Page 179 of House of Pain
It was an impossible question to answer because they cared about both.
They had to.
But right about then, Blaze gave fewer and fewer fucks about the Book.
“Is that it?” Blaze challenged him. “Is that your game then? Making us choose so either way we lose?”
Rogue shrugged, amusement dancing in his eyes.“Life is always about choice. You always have to give something to gain something. Sacrifice something to win something. Your kind, out of all, should know better than anyone about the balance of nature. Everything has a cost.”
“What do you want then?” Jolene asked. “No, not you. What do the people who summoned you want? At least if you’re not gonna tell us who they are, tell us what they want.”
“Isn’t it clear already? They want the House of Snakes to be no more.”
So, it wasn’t just about the Game then.
It was about completely ruining their House, removing the Snakes once and for all.
“That’s ambitious,” Blaze observed.
Rogue cracked his neck. “Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. I’m not here to judge.” He glanced at the clock on the wall.“What will your decision be then? Alecto Black or the Book?”
“Both,” Jolene snarled.
Rogue tsked. “One or the other. Tick, tock.” When none of them answered, Rogue sighed. “All right then, I see you need a moment to think. I’ll leave you to it.”
Before they managed a reply, both Rogue and the Book evaporated.
Only a burned slice of paper remained, its edges still smoldering.
“Fuck,” Blaze growled. “Motherfuckers. Which House has that many fucking resources?”
Val walked over to the desk, picking up the paper and killing the embers.
“It’s two locations here,” she said, eyes still on the paper in her hands. “The Book is hidden in the park, under the statue of the Gods where all five paths meet. There is even a spell here that will break the wards they placed on the Book.”
“Okay,” Andro said. “And where is Alecto?”
“She’s at the Blood Lake. By the main pier.”
“Who’s gonna stop us from getting both?” Jolene asked. “We can get the Book and then Alecto, or get Alecto and then the Book.”
Val met her gaze, her lips pressed into a thin line.“We only have thirty minutes.”
“What?” Andro plucked the paper out of Val’s hands, scanning the text. “Motherfuckers.”
Half an hour.
Half an hour was not enough to get to the park and break the spells. But if they went for Alecto, they risked losing the Book and the legacy of their House.
The history, the spells, the secrets that could destroy families.
From the pained expressions on everyone’s faces, Blaze knew the right thing to do. Which path any of them were expected to take.
Because the House was above everything.
Even its members.
Val’s voice was a whisper.“You know what we have to do.”
