Page 65 of Right Hand Of The Reaper
Thane’s blue eyes darkened. “Have you noticed the changes in the Underworld? And Olympus? The quiet? The darkness?”
“I went to see Helios and Olympus was empty. He said that everyone was at a meeting with Zeus, but I didn’t believe him.”
“And if souls are going missing as well as vampire blood, something must be going on.” Atticus ran his hand through his hair, dishevelling his midnight blue waves.
“And ghosts,” I added as the conversation I had with Lila jumped to the front of my mind.
“Since when?” Thane asked, a frown furrowing his brow.
“About a week.”
“This can’t be good,” Magnus mumbled, his fingers steepled in front of his face.
“No shit, Sherlock,” Rayne snapped. Rafe squeezed his twin’s thigh in an attempt to hold Rayne’s anger back. Those three needed to have it out in a locked room or something because this shitty attitude wasn’t helping anyone.
Magnus sighed deeply but he surprised me by getting out of his chair and walking over to the twins. He dropped to his knees in front of them and whispered some soft words. They were too quiet for me to hear but they certainly had an effect on Rafe and Rayne. The anger trickled away from them, not completely, but enough that we could continue without the sharp tongues. For a moment, I thought Magnus might reach for them, but his hand stayed by his side, his fingers trembling with need. There was such longing lingering between the three of them that we could all feel it in the air. It was so tangible and so sad to see, I just wanted them to be happy, but they needed to get past their own egos to solve this. Gods, I hoped they solved it.
Magnus returned to his seat and some of the tension dissipated from the room. “So, the question is, what would someone be doing with all that power?”
“Nothing good,” Atticus said, his eyes dark.
“Agreed,” Thane said as he stood from his chair and walked over to the window. He tucked his hands into his pockets and dipped his chin, watching the night sky beyond the pane.
I walked over to the God, noticing the rigid set of his jaw. “What is it, Thane? What’s really bothering you?”
“I can’t help but wonder if Nyx and Erebus are planning to return. There’s just something in the air that feels like them.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, taking in the side of his face since he refused to look at me. There were dark rings under his eyes and he looked like he’d lost weight.
“Back before they were banished, there was always this feeling of being on a knife edge. One wrong move and chaos would run free. That’s what I feel now. And when I look at you…”
My heart sank. “You what?”
He turned towards me then, and I was amazed that I could see so much emotion in his eyes. They were usually so cold, like drops of ice reflecting the sun.
“I see a darkness that is incomprehensible.”
Shit. If my heart could still beat, I’m sure it would have just lurched. “That’s what the Fates said. That there was a darkness in me and that I wasn’t where I was supposed to be.”
Thane frowned and dragged his bottom lip through his teeth. “Did they say anything else?”
“That when the door of secrets opens, he will find me and all will be revealed.”
“Shit,” Thane said under his breath.
I grabbed his arm. “What?”
“I think we need to get into the vault.”
Atticus scoffed and I turned to look at him. There was an expression of disbelief across his face. “You can’t be serious?”
“Yes,” Thane replied crossing over to where Atticus sat. “It’s the only way we’ll get answers.”
Atticus stood from the chair, going toe to toe with him. “And what about the creatures going missing? Are you going to find them in the vault?”
Thane frowned, a cute little crinkle between his eyes. “Why would they be in the vault?”
Oh, boy. I forgot Thane could be a bit literal at times.
