Page 81 of The Secrets of Jane: Reborn

Misery floods Shade again, that sense of impending nothingness one of the heaviest burdens I’ve ever sensed from another: death. He’s aware he will not see anyone else that heloves, nor will his body get a chance to recover. Shit, he probably won’t even get one last drink of water.

His energy reeks of a determination that will be like chipping away at stone, but it’s only held up by fear. I get no sense that he’s loyal to Blackwell, but more so loyal to the deal that he’s being offered. I inhale deeply, thinking of something interesting. “Tell me what I want, and I can find a way to hide you from Misery. I’ll use the same method with the tooth, but with another magic he cannot penetrate.”

I’ll use Cypress’s shit like the way she uses me. If it doesn’t work, then, well, it’s not my problem.I need to know what Jane is up against, and I get the sense he just wantssafety.

His eyes vibrate around in his skull, his expression turning despondent. “Misery will kill me if he gets his hands on me. It’s better I die, knowing I didn’t speak.”

Ritter hands me his ring. “Not if you wear this.”

I can’t help but almost snort that Ritter caught on that fast to what I’m offering; he’s actually kind of useful.

“What is it?” Shade asks.

Ritter says, “What I’ve been wearing for ten years so no one can find me.”

He is absolutely sold on that, looking at Ritter with reverence.Oh, so he looks up to the Scorpion, then? Is that possibly why he wanted to get a close look at Jane in Rosmertta’s?

“Why did you take Jane in the alley?” I ask.

“Because you had been struck,” he answers with a weakened voice, defeated. “It was a stupid fucking move. I thought it was a good opening. And if I could have handed Jane tothem,without a single fight, and knowing Ritter was always nearby, then I’d be…” he trails off, like the reminder of his failure physically pains him. “I’m a fighter. Not a strategist.Clearly.”

My gnarly injury is what brought him out of the shadows?

It’s making a whole lot of fucking sense now. I knew to trust my gut, but sometimes, I can’t interpret the meaning or implications. And if everything in me screamed to take the hit, then something in the fates wanted Shade to cross my path in such a manner.

Which means he might harbor information that could save our collective asses; my powers do tend to lean toward self-preservation.

“And?” I coax.

“Misery wants Jane, as I’m sure you’ve guessed. He’s promised Blackwell the entirety of Skull’s Row. Misery is the one making it so you can’t read any of us,” he says, the words flowing out like he’s desperate to purge the sickness of lies from his body.

Ritter says, “Not useful enough information.”

He looks panicked, bouncing his gaze around between us all; he doesn’t fear death, but he is broken by the idea of leaving someone behind. “Please. I—I know what he wants with Jane,” he says, eyeing the pocket Ritter slides the ring into.

“And why would you know that?” Ritter asks. “I couldn’t even find out, and I wasclose.”

“I’ve been in the rooms during conversations. He… he uses me for strength when it’s too much for Blackwell.”

“Forstrength?”

“He’s like a succubus, but worse. He can only function based on stealing energy from someone.” He has so much relief telling others this. “I’m Blackwell’s nephew; very estranged, but we’re related. And for some reason our bodies are good sources of energy. We don’t burn out like the others do. I—I think my uncle doesn’t understand Misery is using us. That he only chose us because we’re good for him. He’s lost in the high of ruling over this place. And Misery is growing weaker by being away from his land. More desperate.”

“So, then, what are his plans with Jane?” I ask.

Sounds like we just need to outlast Misery until he’s too weakened to mean anything.

Shade swallows thickly, rolling his eyes under his blink as if to refocus his gaze. “Two things.” He’s truly nervous to say this, and I can feel Jane get closer. “First, well… he, um… he needs her skin.”

“What?”

“Once in his lands, he plans to flay her alive and use that skin for his rebirth. He won’t look like Jane, but he needs whatever magic is in her blood. He just kept saying it hashermagic, and it will make him impossible forherto kill, whoeversheis. And if he doesn’t get Jane before he has to return to his lands, it will be another generation before he can return. It’s optimalnow, and he doesn’t want to wait.”

Ritter and I look at each other. Is this Jane being related to Cypress? The Scorpion reeks of fear for his daughter, but I can tell these answers give him some semblance of purpose, too.

“What does that process look like?” I ask, facing him again. “How long would it take? Would he do it immediately?”

I need to know what time we have. Is it something immediate, or would we have time to save her? I don’t plan for her to get taken, but I’m also not a man to get caught off guard, either.