Page 2

Chapter two

T he ballroom at the Palmer House churned with an amorphous mass of glimmering gowns and black tuxedoes. Odelle loved it. She waded through the crowds with relative ease, aided by her height. After all, as Nora pointed out whenever she refused to wear heels, Odelle didn’t have to worry about getting blisters from fabulous shoes. The joys of having carbon fiber feet. Still, the prosthetic legs Antony had made her would have been even more of a showstopper than the stilettos she had on. Odelle pursed her lips at the thought.

When she ruined one of her old prosthetics a few months ago by using it as an impromptu club, Antony replaced them with a pair that was nothing short of art. They fit perfectly, seeming to morph to her leg throughout the day, so much so that she didn’t have to carry around spare socks to adjust them. The best part though, was the material. Odelle didn’t know what Antony had done, but iridescent fibers that shimmered a full rainbow of colors were woven into the tan covering. Sometimes, she would take the prosthetics out of her closet just to gaze at the way they sparkled in the morning light streaming through her windows. The eight-year-old version of herself who had taken a hot glue gun and rhinestones to her prosthetics was thrilled, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to wear them since Christmas.

Wrenching her thoughts away from the infuriating sorcerer, Odelle returned to scanning the ballroom for her quarry. Chicago’s most influential residents crowded the grand hall, and one never knew what they might let slip when loosened up by a few glasses of champagne. She practically itched at the thought of unearthing the happenings beneath the surface-level shine of the city’s elite. It was why she became a reporter after all. To uncover the truths the world deserved to know, even when the rich and powerful tried to keep her attention away.

Odelle looked for a particularly dense vortex of people, all of whom seemed desperate to grab attention but appear casual at the same time. Those groups usually revolved around important individuals—individuals who could cause trouble if they weren’t held accountable. She had just spotted such a throng surrounding noted philanthropist Gerald Krinkle, when a glimmer of bronze in the periphery of her vision stole her attention.

Turning her head, Odelle found that the shimmer came from a crown on a nearby woman. Despite the grandeur of the event, a crown would usually be considered ostentatious. Odelle didn’t blame the woman for wearing it, though; she would have taken any opportunity to put such a work of art on her head too. Something about the way the light reflected on bronze made her heart beat louder, unable to pull her gaze away.

Changing direction, Odelle picked her way towards the woman.

“Excuse me,” Odelle interjected when there was a lull in conversation between the crowned stranger and the man at her side. “I just had to come over and ask about that crown of yours. It’s breathtaking.”

The woman turned to her, pausing as she ran her icy gaze up and down Odelle’s figure, regarding her like a bug under a microscope.

“Do I know you?” The woman’s voice was cold.

“Odelle Zvezda. I’m a reporter for channel three.” Odelle offered a smile along with her hand to shake. The woman ignored both .

“Yes, they probably hired somebody like you to make themselves seem progressive.” The woman glanced down her nose at Odelle’s leg where it emerged from the slit in her dress.

Odelle opened and closed her mouth a few times like a gobsmacked goldfish. In her nightmares, people whispered such things behind her back, but they rarely said anything like it to her face. Luckily, the woman didn’t seem to expect a response from Odelle and pressed on as if she hadn’t just launched her campaign for asshat of the century.

“You do have good taste, though. This crown is an antique.” She lovingly stroked the bronze leaves nestled in her hair.

Odelle half expected them to flutter under her touch; they were so realistic.

“My husband purchased it for our private collection of classical Greek antiquities after it was excavated last year,” the woman continued. “Normally I wouldn’t think to wear something over two-thousand years old, but it’s in such perfect condition.”

“It was excavated last year?” Odelle pressed for more information. “Where was it found?”

“My husband’s the history aficionado, I don’t know the details. I just know that with how much money he spent on it, I’m not going to waste an opportunity to show it off.”

Odelle chanced leaning in to examine the piece more closely, anticipating being shooed away. The woman just tilted her head this way and that to show off how her accessory shimmered exquisitely in the light. Odelle mentally marked her as being vain in addition to rude. She had just craned her neck to see the threadlike wires supporting the bronze olive leaves in greater detail when a flicker of movement in the shadows behind the woman caught Odelle’s eye. Something about the movement struck her as familiar .

“Sorry for interrupting you,” Odelle said quickly. “I must excuse myself.”

She shouldered around the woman, who huffed indignantly. Odelle ignored her, far more focused on what she had seen. Her eyes firmly fixed on the dark corner, she almost missed the silhouette ducking out of the adjacent doorway.

Partygoers shot hostile glances at Odelle as she pushed through the crowd. She moved as fast as she could without breaking into a run. Causing a panic before she knew if anything was wrong would create more problems than it would solve. She always checked her facts.

Finally, she broke free from the crowd and darted around the corner into a service hallway. Only bland linoleum and the buzz of florescent lights greeted her, but heat prickled on her skin. Her mind supplied her with a memory of the last time she felt that heat, right before a Shadow grabbed her out of a snowy alleyway, prepared to use her as bait in a trap for her sister.

The heat intensified at the nape of her neck. Odelle whirled around just in time to spot a dark tentacle slither out of a high window. The Shadow was here.

She dashed back into the ballroom, not worried about breaking into a run this time. As she burst into the crowded room, the people near the door turned to stare. Still, only a fraction of the people in the room paid her any heed. A sea of partygoers stretched out before her, completely unaware of the danger they were in, waiting to become prey for the Shadow. Odelle might not be able to swing a spear like her sister, but she couldn’t let that happen.

She cast about for the stage, where the band would have a microphone she could commandeer to make an announcement. Instead, a red box on the wall next to her grabbed her attention. A fire alarm .

Hands flew over ears in response to the ringing that pierced the air as soon as Odelle yanked on the lever. The few guests who had seen Odelle pull the alarm started yelling, but she paid no attention to their words as she hurtled back out into the service hallway. The window the Shadow had disappeared through was still open, but much too high and small for Odelle to climb through.

She ran a few steps down the hallway to an open door, pushing into what turned out to be a bustling kitchen. Harried cooks and white-gloved servers gawked at her, but she pushed past them towards a back door. The flames from the stoves and ovens full of hors d’oeuvres raised a film of sweat on her skin as Odelle navigated the crowded room. The caterers seemed unperturbed by the fire alarms, hustling from task to task and forcing Odelle to duck around sous chefs with hot pans and trays laden with stuffed mushrooms and crab balls. Finally, she slammed through the red emergency exit door, and cold winter air slapped her face. She gasped at the contrast as she pushed into a snowy alleyway. It appeared deserted and she glanced around for which way the Shadow might have gone. Seeing no movement, she huffed in frustration. Then she noticed it.

At the far end of the alley, melted snow formed a trail, as if somebody had taken a blowtorch to the ground. The tracks led across the gap between the buildings and to a solid wall. Scorch marks and melted icicles sketched a path up the bricks and windows in the side of the adjacent building. Odelle tipped her head all the way back, craning her neck to see if she could still spot the Shadow climbing. It had escaped.

Odelle’s breath hung visible in the frigid air as she huffed out a sigh of both frustration and relief. Nobody was hurt—not that she was aware of—but the Shadow targeted a conspicuous event in the city. Whether it was related to her presence or not, she couldn’t guess. As far as she could tell, the Shadow was generally averse to people enjoying themselves, but it also seemed to have a vendetta against Nora and people close to her. Now it had reared its fearsome head on Odelle’s watch, and she was unsure if she had claimed a victory by chasing it off. It felt more like a stalemate.

She set off down the alleyway toward the sound of traffic and honking cars. Odelle would have to do something, and if she went back through the hotel ballroom, she was sure to be detained for pulling the fire alarm. Not that she didn’t know how to talk her way out of a sticky situation, but it would slow her down considerably.

Emerging onto the street, she paused. Her phone hovered in her hand, ready for her to dial Nora. Nothing had really happened, though. Nobody was hurt, and Odelle had averted any major crisis. Sure, the Eteria needed to be informed about the Shadow’s activity, but Odelle could do that without interrupting Nora and Adam’s romantic getaway. Maybe if she could handle this incident without Nora, it would assuage the feeling that she was stuck on the sidelines of a whole new world. She would no longer be constantly aware of an age-old war raging around her, but unable to help her sister. Besides, Odelle was a journalist. Investigating a situation and uncovering answers was what she did.

It was only a few blocks from the Palmer House to Millenium Park, but violent shivers wracked Odelle’s body by the time she got there. She clutched her lacey wrap more tightly around her bare shoulders as the cruel winter wind tried to pry it from her fingers and longed for the wool jacket she’d left at the hotel’s coat check.

Odelle paused once she stared into the mirrored surface of the Bean. The curved shape of the massive sculpture warped her reflection as she stood under it. She liked how it made her look impossibly tall, the feeling of towering height bolstering her confidence. Still, her breath came faster as she reached up, fingers hovering inches from the mirrored surface. Nora had assured her that all you had to do was picture the Sanctuary as you stepped into the mirrored side of the Bean, but Odelle still shivered when she imagined what might happen if she made a mistake.

Just when it looked as though her fingertips should encounter frosty metal, the surface of the Bean rippled at her touch. Odelle took a step forward, satin caressing her face and electricity sparking across her skin as she was plunged into darkness. A moment later, Odelle blinked in clear silvery moonlight, no longer buffeted by wintry winds.

She stood at the base of a grassy slope leading up to a white stone building. Fluted pillars surrounded the mammoth structure at regular intervals, and an open archway topped by ancient carvings beckoned her inside. Odelle remembered to start breathing again. Even though she had been here once before, stepping into the pocket dimension that was the home of Eteria was still a heart stopping experience. The Sanctuary had stood frozen in time for over two thousand years, since the days of the Greek empire, and it looked more like something out of a storybook or a dream than an actual place. Even the air here took Odelle off guard; it was warm and soft in her lungs. Nothing like the biting city air, a lake breeze laced with smoke and pollution.

She had no idea how Nora had gotten used to being here. Odelle was struck by the feeling of intruding as she passed under an arched entrance, gazing up at carved words in a language she didn’t recognize.

Now that she treaded into the dark and building though, she wasn’t quite sure where to go. Being here by herself for the first time, the empty halls impressed on her how vast the place really was. She supposed she could wander and see if she could find a friendly face. She had met Thad, the stylish and outgoing Healer, before and she knew he lived here. He would help her .

Of course, Antony lived here too.

Odelle set off down a hall at random. It was dark, but the moonlight streaming in through the periodic archways and skylights made it easy enough to navigate. Odelle peeked through several doors, revealing identical rooms, full of stripped beds and a thick coating of dust. Nora had told Odelle that most members of the Eteria died in the final battle against the Shadow on the plains outside Athens before the Eteria went into hiding, moving the Sanctuary into its pocket dimension. Once, these bedrooms would have been inhabited by sorcerers who dedicated their lives to the Light and defending humanity. Now they lay empty, untouched for millennia.

She continued to wander, until she found the entrance to a courtyard. The sound of trickling water came from beyond the entrance, and Odelle took a step through. When she emerged into the evening air, she immediately caught sight of the moonlight reflecting off the copper waves of the man sitting on a low stool.

Antony—the last person Odelle wanted to find. He sat cross-legged, shredding what looked to be a piece of flat bread into his lap. One by one, he held the pieces out to be plucked from his fingers by a brilliantly colored peacock standing patiently in front of him.

She faltered, hoping to exit unnoticed and find somebody else, but the magnificent bird betrayed her. It let out a high trill, making Odelle jump. She didn’t encounter peacocks in her day-to-day life, and the noise wasn’t what she’d expected. Antony looked up.

His eyes went wide as he saw her, their glassy surface reflecting the myriad stars above him. It wasn’t unlike the last time she had seen him, colored Christmas lights shining then, a thrift store holiday sweater pulled haphazardly over his classical Greek attire. She pushed away the memory of what he’d said .

“Odelle?” he asked, standing and brushing the breadcrumbs off his draped, purple garment. A peplos she remembered Nora calling it. “What’s wrong?”

“Wrong?” Odelle parroted absently as she was momentarily distracted by the amount of toned leg revealed by Antony’s clothing. She wasn’t accustomed to men not wearing pants.

“You look worried, and with Nora and Adam out of town…” he trailed off, expression unsure.

“I do need to talk to someone from the Eteria, but I didn’t mean to bother you. I’ll go find Thad,” she suggested, already backing out of the courtyard.

“I can help,” Antony blurted out. The words echoed in the still courtyard.

Odelle froze. She didn’t expect Antony to want her to stick around.

“I just saw a Shadow in the city. I thought you guys would want to know.”

Antony took a few quick steps forward, then stopped short.

“A Shadow? Where? What happened?”

Odelle relayed the events at the political fundraiser. A furrow formed between Antony’s brows as she spoke.

“Did you actually see the Shadow?” Antony asked.

“Not fully, but I’m not imagining things,” Odelle retorted, “I know it was there.”

Antony looked away as he spoke.

“It’s just not like the Shadows to run away without causing an uproar. They are the physical representation of humanity's negative emotions. The Shadows love to cause fear and exploit chaos. Their goal is to spread doubt. ”

“You’re the one who’s doubting me,” Odelle shot back. She bit her tongue quickly, but the quip had already escaped her lips. The way it smacked of insecurity left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Antony looked back at her. His expression flickered through hurt before settling on resigned.

“I never said I doubted you,” he said.

There was silence for a moment. Odelle watched the peacock strut among the low stools scattered around the courtyard.

“If the Shadow doesn’t normally run away, what was it doing at the fundraiser?” Odelle asked, ready to get to the bottom of this and go home.

Antony tilted his head, drumming his fingers against his thigh.

“They could have been going after you again, but then they would have struck once you were alone,” Antony speculated. “Was there anybody especially influential there? Somebody whose death or injury would cause chaos?”

“All of them.” Odelle snorted. “Politicians, philanthropists, athletes, celebrities. Any death at that party would be front page news for a month.”

“It could have been planning to just kill somebody at random then, but the Shadow has been planning its moves carefully since Nora killed the Agent in November. It might be looking for a new person to infect as an Agent to regain power. If we figure out what it was doing, we might get a hint as to what it’s planning. We should call Adam and—”

“No!” Odelle interjected. She had come here for the express purpose of not having to call them. She could handle this. Her already prickly pride was further irritated by the implication that Antony didn’t think she could help .

“Nora hasn’t had a vacation in forever, and she’ll want to come home if she hears what happened,” Odelle continued in a calmer tone, “We can handle this.”

“ We …can handle this?” Antony echoed, face inscrutable.

Odelle’s stomach sank, but she wouldn’t back down now. Acknowledging that she wanted to avoid Antony was admitting defeat.

“Yeah.” Odelle aimed for a nonchalant tone. “We’ll figure out what the Shadow wants. Nora and Adam will come back to the Eteria having gained an edge.”

Antony nodded slowly, and heavy silence blanketed the courtyard once more. Odelle swallowed thickly, wishing she could wave away the oppressive awkwardness that hung in the air. He shifted from foot to foot, opening his mouth as if to say something, but then snapping it shut again.

“If I’m going to have my head on straight enough to solve any problem, I need to get some sleep,” Odelle commented. “I should get back to the city.”

“You don’t think you should stay at the Sanctuary? In case the Shadow comes after you?” Antony asked, his look of concern making Odelle unreasonably irritated.

“No.” She shook her head too hard, the short strands of her bob brushing her cheeks. “I need to go home.”

If she stayed here, this close to Antony, she wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about him. She would think about how he stood so unsuspectingly under the mistletoe at Nora’s Christmas party. She would think about how too much eggnog and the cheery sound of Christmas carols sung by sorcerers who didn’t know the words had made her bold. Odelle would think of the taste of Antony’s lips—and how it had turned bitter on her tongue when he pushed her away. She certainly wouldn’t get any sleep here, dwelling on the sting of rejection and the hurtful words that had come from a man who was so kind to everyone else. Words that had proved what she had already been afraid of.

Women like you don’t end up with men like me.

Odelle didn’t belong in this newfound world of magic and Light. His barb had cut through the armor of self-confidence her clothed herself in. Now her pride prickled as it tried to repair itself, desperate to be away from the one who injured it.

Antony didn’t argue further about Odelle staying the night. Apparently, he didn’t want her near him either.

“I’ll meet you in the park tomorrow, and we can come up with a game plan for figuring out the Shadow’s motives,” Odelle said, already turning away from Antony, ready to be rid of that gentle hazel gaze. He might have said goodnight as she turned the corner, but that was probably just her imagination.