“Because it’s the truth, because there is a thing not easily broken that binds family across time and space, because Kathleen swore she’d return somehow to find us. And she did just that. She traded her memories to come back. She gave up herself on the hope that the connection between mother and child would prevail. That I’d find her. That she could have her family.”
Adam shook his head. “But she is not Kathleen anymore. She’s Layla Mathews, and she is writing a multipart feature series to expose us.”
“We will all have to take a gamble, then, to see which of her selves prevails, Kathleen or Layla.”
Adam put a hand to the back of his neck, frustration spilling out of him. “Talia will want to know her. Will open her heart to her.” His anger turned fierce. “If that woman betrays—”
“I wager she won’t.”
“How much do you want to bet?”
Khan pulled a grim smile. “I’ve already bet it all, haven’t I?”
He extended himself and felt the tremble of Shadow that was his daughter above and off to the far left. She cradled a bright life close in her arms, while another little one slept nearby. Kathleen’s grandchildren. Another gift. “Will Talia be coming down soon?”
“Not until the kids are both sleeping soundly, which actually could be forever.”
“I promised Layla that she would meet Talia today.”
Adam’s eyes sparked with satisfaction. “Sadly, a promise you won’t be able to keep.”
His obstinacy was going to be a problem and needed to be broken. “Peace, Adam. You don’t know everything yet: Like Kathleen, Layla’s death is already upon her. I have held back Shadow twice now, but Fate has cut her from the tapestry of life. None of us has the luxury of time. She will die, and soon.”
Adam stilled, his driving intensity tripping to a stop. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Layla is going to die soon. It is past her time already.”
Adam laughed bitterly. “One of these days, I’d appreciate it if you’d fill me in on how it all works, because as far as I know, Talia’s mother had a heart condition and Layla looks pretty damn healthy to me.”
“Fate had Kathleen die in youth before, and Layla will follow suit, by violence or by accident. Kathleen and Layla both had the same allotment of time in mortality; they are the same soul. Her measure of life is at its end. We cannot hold her with us long.”
“Oh, that’s much clearer.” Adam shook his head, but the emotion churning the air around him was changing again, taking on the fierce whip of his rising determination. Adam would not allow Talia to lose her mother again, not if he could help it. His eyes had a steely glint when he asked, “And this gate business?”
“Ask Custo. It is in his care for the time being, but let him know that only I can destroy it. If he or his angelic host tries, they will only harm Layla.”
She must have bound herself to the gate in some way when she’d turned the black handle. He had not considered that eventuality. The destruction of the gate bore a great deal more thought before it was attempted again.
Then there was the devil, a predator in an unsuspecting world. If Custo could be trusted to prevent The Order from dismantling the gate, then the devil was the first order of business. The thing had to be sundered before it could wreak havoc in mortality.
“Keep Layla safe. I will return as soon as I can.”
“You’re leaving?”
“If Layla may remain here, then I must attend other pressing matters.” The creature would be learning the kind of power it wielded, though the thing would ultimately have to bow to Death.
Adam was all resignation now. “I’ll make her as comfortable as I can, keep her out of danger. Where are you going?”
Khan summoned his now sluggish Shadows out of the weak shades in the mortal world. “I go hunting.”
Layla lost the last half of the doctor’s question about her medical history when she spotted Adam’s approach. She stood, pulling at the hem of her sweater, and prepared herself for another boot back to New York. With all the hopping around today, she wouldn’t be surprised at all to find herself back where she started.
“Ms. Mathews”—Thorne held out his hand—“it’s a pleasure to have you back at Segue.”
Had to be sarcasm under that control.
“I want to know what’s going on. And where’s Khan?” He’d promised to tell her everything. He made her feel . . . but she wasn’t going to think about that.
But Thorne shifted his attention to the doctor at her side. “Dr. Patel?”
“She looks like she’s been beat up a little, but I can’t find anything that warrants further examination at this time.” Dr. Patel turned to her. “You let me know if you start feeling poorly, and I’ll take another look.”
Thorne nodded a dismissal to the doc and regarded her again. “Khan tells me that you’ll be staying at Segue for the time being.”
“Uh . . . I . . .” She couldn’t keep up. If someone would just answer her questions . . .
“I understand this must be very disorienting,” Thorne said. His eyes were full of trouble.
“To say the least.”
“And Khan is quite the enigma.” A little sarcasm there.