Page 34 of Shadow Master
He exited the room, and Latrou let out an annoyed huff. “That man…”
“Hush,” Helseth said. “Orion doesn’t forget a slight. He may be stepping back from leading right now, but once we get back to the mortal world, he will make everyone who questioned him pay.”
Latrou stood taller and lifted her chin in defiance. “I appreciate your concern, but I don’t work for the council. I don’t work for Orion. I work for the Academy, and I answer to Brunner.”
“Who answers to the council on many things,” Helseth reminded her. “Just … be careful.” She was looking at me now. “Be careful out there, dear. I hope you bring back the poor boy who was taken.”
Hearing Brady referred to as a boy was strange, but I suppose to Helseth, that was exactly what he was.
“I don’t intend to fail.”
She smiled kindly. “No, we rarely do. But a wise leader knows when to retreat to fight another day. Remember, there are many souls that depend on you here. They need you to come back, whether you find the boy or not.”
Lloyd had said the same thing, but I wasn’t ready to say the words. Wasn’t ready to accept that I could come back empty-handed.
“I’ll be with you,” Kash said. “All you need to do is call.”
I hugged him. “When this is over.”
“When it’s over …”
I left him with the weavers, but the mark on my arm meant I was taking him with me. Athos waited outside, ready to take me back into the mists and beyond.
Thirteen
We were halfway into sector two when Harmon slowed and clutched at his chest.
This had happened to Brady. Why hadn’t I connected the dots sooner? It was the fomorian gene inside him that was causing the reaction. Harmon was too fomorian now, his DNA too much like our enemies, and the mist was hurting him … just like it had hurt Brady.
Brady’s DNA had been too fomorian also. Was that why they’d taken him?
I pulled Harmon to a stop. “You need to go back.”
“No,” Harmon said. “I’m coming with you.”
“We still have another half hour of mist to go. You won’t make it. Not when we reach sector three. The mist is much thicker there.”
He shrugged me off and continued to walk. “Halfway point. Rather go forward than back.”
“It’s killing you.”
“Don’t care.”
Fuck.
Hyde looked back from up ahead. He had the leash to the fomorian creature in his hand. A leather-like material that was the same feytech that our holsters were made of. The creature had the rune on his shoulder and was bound by it. The mutinous look on his face would do him no good.
“You okay?” Hyde asked.
“Harmon needs to go back.” I grabbed at the big guy’s arm.
“I can make it,” Harmon insisted through gritted teeth.
No,Athos said.He won’t. Listen to the beat of his heart.
Harmon’s pulse was sluggish. Weak.
I can take him across fast, Athos said.We’ll meet you on the other side.He focused on Harmon.Come, friend, we will cross swiftly.
