Page 28 of Rose and Shadows
I focused on the sprawling gray stone mansion as I reached the entrance, the doors opening as they felt my presence.
I stepped through, my heels clacking on the white marble floors.
I swept my hand over my left wrist, disintegrating the glamor I’d conjured before leaving my dorm room this morning and my Watch of Warding came into view. It was flaming wildly now because Sorin was near. The mansion was sprawling, so I would use my watch to locate that psycho’s precise location. I hadn’t been here before. It had been Cassius, Sylas, and Ketheron who’d settled Sorin into this place, while I’d been back at the apartment with Lazriel. All I knew was that they’d made the accommodations resemble a cell for Sorin. I just didn’t know where exactly that cell happened to be within this mansion.
But the moment the watch led me toward a winding metal staircase that descended down to the basement level, it clued me in.
Sure enough as I hurried down the steps and found myself in a bleak concrete space with weak lighting, it became apparent that thecellthey’d fashioned was in a literal dungeon.
There were three cells with thick shimmering steel bars. As I passed by the closest two cells, I saw that they were cave-like, Medieval-type creations, just a hard bench and a ratty blanket within and a dirt floor covering the space. There was a tiny window high up on one wall that let in as much light as the single dangling lightbulb.
It was a creepy stark contrast to the upper levels of the mansion.
Well, the place had been intended for Ketheron, somewhere for him to be comfortable that would function as a safe haven, so that nice aesthetic made sense. Adding in this dungeon element had been specifically for Sorin, because my men didn’t want him comfortable.
The third cell was offset from the other two and located right at the back.
I steeled myself as my watch indicated that Sorin was inside.
And then I stepped up to the window into the cell that was secured with shimmering metal bars just like the rest.
There myformerbrother was sitting in the corner against the grimy wall, his knees pulled up against his chin, his dark red hair matted and greasy and obscuring his face. His turtleneck was caked in dirt like his jeans. I noted that his blazer was balled up on the bench on the other side of the small room being used as a pillow.
There was a tray of half-eaten food near the door. Cassius had told me that he’d crafted a spell that would deliver food systematically and conjure it into the room without the need to tend to it ourselves and have to worry about accommodating the bastard to keep him alive. I noted the half-eaten dinner roll, yet a bowl of stew finished off.
“We couldn’t get through a single family meal without you scarfing down at least three dinner rolls beforehand. And yet you’ve barely touched that one now.”
His head whipped up at the sound of my voice.
Confusion and surprise flickered in his eyes.
But then they hardened all too quickly.
“Calling on a fond memory of our family… you’re here to lull me into a false sense of security before you torture me for information? Is that it?”
“Once again, your fanaticism and how it’s corrupted your mind demonstrates how deeply you misjudge me, how you’ve forgotten who I am.”
“You’re sure about that? Sure you being turned into hybrid filth hasn’t actually changed you more than just physically? That it hasn’t demonized you? That’s what it does to all of them. Plus, you did torture me outside the necromancer’s house with your lightning.”
“You mean, exactly how you tortured Lazriel?”
He scoffed. “Your fucking hybrid lover. Disgusting. All of it. Then you’re also with a disgraced Fallen. The necromancer on top of that. There’s no purity anywhere with you. It’s sacrilege over and over.”
“A high-ranking member of an organization that’s committed mass murder and aims to escalate to full-on genocide talking ofsacrilege?That’s another level of warped thinking. Even for you.”
He pushed to his feet. “What do you want? Why come here?”
“A lot of people want to get their hands on you. They believe you’re a weak link they can exploit againstPuritas.Now that Victor Halrow isn’t bolstering you.”
“Weak link?” he snarled. “When the Guardian Movement took me because Cassius shoved me into their clutches, they couldn’t break me through questioning.”
“Yeah, about that… your mind was inaccessible. Not because of anything you did or any strength or power on your part, but because an Ancient locked it down using a warped version of vampiric coercion. Victor Halrow strikes again.”
He started. “What? No. That can’t—”
“I guess he finds your deeply sadistic nature an asset given your work withPuritas.He could wield that quite easily I’d imagine. Your sadism did often override logic and your ability to see the big picture—or any true picture.”
“Actually, he backed me up and helped me move up the ranks ofPuritaseven though I’m young compared to a lot of them. All because he adores me. Do you hear me? You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He spat for good measure, “Abomination.”
