I didn’t like using my Sight. But I’d also made a point of learning how to control it in small doses. On some levels it had been successful and become a handy surveillance tool. I could scope an entire building, or even a city block, with little more than a thought. But still … I was ever aware there was so much more in me that remained unexplored. And at that very moment, I could feel the power surge through me, as if it were looking for somewhere to go or even … for something specific to do.
Mum’s warnings on the matter had been clear. She wasn’t certain, and I continued to doubt her suspicions, but she believed that there was a chance that I was some kind of evolution-in-progress. As angels had learned to fall to earth and become human, I might be the first human who could evolve into an angel. She constantly warned me not to separate from my corporeal body for long, fearing that the lure might become so intense that I could forget to return, and I would lose myself.
Just the possibility that she might be right was enough for me to limit the use of my Sight, despite the pull.
The furthest I ever ventured was in that time just before sleep when my soul took over and sought him out.
And that was never a conscious choice.
Using my Sight, I roamed the levels of the building, quickly identifying a number of humans. There was, however, a darkened area on the level below us, which gave me a chill.
I returned to my body.
‘There are about two dozen humans in the building. Half a dozen on this level and I think they’re the ones we want. There’s also a dark zone,’ I said thoughtfully.
Gray was staring at me and I hit him on the shoulder, breaking him out of his daze. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘It’s just, you’re one weird lass, you know that, right?’
‘What’s a dark zone?’ Lincoln asked in my ear, causing goosebumps to rise on my arms.
‘Something I can’t see through. It could be titanium.’
‘Hiding exiles within it?’ he shot back.
‘Possibly, but I can’t say for sure, and anyway, it’s a small area. It couldn’t be hiding an army or anything.’
‘I don’t like it. You should come back out,’ Lincoln instructed.
I looked at Gray and he pointed to his watch.
‘We still have fifteen minutes. Out,’ I said, pulling free my earpiece and shoving it in my pocket. He could listen in all he wanted but I couldn’t do this with him talking to me. ‘Tell me if he says anything worthwhile,’ I said to Gray.
‘Right now he’s using several four-letter words,’ Gray said wryly before leaning close to whisper in my ear. ‘Do you think there are exiles in here?’
I nodded.
Gray threw a little bounce into his step. He was in the mood for a fight. I smiled at him. I was too.
It didn’t take long for us to make our way down the corridor and towards what looked like a large boardroom. Through the glass doors we could see close to a dozen humans, sitting in an Armani, Prada and Gucci showdown of who had the slimmest tie and shiniest shoes. Chloe had been spot on; clearly these people were wealthy. And they didn’t display that distant unaware look that usually accompanied humans under exile control. They looked motivated.
Time wasn’t on our side thanks to our clock-keeper outside, but Gray and I settled back out of sight behind an open doorway and waited for a few minutes. It paid off when we saw two of the humans leave the boardroom and come towards us. We let the two men walk straight by us into a nearby office.
Before the door swung closed, my foot was stopping it and Gray had his arm around the first human’s neck from behind. I followed in time to see the second man already with his hands raised in surrender. They didn’t scream or try to fight.
I hesitated. Alarm bells were already going off.
They’re expecting us.
I looked at the man standing with his hands up. He was calm. No more than forty and typically good-looking in a tall, neat, tailored kind of way. He wore a gold ring on his wedding finger and on the desk before him was a framed picture of him with a woman and two children.
He smiled in a businesslike manner, one that said he was a smooth talker and accustomed to getting his own way. But his eager eyes told a less predictable tale.
‘He told us you might come. I’d hoped I’d be the one to get to see you,’ he said, his eyes skimming me and lingering on my wrists. ‘He wants you to know that he’s looking forward to seeing you.’
I knew he was talking about Sammael. I remembered that Lincoln was listening to all of this.
‘Where is Spence?’ I demanded.
The businessman smiled again, well aware he held a trump card. ‘He has your friend and he wants you to know that if you want to see him again he will be in New Orleans the night before the next full moon,’ he replied.
Gray groaned.
I glanced at him but he just shook his head. ‘Nothing good ever happens in New Orleans.’
Gray nudged the first human towards the door. ‘Let’s take these two back with us. They clearly know more, and Lincoln wants to question them about the tournaments.’
‘It’s all him, isn’t it?’ I pushed, keeping my eyes on the man behind the desk. ‘Sammael? He’s running the tournaments through your companies?’
The man shrugged. ‘There are a lot of wealthy people who are willing to bet large amounts of money. It’s profitable entertainment.’