„Morning," I said, rubbing my eyes. I was angry with him, for choosing now, of all times, to start pushing into my life. I wanted to tell him to back off, outline that he couldn"t start playing the hands-on Dad role after relinquishing the position for the first seventeen years of my life, but … I needed out today, I couldn"t hack another day without proper training.
„Morning, sweetheart," he said, taking a bite of his burnt toast.
I decided to keep peace. „I .. um, I have a workout session planned today with my friend, Spence." I swallowed my stubbornness and kept my tone free of challenge. „If that"s okay with you?" I could barely look at him as I forced out the words.
Dad"s mouth fell opened. Any other time it might have been comical. But I didn"t smile. I worried. There was a possibility that I was opening a door I might not easily close again.
„Be home by six."
I nodded, grabbing my bag. I had a lot to get done between now and then.
„I mean it, Vi. I don"t want to have to review the grounding restrictions. But I will."
Hell, he"s really getting the hang of this stuff. He"s already advanced into threat territory.
-
I jogged towards Lincoln"s place, stopping when my phone rang.
„Hi, Griff," I said, seeing his caller ID. „it"s early for you. What"s wrong?"
„Where are you?"
„On my way to meet Spence," I said, sounding relieved as I felt to be out of the Eden Penitentiary, I picked up my pace again to a light jog, wanting to keep moving as well as stay warm.
„Can you stop by the hospital on the way?"
„Sure." It wasn"t much of a detour. „Why are you there?"
„Checking in on Onyx."
„Oh, of course. See you there."
I"d planned on dropping in on Onyx today anyway. I hadn"t seen him since he was admitted and I knew I couldn"t put it off any longer. The problem was - I wasn"t sure what I was going to say to him.
I called Spence, who sounded like he"d forgotten we were training this morning, and put him off for a couple of hours. I could hear him pressing buttons in the background. He"d probably still be on the PlayStation when I got there.
I made it to the hospital quickly and as I headed for the recovery ward my anxiety intensified. I didn"t know what to expect when I saw Onyx. How bad he would look or what I would say.
Will he remember what he said to me? Do I
want
him to?"
Our relationship had changed and I had no idea what type of Onyx would be on the other side of the door.
I backed up a step, and considered waiting for Griffin outside. But before I had chance to do an about-turn, the door swung open and Griffin stood there, phone in hand.
„I was just about to call you again."
I half smiled. „No need."
Beyond him, I could see Onyx lying in a bed, watching us. The unsure look in his eye, as if deliberating whether he wanted me to come in or not, disappeared quickly.
„Oh, superb," he said, sarcastically. „Here she is. It"s supposed to be meals-on-wheels not death-in-a-breath. You could"ve at least given me a chance to recover before you brought her in. Hell knows how many exiles are on her trail today!"
He flung his head back on the pillow and I couldn"t help but smile. Apparently, some things didn"t change. Not completely, anyway. I took another step into the room.
„If you insist on coming in at least have them increase the morphine - I"ll need to get through the visit," he said, lacking his customary bite and his voice catching on the last words as true pain flared.
Onyx looked beaten up, his porcelain skin now antique yellow and his usually dark eyes appeared faded and rimmed in red instead of his signature kohl eyeliner. He had bruises covering most of his face and from his rigid position I guessed his torso was bandaged tightly.
„I"m sorry you were hurt. I … I heard you fought them." I hadn"t meant to stumble on the words, but I was still struggling a bit with the concept of „Onyx the Protector".
He chuckled, sardonically. „Are you insane?"
An insane comment, coming from him.
„Of course I didn"t fight tem! I just got in their way for a moment and not by choice. If I could"ve run - I would"ve."
I shrugged, unconvinced. „Either way, I"m glad you"re okay."
He looked mast me, towards the bare wall.
„Violet, we need to talk," Griffin said, glancing at the door.
I nodded but had a thought.
„Steph translated the first of the texts in the Scripture last night."
I focused my attention on Onyx. He tried to hide his interest, but his head jerked up and then suddenly stilled.
Like candy to a kid.
Griffin shook his head. „That girl is incredible. She has done what every senior Grigori at the Academy has been trying to do since we first got hold of the text. Amazing," he marvelled.
I pulled the piece of paper from my bag and gave it to Griffin, sharing a quick look with him I hoped he"d understand.
„Onyx," I began, „do you think you might be able to help us figure it out?"
I knew I was taking a chance. And from Griffin"s face I didn"t know if he was going to allow it anyway, but, despite what Onyx thought of us, I was pretty sure he"d know something that could help.
Onyx harrumphed, but it did little to his intrigue.
Griffin studied to paper and took a step towards Onyx"s bed, reciting the poem.
„”Awaken Tartarus and blanket day, to hide their eyes and Heaven"s ray.”"
„The sun," Onyx said.
Griffin nodded in agreement. „”Ash will fall as fire will rain, delivering to one, insufferable pain.”"
Onyx was silent.
Griffin went on. „”Flames will roar and spear the skies, igniting the view to the water"s rise. A swell of death to deliver just one, resurrecting that, pardoned by none.”"
„Well, the end is obvious," Griffin said. „”Pardoned by none” - is the damned."
„Lilith," I said, her name sticking out like a splinter in my throat.
Onyx nodded, then grimaced. „Not only her, though. It can mean anyone. There"ll have to be a way of selecting her."
„What hides the sun?" I asked.
„Darkness," Onyx said, without hesitation.
„What about the other stuff?"
He shifted in his bed. „I don"t know, yet. I"ll give its some thought."
He knew more than he was saying, I could tell, and by the look on Griffin"s face he realised it too, but he didn"t call Onyx on the lie, so neither did I.
„I"ll walk you out," Griffin said.
I nodded.
„Yes. Ta ta. Tell the nurse if she doesn"t want me to hunt her down and rip her heart once I"m feeling myself again to bring the damned morphine, will you?" Onyx demanded.
„I"ll visit in a couple of days," I said, ignoring his comment and subsequent glare.
„No need. Dapper"s discharging me tomorrow."
It seemed too early for him to be leaving hospital and I shot a worried look at Griffin. He just shrugged.
„Dapper says he"ll deal with him."
„If you really want to help, you could have a few bottles of bourbon waiting for my room."
I followed Griffin out of the room. "Never gonna happen," I said, without looking back. But as I pulled the door closed behind me I heard Onyx reply quietly, just so I could.
„I"m sure something will come up to convince you."
I wondered how much of the poem he did understand.
Griffin was punching something into his phone as I joined him in the hall.
„I"m not sure if Onyx can be …" I started, but he cut me off, waving his phone for a moment.
„Already on it. I"ll have Grigori posted here until he leaves and we"ll monitor everyone who visits him. He won"t do anything we won"t know about."
I really hoped that would work. But we were both well aware that Onyx was still an unknown. He was with us because he had no better options at the moment, but if a more alluring offer came along …
Griffin started walking towards the exit. "The Academy called this morning. They"re sending their Vice here," he said, making „Vice", sound dangerous.
„Who"s that?"
„Josephine. She"s second in charge at the Academy and on the Assembly. She"s been around for a long time, is very powerful and always gets her way."
I guess it wasn"t a major surprise. With everything that had been happening Griffin had had to keep the Academy up to date on developments. Now that we had given Phoenix the Exile Scripture I could understand why they would send someone.
„Who"s her partner?"
„She is currently partnerless. She had had four that I know of. They are all dead." Griffin wasn"t exactly painting a rosy picture.
I slowed both my walking and my words. „Griffin, why
exactly
is she coming?"
„For the Scriptures, but also to … assess you."
„Why?" I asked, with an all-bad feeling.
We pushed through the exit doors to a cold wind blasting outside.
„Because they know something is going on. They"ve heard the rumours and though we haven"t confirmed that your angel maker is one of the Sole, that won"t stop them from investigating. You are potentially the most powerful Grigori ever to have been created. We still don"t understand your capabilities so they want you assessed and … monitored.
They"re going to decide if you need to be …" He stopped, looking worried and sorry for me.
„Griffin," I pushed.
„They think you need to be trained at the Academy. By them. Josephine will have the authority to make that decision while she is here."
I stopped mid-stride. „What do you mean?" I asked, louder than I"d meant to. „It"s my choice! What are they going to do - lock me up?"
Griffin sighed and put his head down, but not before his eyes said
Yes
. „They have ways to do almost anything they want. There are many Grigori within the Academy - all with varying talents that they will not hesitate to use on you if they believe it is in their interest."
I let his words sink in and didn"t respond. What could I say? I was being told they were going to take away my choices - force me to move to the Academy. In that moment I knew one thing for sure - I would never willingly allow that to happen.
„Violet, you know I"ll do everything I can."
„When does she arrive?" I asked, unable to hold back my anger at him just because he was one of them.
„In five days."
We were both silent for a moment, then Griffin put a hand out, but didn"t touch me.
„Violet?"
I stepped back, glancing at him briefly. „I know," I said, turning to go in the opposite direction. „I have to go meet Spence," I said, over my shoulder and then took off at a run.
Yeah, I ran. But with purpose.
It looked like Dad wasn"t the only one who wanted me under lock and key,
-
Spence opened the door with the PlayStation controller in hand. „Where"s the fire?" he asked, standing aside as I barged in.
I saw Lincoln coming out of his room and the feelings that stirred whenever he was near ignited, almost making me drop to my knees. It just amplified everything and I made a point of ignoring him, despite my body"s screaming cravings, and made a bee-line straight for the sparring area set up at the back of the warehouse.
„We have to train." I pulled off my jumper, kicked off my shoes and started to stretch.
„Eden, chill. What"s the rush? It"s Saturday.
But I couldn"t
chill
, nothing about anything happening in my life inspired an inclination to
chill
. I stood on the mats, hands on hips and stared at Spence. Whatever he saw in me, it worked.
He put the game controlled and pulled off his shoes.
„Come to think of it - I was actually hankering for a pounding just before you arrived."
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lincoln move into the kitchen area. He didn"t say anything and made himself busy, moving thins about, but I knew he was watching.
Fine by me.
Two hours later, Spence was face down on the mat again and I was dripping sweat.
Griffin had arrived about twenty minutes after we"d started sparring and had insisted on acting as umpire.
„That"s enough for today," he said.
Spence moaned and sat up. „Ah - ya think?" Then he lay back down, flat on his back.
„No, I"m not tired." I needed to do more. I needed to be stronger. I
needed
to be ready because it felt like there was no one I didn"t have to fight in some way.
Lincoln was sitting on the couch and I saw him look over. He"d been silent the entire time. Occupying himself with things and never focussing on the session, but I had felt his eyes nonetheless.
„I"m wasted, Eden. Go hit a wall or something. I"m taking a shower." Spence crawled away on all fours to the bathroom.
Griffin laughed lightly. „You really are getting stronger," he said to me.
„No!" I snapped. „It"s not enough! I"ve seen him fight. I"ve seen how fast he is. I"ve seen
…" I dropped my head and put my hands on my hips, digging fingernails into my flesh, trying to hold back the scream that was clawing its way through me.
No one understands. I can"t be responsible for any more.
Griffin stood up and I didn"t look at him until he was standing opposite me. He"d taken his jumper off. And his shoes.
He didn"t say anything but his right hand went out with lightning speed, straight at my face. I dodged and hit him in his gut.
For the first time, as we danced around on the mats, Griffin and I sparred and I managed to take him down. He exposed my weaknesses - my tendency to go for the kick - and I worked out that he preferred the distance rather than close-range fighting. But for every time I took him down, he took me down three more.
I was faster than him and there wasn"t much difference in our strength but he was simply better, and I started to get frustrated.
„You"ve done enough for today," Griffin said.
Spence was back on the couch, showered, changed and engrossed in his game, but he paused long enough to yell out, „Girl"s on a mission!"
I glared at him, but he just gave me a cheesy grin.
„Again."
Griffin shrugged and struck out. I dodged but as I did he leaped into the air and right over the top of me. I swung around to try and take him out by the legs but was too slow. He planted the exact same move on me before I had a chance to readjust my footing. I fell, then jumped back to my feet and fake-swung at him with my arm before hitting him with a jab from my right.