Page 4 of When Monsters Rise
“CanIjoin you?”Sissyasked, holding up her breakfast tray.
“Ofcourse, you can.”Beebeamed at her. “Howwere morning classes?”
“Good.Wedid some reading today.”
“Rue?Yougot a minute?”Miracalled from across the dining hall.
Iexcused myself and hurried to join the woman who kept this place ticking.Noone had officially said it, but it was obvious thatMiraoversaw the humans.Shewas in charge of the food and supplies, and the fact that she was also dating one of the elite watchers made her position here unquestionable.Butright now, she looked more than a little upset.
Miradidn’t get annoyed easily. “What’sup?”
Shejerked her head toward the kitchens, a space where only she and a couple of other people were allowed.Ifollowed her inside.Withthe breakfast rush over, the place was empty.
Sheclosed the door and stood hands on hips. “Ihate to say it, andI’veheld off becauseIwanted to be sure, but we got us a thief.”
“What?”
“Starteda week ago.Atleast, that’s whenInoticed supplies were missing.”
“Shit.Areyou sure?”
Shefixed her dark eyes on me. “Positive.Nowthe only thing that’s changed in the last week is you bringing the celestial and your friend back here, and as far asI’maware, celestials don’t need food.”
“Waita second, if you think thatBee—”
“Idon’t.”Shesighed. “Ichecked her quarters.Butsomethinghaschanged.”Shechewed on her cheeks. “Thestoreroom is locked.I’mthe only one with a key, so unlessI’vebeen stealing food in my sleep, then someone somehow is managing to get into a locked room.”
“Vents?”
“Nonebig enough for a person.”
Buta spider…No,Kabielwouldn’t use the vents to steal food, and if any of the other devolved watchers were finding their way into the mall via the vents, then they wouldn’t be hitting the storeroom.Thekind of food they wanted wasn’t kept there.No, this wasn’t a devolved watcher job.
“Iheard you talking about some ghost?”Mirasaid. “IaskedZaq, and he told me about this shadow you’ve been seeing?”
“Youthink theghosttook the food?”
“Ithink maybe we’re not dealing with a ghost at all.”
Yeah,Iwas beginning to suspect the same. “Ithink you’re right.Isaw it last night.Ithas orange eyes.”
“Maybeyou brought something back with you,” she said. “Goodnessknows there are things out there that we have no grasp on.”
“I’llspeak toShemabout it.Wewill figure this out.”Andwe had more than that to figure out.Aweek had passed, andGabrielhadn’t come for us.
Aweek of waiting for word on the third relic and wondering what had happened to the celestial who’d saved my life was a week too long.
Weneeded a plan.Weneeded to act.
Ihad to findShemand call a meeting.Ifwe couldn’t get to the third relic, then we needed to make moves to get hold of the fourth.
Whereverthat might be.
Chapter3
MICHAEL
“Thispart of the mall is off limits,”Shemsays, standing before a reinforced metal door that has been welded shut. “Thedamage is too severe beyond this point.Andthat’s everything.Thewhole facility.”
