My stomach somersaulted. Only Spence called me Eden. I needed to speak to Chloe.
I braced my hands on my thighs, trying to settle my heart, some beats thumping hard, others fading to nothing. Spence had said that Lincoln would be looking for him. He obviously believed they had leads in New York that I didn’t. If I started from scratch I’d be too far behind. And if Spence had found himself the kind of trouble it sounded as though he had, then I was going to need access to intel. And numbers.
I looked at Onyx. ‘You came to take me back.’
Onyx raised his eyebrows. ‘The girl thought you’d want in,’ he said, again using Dapper’s term of endearment for Steph.
I looked around my tiny flat: bed, treadmill, cupboard-sized bathroom and not much else. I’d hidden here for the past year. It was just a place. Not a home. No attachments. I knew what Onyx was here for – to take me to New York. To the Assembly. To everything I’d run away from.
And I knew exactly who’d be there.
Mouth dry, I walked over to my grimy window and grabbed the bag that was always half packed and ready to go.
Spence was family. I loved him – no questions, no strings – and I’d made him a promise that I’d always have his back like he’d had mine.
I made my way around the flat, shoving extra bits and pieces into my bag as my memory flashed back to that night. The estate. Lilith. Phoenix on the ground, lifeless. Lincoln, soul shattered, gone. Life draining slowly from my body.
And then there was Spence, who’d refused to let me go into the fight without him. Who’d been focused and strong. Who’d fought by my side and saved Lincoln from the fire when I could not.
Afterwards, he’d driven me to the cliff without question – he’d been the only person I could cope with being around. And it was Spence who’d carried me home.
Onyx watched me curiously as I jammed my passports – I had four – along with weapons and what clothes I could be bothered with into my bag before pausing and stuffing in more weapons.
Spence had said not to pack light.
I threw the bag over my shoulder and grabbed my mobile phone, sending a quick text message before looking back at Onyx.
I can do this.
‘The girl was right,’ I said.
Onyx tapped his fingers on the table a few times and nodded before standing. ‘We have a plane on standby.’
I raised my eyebrows, but quickly let my question go. I didn’t need to know how Onyx had managed to get his own plane. I flicked off my only light and left a note for Karen, telling her I had to leave for a family emergency. I also left most of the cash I had to cover my rent for the next few weeks. Just in case.
On the footpath, Onyx hailed a black cab.
‘If I’m going back there, I’m doing it my way. Understood?’
Onyx beamed his familiar, wicked smile. ‘Oh, I’d expect nothing less.’
I ignored his obvious amusement. ‘Who else knows you’re here?’
‘Dapper, the girl and no doubt her Italian.’
I nodded, aware that if Salvatore knew he’d probably told Zoe too. ‘Well, let’s keep it to that,’ I instructed, sending another quick text. ‘And we need to make a stop to pick something up on the way to the airport.’
Onyx slid into the taxi, still smiling even as he shook his head.
‘What?’ I asked sharply.
‘Honestly?’
I narrowed my eyes. ‘Yes.’
‘I’m just giddy with excitement,’ he said, his eyes alight. ‘It’s as if someone has rebooted my favourite movie just for me and I get to sit back and watch all over again.’
‘Still a bastard, then,’ I mumbled.
He laughed openly. ‘Why fight what works?’ He leaned a little closer, and dropped his voice. ‘But I’m sure you’ll find that not everything has remained quite the same.’
I looked away, fighting my nerves. Did he mean the Academy? Or Lincoln? Or me?
I shook my head. With any luck I’d be in and out of that place in a day or two. I probably wouldn’t even see him.
Yeah. Right.
I sat a little taller.
Correction: he won’t see me.
‘My way,’ I reinforced.
‘My dear, your way is always the most entertaining.’
My eyes narrowed in on him again as the taxi pulled over to the kerb.
‘What are we collecting?’ Onyx asked.
I looked out the window and saw Gray stalking towards the car, army-green duffle bag slung over his shoulder.
‘Reinforcements,’ I said, opening the door for him.
After a long look at Onyx, Gray settled his eyes on me. ‘You’re going to owe me for this, princess,’ he said, dumping his bag by his feet.
I was conscious of Onyx’s eyes darting between Gray and me, followed by a discreet but clear chuckle as he stretched back into his seat.
‘Yes, rainbow,’ Onyx practically sang. ‘Most definitely, let’s do this your way.’
CHaPteR SIX
‘How well it suits all men, on the subject of chaos, to say that it is a kind of darkness!’
The Nag Hammadi