Dark Forsaken (The Devil's Assistant Book 3) (20 page)

“It’s practically tomorrow already,” Mace said. “We should try to rest.”

Sage was already propped in a corner with his eyes closed.

“Good idea. Help me up.”

Mace pulled me to my feet. “I’ll take the first watch,” he said.

I didn’t argue. I sat down on the concrete floor and leaned against the cold wall. Sorrel took another corner, and Mace sat down beside me—closer than I expected.

“You can lean against me if you like,” he said.

I raised one of my eyebrows. His lips curled up on one side.

“I didn’t mean it like that. Total brotherly affection.”

I had to stop myself from laughing. The odds that he and Cinnamon would snuggle up on the floor to sleep seemed unlikely.

He looked offended. “You aren’t really my type, Claire.”

“Not pagan enough for you?” I asked. “Or do you think I look too much like a druid?”

He snorted and put his arms around me as he leaned me back against his chest. “You are no druid, my queen.”

I took that for the compliment that it was and adjusted slightly. He wasn’t my type either, but he looked a lot like the one my heart ached for. Too much like him, but I tried not to think about that.

“He’s a fool, Claire.” Mace said, as if he knew what I was thinking.

I thought of the three men in the meadow. None were what they seemed and I was in the arms of my worst enemy, taking comfort from him.
Would my life ever be normal
?

“Normal is boring,” Mace said.

“Yeah, well maybe a little boring would be nice.”

He chuckled. “We don’t have to talk about this if it pains you.”

“It’s ok. Oddly, I don’t mind.”

“Really?” Mace asked, surprised.

“I think it’s because I know you so well and I know you won’t lie to me. Not because I could tell if you did, but because you have no desire to. You’ve always been very honest. Even when you hated me and tortured me, I always knew where you stood.”

Mace’s eyebrows drew together. The memory of those times pained him now. Neither of us could change the past. I gave him a quick reassuring smile. After a moment, he smiled and nodded.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “We won’t be having slumber parties and spa days any time soon.”

“I quite like spa days.”

I stifled a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

I drifted off to sleep in his arms. I woke up once in the middle of the night disoriented, thinking it was Thanos that held me, but then I remembered where I was. Mace was asleep and Sorrel was keeping watch.

The strong arms around me weren’t the ones I wanted holding me, but that wasn’t an option. That love had only been make-believe. So I let myself pretend one more time and I imagined Mace was Thanos. I wrapped my arms around his and drifted back to sleep.

Chapter 28

Mace jostled me early the next morning. “Wake up, they’re coming.”

Sage and Sorrel were already on their feet.

Mace helped me stand. Some of my strength had returned, but the room still had a dampening effect. I straightened and the boys stepped to either side of me as Ronin and X entered the room.

X glanced at Sydney, who was still asleep from the night before. “I ordered you to give her the injection,” he snarled at Ronin.

Ronin drew his eyebrows together. “An oversight, sir. I tasked another guard with the job, but it obviously didn’t get done. It won’t happen again.”

“Who?”

“Winchester, sir,” Ronin said, giving X the name of Faith’s inside man.

“Remove him permanently,” X ordered.

Ronin nodded.

Scanning the room, X looked around us, as if we might be hiding something. His brow furrowed. “Where the hell is Cinnamon?”

In a scene that probably looked choreographed, we all shrugged.

“I think she’s over you,” I said. “Probably didn’t want to stick around.”

X snarled. “Silly child. You try to provoke me. I think we should try this again.”

Mace tensed.

No
, I said to Mace.
We need it to play out a bit
.

X stopped in front of me, looking down his nose. “Soon, you’ll tell me everything I want to know.” Reaching up, he ran his index finger along my jaw. A tingle of power, similar to the feeling I’d gotten when I kissed Cinnamon, tickled me.

What’s that
? Sorrel asked.

“A truth spell,” Mace muttered.
Sorry,
Mace thought, clenching his teeth.

X narrowed his eyes at Mace.

A nudge of pressure pushed against my mind, as if willing me to tell X that we were able to communicate telepathically. The same compulsion must have caused Mace to answer Sorrell’s question, but I didn’t think X would guess that was what happened. I licked my lips, trying to stop myself from spilling the beans, just as the feeling started to reverse. The tingle at my jaw disappeared and the boys both breathed relieved sighs. I no longer felt compelled to divulge any secrets, and the quads were instantly cured as well.

Be careful
, I warned.
He can’t figure out that didn’t work
.

Luckily for me the wards keeping us trapped couldn’t stop my natural ability to absorb and neutralize a spell cast upon me. I just had to convince X to trade Sydney for Faith and not get Sydney killed in the process.

X stepped back, his Cheshire cat grin showing all his teeth. “Where is Cinnamon?” he asked again, confident that he would get an answer.

There was no compulsion to tell him, but I tried to make it look like I wanted to resist him, but failed to fight his power.

“I don’t know. She wasn’t with us when we woke.” I paused and then added, “Perhaps one of your minions borrowed her. She is quite pretty.”

He narrowed his eyes. I don’t think he believed me, but it could be true.

He turned to Ronin. “Is it possible?”

Mace
, I said.
I need you to rush Ronin
.
Get him close enough for me to touch
.

Without hesitation, Mace lunged forward. He slammed into Ronin, grabbing him by the wrist and spinning him around toward me. As soon as Mace touched him, however, I felt a static charge pass between Mace and Ronin—another perk of our connection.

He’s got it, Mace
, I thought, just as both men lost their balance and crashed to the floor.
You can stop fighting now
.

Great, tell him that
. Mace twisted around, throwing Ronin off of him. He got to his feet and crouched as if ready to attack.

Ronin glared at me and rubbed his wrists where Mace had grabbed him.
Put your dog on a leash
, he growled in that silent way he’d spoken to me before, which reminded me of how Cinnamon spoke directly to Mace. Was Ronin connecting to me without knowing it?

Before Mace could attack, I said, “Enough.”

Mace returned to my side, not looking too worse for wear. There was a small cut on his forehead, but he’d live.

“Mace,” I said sternly. “Please leave his pet alone.”

Mace bowed his head. “Yes, my queen.”

X didn’t look amused. He eyed us suspiciously and then turned to Ronin and asked again. “Is what she says about Cinnamon possible?”

Ronin’s scowl was amusing. He was obviously pissed at the pet comment. Taking his eyes off of me, he said, “It seems unlikely, but not impossible, sir. I would have had Winchester sweep the barracks, but perhaps his actions have already shown his true nature. If she’s here, we’ll find her. Either way, he will be dealt with.”

X grunted. “Do it now. If she’s here, I want her found. And have the fool she coerced eliminated.”

Ronin snapped his fingers at the guard closest to the door. He stepped away to give him orders before the ninja scurried off to investigate.

If Winchester were on the premises, he’d be dead before lunch. Either way, Faith’s eyes into X’s camp were gone.

X turned back to me.

Show time
, I said to the boys.

Is this wise
? Mace asked.

Patience, grasshopper
.

X had no clue where the locket was and he wanted Faith. I couldn’t let him ask for the locket as a favor outright or I’d have to find it, which would leave Sydney out of the mix. So I had to focus on his first priority. “You have the wrong girl and you need the locket to usurp this godforsaken throne. Let’s make a deal.”

X’s mouth dropped open, but he closed it immediately. He glanced back at Sydney and then eyed Ronin, who did a really good job of looking dumbfounded.

“The girl has inadvertently fooled everyone,” I said before he could ask, as if Sydney was actually trying to be Faith. “So you need the locket and the Dragon, and I want to leave. Let me go and I’ll deliver the Dragon to you.”

His eyes narrowed into slits and his lips pressed into a hard line. “You are aware you owe me a favor,” X asked, a smug look on his face.

I didn’t acknowledge his claim, but went still as if his words shocked me.

“You will bring me the Dragon and the locket. Then, we’ll discuss your fate.”

I laughed. Lying, I said, “I owe you nothing.”

“Look again, imposter. You gave away a favor to another. I have now acquired that favor.”

“Truth,” Mace said, playing his part.

X laughed. “See? Even your servant knows of your weakness.”

I narrowed my eyes and used one of Mab’s tricks. Glancing at my shoulder, I said, “You are owed one favor, but according to Sage, the Dragon was the one that arrived for the locket.” This was all true, if not the entire truth. I hoped X would think that meant Faith had the locket. “I’ll bring you the Dragon for the safe return of the girl.” I motioned toward Sydney. “Unharmed, of course.”

X snorted. “A trade?”

“You want the Dragon and I want the girl.”

X shook his head, chuckling. “I want the locket.”

I shrugged. “The Dragon came to collect it, so clearly she wants it, too.” I looked over at Sydney’s sleeping form and glanced around behind me as if I were looking for Cinnamon. “Maybe it’s time you cleaned house because someone in your camp had to tell her where Sage would be. And according to him, one of your guards gave him instructions on where to take the locket after he retrieved it. So had you not had him steal it from me in the first place, I might be able to assist you in acquiring that worthless bauble, but it’s out of my hands now. I’ll agree to bring you the Dragon, but nothing more.”

“Can I trust you?” X asked.

“No,” I said, because it was the truth and I knew he would be suspicious if I said yes. “You can, however, trust that I want that girl,” I said, pointing at Sydney, “alive and returned to me.”

X narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

I smiled and hoped that a man who’d do anything for power couldn’t actually imagine others wouldn’t want it, too. “The girl is a contender. Her sister, too, but there’s an order to these things. The one you have is number three. Next on the list. Two’s already dead by my hand. You clearly have a bone to pick with four, so I’ll worry about her later. She’s Mab’s untouchable, so it’s not like you can kill her. I can wait my turn.”

X barked out a wicked laugh, as if he’d finally figured me out. He was willing to believe that I would cooperate while he had something I wanted, especially when that something would bring me power. “You’ll bring me back the Dragon in exchange for this one or I’ll kill her and you’ll give me the power you control.”

Don’t
, Mace warned.

I needed to save Sydney or the “power I controlled” wouldn’t be worth squat. If she died by another’s hand, then the prophecy would die with it. Then what would there be to give him? It was worth the risk to clear the books.

“Agreed, but if I am to succeed, I must take the boys with me.”

X clucked his tongue. “You can have one,” he said and then looked at Mace. “Not that one.”

I glanced at Mace. Of course, he was the one I wanted to take. Turning back to X, I was about to indicate Sorrel.

Before I had a chance, X asked, “Which is the one you trust the least?”

I tightened my jaw and was about to say Sorrel when Sage spoke.

“I’m her new favorite. She hates me the most,” Sage said.

I glared at him. He arched his right eyebrow, a wicked gleam in his eye. It was obvious to everyone in the room that he was not the one I wanted. “Sage is the one I trust the least,” I said as if X’s spell forced me to speak the truth.

“Then he is the one you can take. You have twenty-four hours. After that, I can’t guarantee anyone’s safety.”