distant. “She’s only now learning about our world.”