Page 104 of The Silent
“What aboutrules?”
“Nothing.” Vasu sat up. “So you want me to give her twin brother somemorelife?”
“Jaron was giving it to him, but Jaronisgone.”
Vasu pursed his full lips. “Interesting.”
“Will youdoit?”
“I will… think about it.” Vasugrinned.
It was likely the best answer he’d get out of thetroublemaker.
“I’ll let Kyra know you’re thinking about helping her brother,” Leo said. “I’m sure she’ll begrateful.”
Vasu disappeared and reappeared as a cat that jumped inLeo’slap.
“You try to create obligation in me. It’s an interesting theory. I told them you were smarter than you appeared,” the cat said, curling up on Leo’s lap. “Nowpetme.”
“Are youserious?”
Narrow claws dug intoLeo’sleg.
“Ow! Fine.” He put his hand on the back of the cat’s neck and stroked down over and over again. Eventually the cat started to purr. Then it seemed to fall asleep. Leo sat that way for hours, watching Kyra sleep and petting a black cat who wasn’t a cat as it slept and purred. A server came in and set up a small table for tea, but Leo didn’t move. The sun hung heavy in the afternoon sky, creeping across the floor and warming the cat, who only purredlouder.
Someone tapped onthedoor.
“Come in,” Leo saidquietly.
Sura walked in with Alyah at his side. “We were curious how…” His eyes drifted down to the black, furry lump on Leo’s lap. “That is notacat.”
Alyah said, “What do you mean it’s not a… Oh.” She frowned. “Why are youpettingit?”
Leo rested his chin in his hand and leaned on the side of the chair. “Because he askedmeto.”
Sura sat at the low table. “I suppose that’s as good a reasonasany.”
Alyah glared at the cat as if willing it to wake. Leo kept petting it. Any time he slowed, the claws dug in. He didn’t know what would happen if you angered a Fallen angel who was sleeping in the form of a cat, but he decided he really didn’t want tofindout.
Minutes later, the cat must have felt Alyah’s glare, because it rose, arched its back and yawned, then deftly jumped out the window and into the waningafternoon.
Kyra sat up in bed, her hair tangled around her face and her cheeksflushed. “Leo?”
“Are you feelingbetter?”
“There was a black cat in my dream,” she said, rubbing her eyes. “He told me Prija was in a place called Bagan. Does that make sense to anyone, or am I finally goingcrazy?”
Leo grinned and turned to Alyah and Sura. “And that is why when the cat asks you to pet him,youdo.”
PrijaV
It washot and dry in the place they called Bagan. At night it cooled off, but only a little bit. The cell—because it couldn’t be called a room—had a single window that only let in a faint puff of air. But Prija hadprivacy.
Except for theFallen.
He whispered to her mind—seductive, powerful whispers that made her head buzz. His voice was everywhere on the mountain. She dreamed of gold and silk. She dreamed of cool water and fresh fruit. When she woke, she was in her cell and the black shadow had become a dense fog thatsurroundedher.
Her captors finally presented her to the angel. They dragged her to the temple where the creature was lying on a low bed, surrounded by his sycophants and lovers. Prija had never seen anythinglikeit.
