Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5) (24 page)

As one, we all turned our attention toward the opened door, wondering what captivated his attention. But the hallway was empty. I kept staring because he was. About a minute into the silence, a handsome man I had never met before—a Shifter with black hair and a few white streaks—turned the corner down the long hallway, reading from a book. He stopped in his tracks, turned the page, and continued reading a second before taking three more steps. Not looking up, he fumbled for a doorhandle halfway down the hallway, got the door open, entered, and shut it behind him. The hallway was deserted again.

Like an ancient wind-up toy, the One gradually straightened from his slight tilt. He ran his fingers through his hair, his gaze on the ground, before he lowered his arms. He peered back up to King Collins, everyone’s attention back on him. “It’s not irregular for me to become…distracted. I ask you to please excuse any disruption this may cause while we’re here.” His thumbs tapped on his silk covered legs. “And to answer your question, we can go ahead with the meeting. Reese, Roselle, and I will need to retire to our rooms after that, though.”

King Collins worked smoothly with the eccentricities unique to the One. “Thank you. We appreciate it.” It sounded like the gratitude was actually genuine.

We moved from the Shifter section of the building to the Elemental side. I sat inside a large conference room, the colors a splendid mix of the five elements. My own chair was neon blue, and the inlaid tile conference table was a rainbow of colors. The three other Prodigies hurried to arrive after their King or Queen had phoned them. To their credit, each one handled seeing the newcomers well, although Aria stared at their eyes overly hard and Brann sniffed them. But there was also a moment when Brann shook hands with the One, and Brann stiffened, blinked, then a small smile curved his lips. Their handshake was definitely a little too rough. Eventually though, we were all seated around the table. King Collins sat at the head of the table to my right, as was normal, and he gestured for the One to take the floor.

Sitting languidly on his chair at the far end of the table, the One stated on an unhurried drawl, “After the account Ms Jules gave us, and her questioning, my dad was able to come up with one name during the timeframe Ms Jules deduced could lead to such an occurrence.” He tapped his thumb a few times on the red chair he was sitting on. “But first, I feel I must inform you this is a man who has a history with my family, and there might be prejudice on my dad’s part. The pitfalls are: he once dated my mother. She then met my father and broke it off with this individual. The way they parted was not amicable in the least. Points in your favor for this being the correct man: the timeframe fits for when he eventually left the Temple, he’s an extremely powerful spirit Elemental, he has had access to everyone you met previously, and the wedding ring missing on my mom’s hand, as deduced by Ms Jules. Also, a fairly large factor is that he has erectile dysfunction, which we all know is rare for Mysticals.”

Staring at his nose, I could still see his eyebrows rise. But he couldn’t hide the way his gaze was so intelligent, somewhat predatory, as he glanced about the table. “Are these facts worthy enough for me to list him as a possible suspect?”

Elder Zeller actually snorted. “We have no other suspects currently. Spirit Elementals are far and few between here, and the miniscule amount we have looked into don’t fit the profile. So to answer your question, that would be a resounding yes.”

The One nodded. “His name is Jacob Angel. He left the Temple right around seven years ago. Last known whereabouts was five years ago. He was in Chicago, Illinois, and after that he disappeared…to the point that even I can’t find him.” A hand gesture in my direction. “But if there’s protection on him, as there is Ms Jules, well…” He shrugged a shoulder before waving a lazy, non-glowing hand in the air. A blown-up image appeared for all at the table to view. “This is him.”

The blood drained from my face. I could feel the dread slipping heavily through me with a bone-chilling foreboding of the pain to come. Somehow the man had actually been worse than the Bossman when I first met him. Bile instantly burned my throat as past memories surfaced.

Everyone sat forward in their seat, evaluating the picture.

The One stood and asked in a gruff tone, “Ms Jules, what’s wrong?”

Figuring out I hadn’t taken a breath in a while, I inhaled heavily as the faces of everyone snapped toward me. I put up a stopping hand in the One’s direction so he would sit down. “I’ll be all right.” My hand fell heavily to the table, and I was unable to take my gaze away from the man pictured. I tilted my head in that direction. “I know him.” In my peripheral, I saw the One begin to sit, his movements very gradual. “His alias was Jacob Singer. I met him four years ago when I was nineteen. I was told he worked periodically as a consultant, and I only ever saw him a few times before my Awakening.”

I glanced at King Collins. “He told me he was going back to the Temple indefinitely the last time I saw him about two and a half years ago. That’s why I didn’t think of him.” I licked my lips, my eyes going back to the picture. “He’s the man who handled my Awakening, and he’s also the one who trained me.” I gulped down the bile. “Knowing now he left the Temple that long ago, he may or may not have worked only periodically for Philip Masterson. But I can tell you with one hundred percent, that man,” I flicked a harsh finger at the picture, “is a hundred times more evil than his boss, Philip Masterson, the one you all said actually started MCWWII.

“God, if they’re actually still together…still working together…” I had to keep swallowing down the bile. “Fuck, we need to start fighting dirty and try to stop anything from escalating. Just cut their fucking legs off before they learn to crawl.” I blinked. “The One said he can’t find him, and I already told you Philip Masterson has protection on himself. With him being a hybrid of Shifter and Mage, there’s a possibility he put the spell on Jacob Angel, too.”

A disgusted, breathless chuckle. “And it all makes sense for it to be him. I met him after I met the One. Between him and Philip Masterson, he could have extracted that information from me since I wasn’t conscious half the time.”

In the descending silence, it all fell together inside my head. “Jacob Angel wants Mrs Damon, or revenge on Mr Damon, or hell, even to kill off their children since he is impotent and crazier than fuck. Philip Masterson more than likely wants to kill everyone in this room, although he could be working a different, even bigger motive since the fake Leric was attempting to get us to trust him.” I lifted my fingers, crossing them. “They’re trading favors. Jacob Angel was doing Philip Masterson’s deeds through Leric. And once he gets it done, what’s the one thing Philip Masterson, the hybrid with the fucked-up magical gift, can offer Jacob Angel?” I glanced up at the picture. “The bastard wants to go back in time and exact his revenge.”

I blinked slowly, coming back to myself. Everyone was staring. “What?”

King Collins chuckled, but it also sounded like a grunt. Right before his chest puffed up a bit, pointing at me as he glanced at his co-Rulers. “My Prodigy. Remember that people.”

Queen Ruckler rolled her eyes. “We already know which one’s more powerful.”

Brann snorted. “Just because I’m powerful, that in no way means I’m lacking elsewhere.” Liquid amber eyes turned to me, lifting a challenging brow. “That theory, while more than likely accurate, since,” his lips curved on one side, “it takes a criminal to know one, in no way explains what Jacob Angel is going to do now that we took down his Walkers.” He shrugged a shoulder. “If anything, those two assholes are back to the drawing board.”

I scowled. “I was in the zone, man. Why’d you have to go and ruin it?”

He chuckled quietly. “Because it’s the truth. Although, I will say that your deduction of finding out who the individual—and even their motive behind it—was brave and genius. But now we need to figure out where each of them is going to strike next, since there’s no way to track them down.”

The One kept tapping his thumb on his chair. “Sorry to contradict you, Mr Johnson, but there is one way to track them down.”

Elder Merrick argued, “You said you can’t even find Jacob Angel. If there was a way to do so, then why wouldn’t you have done it already?”

“Because the way to track him is through an item that was given to me as a gift one year.” More slow tapping of his thumb, with a lazy tone. “It was stolen from me five years ago.”

I blinked slowly, realization dawning…it could find him, now that I had his true name. It had taken me to Sin, who was also protected, when I was eighteen. Why wouldn’t it take me to them, too?

All right, there are moments when I understand the really complex issues, but simple problems just float on by. But that was when I would plant my fist into someone’s face to compensate for errors in a plan. Right now? Not so much.

And there was the added little fact that I was a criminal at heart.

Even if I was trying to walk the straight path, what I stole was mine.

Like, never-giving-my-shit-away mine.

I pointedly stared straight at the One’s nose, even as a few people glanced at me.

All right, half the room knew I had stolen something from him five years ago.

Leave it to Elder Zeller, with his curiosity, to blab. “Are you referring to the Primal Diamond?”

Roselle’s eyebrows snapped together. “I thought that thing was a rumor.” She glanced at the One. “You even told me it wasn’t real when I asked a few years ago.” Her attention snapped to Elder Zeller. “How would you know what was a rumor at the Temple?”

And dear Lord, she was on a fucking mission. Because even though he was intelligent enough not to answer that one, her gaze eventually ended up on me. “You. You were there five years ago. And you said you were gone from the Temple once he came back into his room.” Her gaze flicked to the One like a dart. “You lied to me. I’m not happy about that.”

I jumped on that like a fucking lifeline, remembering the Walkers had asked about the Primal Diamond. “Why would you lie to her about it?”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Because she didn’t need to know.”

My gaze went to Brann, and he stated, “
Truth.
”

My attention slammed back to a certain nose. “What does the Primal Diamond do?
Fake
people were also questioning about it.”

“With the barest whisper from your lips, it takes you anywhere you want to go.”

Brann stated, “
Truth.
”

I continued. “Is that all it does?”

He didn’t answer, still acting laid-back on his chair.

“All right, I’ll take that as a no.” I cleared my throat, tapping my fingers on the table, and a sudden thought occurred. “Is that why you’re here? To get the Primal Diamond back?”

The room hushed to silence, all eyes on him.

His lips curved, and he chuckled very softly. “Nice try to find something wrong in me but, no, my intentions for coming here were not to get the Primal Diamond back. I could have easily figured out at the Temple with you where it might be.” He paused. “Although, I do want it back.” Another pause. “It’s mine.”

No, it’s mine.

Brann stated, “
Truth to all.”

I inhaled heavily. “The Primal Diamond is a spelled diamond. Who put the spell on it?”

“Whoever put the spell on it, they did it long ago,” he purred quietly.

“Name, please.”

“You’re all about the names,” he stated softly, and his thumb started tapping again. “Honestly, Ms Jules, I don’t understand why we’re even having this conversation. It’s mine. You stole it. I want it back. Not for any foul intent; in fact, it would greatly help right now. But I just want the damn thing back because it’s mine.”

Elder Farrar, out of nowhere, choked on a laugh and quickly put a fist in front of his mouth. “I’m sorry.” More choking. “But fuck, you two sound so much alike.”

I flicked him a glare but spoke over him as I leaned forward on the table, clasping my hands together calmly. “In the criminal world, what you steal is what you own.”

A white eyebrow lifted. “This coming from the Prodigy Elemental?”

I tilted forward more. “Don’t let that fool you.” My gaze narrowed on his nose. “If I did happen to have it, it would be mine, not owned by the man who walked out of a room containing an obvious thief.”

He snorted. “Thieving was not exactly what was happening in my room when I slipped outside for possibly three whole fucking minutes. Don’t even claim it was.”

My brows lifted. “Proof positive is that I did steal it.”

His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. “It’s mine and I want it back.”

My eyes flared wide in mock sympathy. “I understand it hurts when you’re stolen from.” I slanted my head. “Give it more time. The pain of loss, and the reality the object is no longer yours, will eventually settle deep in,” I pointed at my heart, “here.”

His nostrils flared.

Suddenly the room shook worse than a damn earthquake.

As most grabbed the table, I just spread my feet and braced my legs hard. I rested back on my chair and crossed my arms, riding out the chaos and staring evenly at his nose. Thirty seconds later, when he had regained control of himself, the room stilled.

Over the panting breaths of those stunned, I mocked, “Temper, temper.”

His nostrils flared again, and I was pretty sure everyone bore down on the table. But he didn’t lose control again. “It’s mine.”

“No, it’s mine.” I grinned slowly as it was the first time I said aloud I still had it. “And where is the one place on a spirit Elemental the One can never access, hmm?”

His jaw clenched even further, his lips thinning.

“Oh yes, it’s mine.” My grin wouldn’t die. “You see, Brann had it right. It takes a criminal to catch a criminal, most times. And you, the One, hid your Primal Diamond—clearly a prized possession—in a pair of socks.” I shook my head, chuckling. “Socks! You don’t even wear them. How obvious could you get?” I waggled my eyebrows, my words deliberate and taunting. “Mine. Mine. All fucking mine.”

He stared at me steadily, not scowling, then he cracked each of his thumbs. “If you think we’re done with this conversation, you’re fucking wrong.” He peered to King Collins. “But if you have a name, then the Primal Diamond can transport you to wherever you ask so you’ll be able to find them.”