Obsidian Son (The Temple Chronicles Book 1) (37 page)

Or maybe my spell hadn’t been enough to fight his newfound power. Either way, what Raego said made a lot of sense. It was really the only logical deduction. The dragons had found me at the club, and knew I had the book. Peter could have told them anything. That I was meeting up with a client for the exchange, for example.

“You’re right.” I grumbled. “By the way, you’re a terrible employee from what I hear. Indie deserved a heavy-handed approach. I can’t believe that all this time you were working for me.”

“I had to see if you were trustworthy before I asked you to find the book.”

“You’re fired. Officially. Immediately.”

“Can I keep the gun? It’s pretty sweet.” He said with a smile.

“Did you pass your firing accuracy tests?” He nodded, crossing his fingers in hopes of my affirmative answer. “Then sure.” He clapped his hands together in delight. “How long has Peter worked for Alaric?”

“Weeks. Where do you think he got his sudden power? Some of the older dragons can bestow gifts upon their servants, but there’s always a price. Finding a book in exchange for becoming a wizard? Of course he would agree. Which is why I stepped in. As soon as I figured out he was your friend, I knew he’d ask you for it. So I asked instead, and then switched the title he asked for. It seemed wise at the time. Sorry it didn’t work out.” He said, genuinely guilty as he averted his gaze.

After a minute, he looked back at me, eyes wary. “How did you hurt them with that coin? As soon as I saw it I knew it was old.”

I reached into my pocket and dug out the coin. I had no idea how it had ended up back in my pocket after smashing into the dragons face — or how it had turned into a lethal projectile — but it had been there as soon as I checked. “A gift from the Minotaur. He said he got it from Hermes. AKA: the messenger god; guide of the lavish Underworld; god of thieves, commerce, sports, and-”

“I get it.” Raego shivered, motioning for me to put it away. “Scary guy. Did you know that he enslaved two of the eldest dragons back in his day, cloaking his Caduceus with their carcasses.” He stopped then, eyes glittering. “Say
that
five times fast!” He chuckled. I shook my head. Who would have connected the two snakes on the immortal healing staff to dragons? Not me. Raego continued. “He knew a thing or two about dragons. How did you get his help?” Raego glanced out the window, as if expecting to see the god hovering outside, ready to drape Raego on his staff as a third adornment.

“We all have our secrets, kid. We need to get some rest before we confront your dad tomorrow at the expo. He’s expecting me, and after tonight I would say that he’s expecting you too.” Raego nodded, face growing harder. “Are you the youngest of your siblings, Raego?”

Raego grew stiff. “What, you think because I’m the youngest that I can’t hold my own? I’ll have you know that-” I waved a hand, calming him down.

“No, it’s not that. I’m just thinking of something.” I winked at him, suddenly a shade happier as a plan began to unfold in my head. “Let’s get some shut eye. I’ll need to make a few calls in the morning so that we’re ready for the family reunion. Until then, I bid you good night.” Raego studied me curiously for a few moments before nodding, and clearing out a space in a guest bedroom that was remarkably clean, and even had a small bed to sleep in. Surprise, surprise. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Chapter 36

I
ignored the three missed calls from Captain Kosage on my screen and dialed a different number. Jeffries picked up on the second ring, despite the early hour. “Agent Jeffries.”

“It’s me, Civilian Temple.” I answered drily, feeling
Master Temple
would be rather vain, but it irked me that others could answer with a title without sounding pompous. I heard the phone shift in apparent excitement.

“Let me call you on a different line. Be available.” Then he hung up. I sighed, waiting. Jeffries didn’t want to speak on a public line, which meant that the shit storm was bad.

My phone chirped in my hand, an unknown number displaying on the screen. “Hello?” I answered, just in case it was someone else.

“No names. This is White Lie. You’re Merlin. What happened to the wolf?”

I recognized the voice, and smiled. “This is cool. It’s like a movie or something.”

“It’s called Covering Your Ass. How bad is it?”

I pondered that simple question, but knew I couldn’t reveal too much. “Bad.” I answered finally. “But I’ve got backup. We’re moving in this afternoon to extract the wolf, but I’ll need you to stay behind to hold up the fort.”

“What do you think I’ve been doing? What the hell happened last night? The news was pretty clear. A cop dead, and the wolf missing. It doesn’t look good. He might loose his silver pin for this.” His words were heavy with emphasis, and I knew we were talking about Gunnar’s badge.

“Fuck. That’s his life. It’s more than his life.”

“I know. There’s a BOLO on his new Land Rover, because it wasn’t found at the club last night. I just wanted to make sure you knew the stakes. Shit rolls downhill, and he’s at the bottom right now. He’ll take all the blame for this, despite the truth.” I suddenly felt guilty. Was this my fault? Had I dragged him into something that he couldn’t get out of? But no, they had been looking into the murders themselves. I had merely provided a link, a lead they could follow. Then I remembered that my name had been slandered too, and that Gunnar was a close friend of mine, and that I had purchased two cars for him in the last few days. It looked terrible. Bribery wouldn’t make this look any prettier.

“Alright, White Lie. I’ll get him back.”

“You’re telling the truth, Merlin. At least what you believe to be the truth. Keep in touch.” I clicked off after that.

I stared at my phone for a long while, debating on whether I should call Tory or not. I had already almost cost Gunnar his badge, what sense was there in risking Tory’s career as well? I already had Raego for backup. Did I really need Tory? I decided that I did, and that she would want in on this, if for nothing else than to save Gunnar. Plus, she probably had no idea where I was, or even if I was alive.

“Nate!” She answered on the first ring, voice shaken. “Where the hell are you? I thought you were dead, but the police didn’t find your body.”

She sounded as if she had been crying. “I’m alive. Raego took me to his place.”

“Good. I’m ready for you to pick me up. We’re ending this. Today. No one fucks with you two if I can help it. You’re untouchable.” I smiled at that. My very own pocket-sized bodyguard.

“You sure you want in on this? It’s-” she cut me off.

“Of course I want in on this! The news is all but stating that Gunnar is guilty of everything, and only you and I can prevent that. I’m already on leave for my injuries at the bridge and my… proximity to you. I’m under review. Not sure how long that axe will hang before it drops, but probably not too long. I might have to become a Wal-Mart greeter next week.” She sounded sad, but quickly regained her composure. “But it’s the right thing to do. So I’m doing it.”

“I’ll pick you up soon then. Be armed for bear, but wear something classy since we’ll be going back to the Expo. We can’t be standing out in the crowd.”

She agreed and we hung up. Raego saw that I was finished so opened his front door for us to leave, locking up behind us. “I’ll meet you there. I can’t go to the Expo with you, but I’ll see you at the ritual.”

I stared back, curious. “How do you know where we will be?”

“I’ll be watching you, but I already have a good idea where it will happen. I called a cab to pick you up and take you back to
Plato’s Cave
. You’ll need your car, I assume.” I nodded. “Until then.” And he left, long black trench coat billowing out behind him as he strode down the sidewalk. I saw the cab on the corner, and pulled out my phone. As I dialed a few last minute people, I anxiously fiddled with Hermes’ coin in my pocket. Here’s to hoping it worked a second time.

Chapter 37

W
e stepped out of the car Mallory had picked us up in — a vintage Rolls Royce Silver Wraith — and into a sunrise of flashes and noise from both cameras and questions. I smiled my best billionaire playboy smile, twirling the suit coat Mallory had brought me, and strode down the red carpet into the
Eclipse Expo!
, Tory on one arm and Misha on the other. Misha wore her same red cocktail dress, but Tory wore a sleek black dress with an extravagant white fur over her shoulders. My smile grew wider as I relished how this would look; a publicity hound’s wet dream. I didn’t answer any questions about who the women were, what had happened last night, or what was going to happen with Temple Industries. I merely smiled, moving forward as if it was my destiny. It was definitely doing what Turner Locke had advised me not to do, but I couldn’t help myself.

The women on my arm looked ravishing, and several reporters tried to get answers from them, but they merely flashed shy, sultry smiles back, looking up at me with adoring eyes like any good piece of eye-candy. The reporters smiled knowingly, turning back to me. “Why are you at such a public event after last night, Master Temple? Don’t you think it might be taken the wrong way? That you’re ignoring your responsibilities?” One reporter shouted above the rest.

I paused, turned to him, and smiled for the camera. “I wouldn’t miss an eclipse for the world. Last night was only the
pre-game
to this afternoon.” Then we were moving again. We entered the building and quickly found our seats for what I assumed to be a speech about astronomy or a detailed description of the upcoming eclipse at noon.

We were some of the last to enter, and soon the auditorium was left in silence as the lights dimmed and a finely dressed gentleman strode up to the podium before the several thousand guests in attendance. Alaric, the Dragon Lord. I grimaced.

“Friends and citizens. My name is Alaric Slate, as many of you already know. I am new to this fine city, but I feel no guilt at already calling it
my home
.” I grimaced at his double connotation. “St. Louis is full of a quality of life not found in many other places around the world.

“We are all here to witness the coming eclipse, as such a display is a gift to be shared with those dear to you. This eclipse is special in that it will be almost uninterrupted for a full half-hour. A half hour where darkness will battle the light, and eventually the light will prevail… hopefully.” He added with a mischievous grin. The audience chuckled as if on cue. The double-entendre was not lost on me. “We have numerous scholars present ready to dazzle you with their years of expertise on this very subject, but allow me to take a moment to relate it in a very Plebian way for those of us who are not as intelligent as them, myself included.” He laughed at himself, and the audience leaned forward, won over by his dripping charisma.

But all I could imagine was his dripping fangs.

“We are about to share an experience that our ancestors feared. The infamous battle between light and dark. In recent months and years, our world has been confronted with stories, legends, and myths that seem to have leapt right out of a storybook. Take our infamous Master Nathin Temple for example.” He pointed a finger at me without looking, and I barely hid my surprise. As one, the audience turned to follow his finger until I fought not to squirm in my seat. Tory and Misha beamed at the sudden attention, latching onto me tighter. “Some have taken to calling him Archangel as he battled
a dragon
over the Eads Bridge. But dragons are just a children’s story, right?” He grinned hungrily at the audience, many women leaning away from the gleam in his eyes. “As are
wizards
, yet here we are, one battling another the same as others might argue over a prized painting for sale. Whether the stories prove true or not, many are starting to believe them, and in that is power. Light versus dark.

“But power like that cannot be allowed to be one-sided. There are obviously unbelievable abilities in our world, and thanks to the advances in technology, more of those inexplicable things are being caught on film for all to see, immortalized as fact no matter what
some
would have you think.” He expertly emphasized the last words, causing a hubbub of whispering throughout the audience. He held up a hand, commanding silence.