Page 54 of Shadow Master
“So, why not just use him to find the damn eye? Why infect him with this … this Lugh.”
“Because the blood was too diluted. You may not believe me, but this was Brady’s idea. He understood the risks, and he agreed to host the spirit. He understands what’s at stake. He knew that finding the eye could save us all and end the threat forever.”
Yeah, that sounded like Brady. The hero, the fucking protector. If he was here, I’d punch him and then kiss him.
“And when we find this eye, Lugh leaves?”
“Yes. The binding Gusta applied keeps Lugh here until he completes the quest and leads us to the eye. He wasn’t pleased to be summoned. He killed three of my men before he calmed. But he understands his purpose here now, and his connection to the talisman is strong. He feels its presence.”
This was a temporary measure. Once we got to our location, once Brady was holding the eye, this Lugh would be gone. Still, I needed to be sure.
“Lugh will just be released, right? As soon as Brady has the talisman?”
“Yes, as soon as we find the eye, Lugh’s spirit will be ejected from Brady’s body.”
Relief flooded me. I’d have Brady back.
Up ahead, Lugh turned his head to look back at me. His lips curved in a smug smile and a chill gripped my nape.
“Abram?”
“Yes?”
“What if he doesn’t want to leave?”
“What?” Abram blinked across at me, confused.
“What if being alive is better than wherever he was before?”
Abram was silent.
Was he thinking what I was thinking? “What if he’s taking us in the wrong direction?”
Eighteen
My mind was filled with doubt, and agitation was a band around my throat as we approached the rocky terrain. The grasslands we’d been traveling through were behind us now, and the sky had lightened to predawn. It was getting late, or early, depending on which way you chose to look at it.
We’d been on horseback for three hours. I’d given myself two days for this excursion. Two days. I had Brady but didn’thavehim. I couldn’t leave now, but I’d have to if we didn’t get to our location soon. The shadow cadets needed me. They needed every able-bodied fighter.
“Do you trust them?” Hyde asked softly. “The league,” he clarified.
Did I? They’d killed Carlo, they’d taken Brady, but we had a common goal. “I trust that they believe in their cause.”
Abram had ridden up ahead to join Lugh an hour ago. I’d set the seed of doubt about Lugh, and neither of us could shake it. Hyde had taken Abram’s place, riding Athos abreast of me, and Harmon flanked me to the right.
“Yes, they believe in their cause,” Hyde agreed. “But what about Lugh? Does he believe?”
Was Lugh merely killing time until the fir bolg attacked? Did he even care what happened to us as long as he got to live again? I mean, he could simply run off and use Brady’s body to start afresh somewhere in this vast world. All it would take would be for us to take our eyes off him for a minute too long.
“Do you trust Lugh,” Hyde asked.
Smells wrong, Athos said.
“Don’t trust him,” Harmon added.
Oh, great, the seed of doubt just popped a shoot. Fuck.
Up ahead, the league was slowing down. Fomorians dismounted, and packs were pulled from horses.
