Snakeroot (26 page)

“I wish I could agree,” Sarah told Connor. “But from what I saw, Adne wears the pendant because she feels some affinity to Eira.”

“Why would you say that?” Connor whispered. “That’s insane.”

“Logan wanted the box,” Sarah said. “But when Adne found me, she insisted on coming along. She had questions for Logan, or so she said. I thought Logan would be furious that I hadn’t come alone, but he was just the opposite. Logan wanted Adne there.”

“What does he want with her?” Connor’s skin had taken on a gray pallor.

“It’s not Logan who wants her,” Tristan said slowly. “Is it, Sarah?”

“Logan is simply doing his master’s bidding,” Sarah answered. “It’s Bosque who seeks Ariadne.”

“Why?” Connor demanded. “Why the hell would Bosque go after Adne?”

Anika said to Connor, “If the Harbinger is trying to find a way back into this world, he must think that Ariadne can help him.”

“But she wouldn’t.” Connor’s fists clenched. “She wouldn’t.”

“I don’t think she’s acting completely of her own free will.” Sarah struggled for comforting words. “When the Harbinger spoke to her, she was obviously trying to fight him, but—” Sarah stopped. She didn’t want to finish the thought, knowing it would only cause Connor more pain.

“But what?” Connor asked, unable to keep the panic from his voice.

“I don’t know if she’ll be strong enough to resist,” Sarah said reluctantly. “His power is corrupting and absolute. If she’s already under his sway, it might be too late.”

Connor went very still. Then, in a quiet voice, he said, “Never say that to me again.”

Sarah started to apologize, but Connor turned his back on them and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Guilt gnawed at Sarah. She cast a pleading look at Anika. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s time to stop apologizing,” Anika replied in a stern voice. “Regret helps no one.”

Sarah nodded and Tristan kissed the crown of her head. “You’ve brought us vital information, Sarah.”

With a flat smile, Anika said, “He’s right. If the Harbinger is seeking a way to return, we must prevent it at all costs. The power plays and bickering that have overtaken the Academy mean nothing compared to this.”

Anika went to Adne’s desk and picked up a pen and notepad. She handed them to Sarah and said, “Write down everything you remember about your encounter with Logan and the Harbinger. Every detail, no matter how insignificant it seems. We need to determine what Logan’s next move is. He’s already set a plan in motion. We’re going to have to catch up if we want to stop him.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said.

“For what?” Anika asked.

“For letting me help,” Sarah replied. “I want to help however I can.”

“I’m not letting you do anything,” Anika told her. “You’re one of us, Sarah. A Searcher and a Striker. I haven’t forgotten that. Neither should you.”

THOUGH THE FIRST-CLASS
cabin of the aircraft was spacious, Logan couldn’t imagine why anyone thought the gaudy colors were a good decorating choice. It made Logan feel like he’d been dropped into a gumball machine.

“I can’t believe we’re taking a commercial flight.” Chase signaled the flight attendant to bring him another cocktail.

“We’re in first class,” Logan said. “It’s not that bad.”

“Please.” Chase gave him a hard look. “It’s a
commercial
flight.”

Across the aisle, Adne murmured, “I’ve never been on a plane.”

“No?” Logan’s gaze slid over to her. “I suppose planes wouldn’t be much use to a Weaver.”

Adne gave Logan a startled glance, making it clear that she hadn’t intended to be overheard. “Don’t talk to me,” she said, turning her face away from the pair of Keepers.

“This is going to be the best vacation ever.” Chase finished his vodka and donned a sleep mask. “Wake me up when we’re across the Atlantic.”

“What a wonderful traveling companion you are,” Logan said.

Chase gave him the finger. A few minutes later he was snoring elegantly. Logan hadn’t realized that snores could have elegance, but Chase somehow managed it as only a Montauk Keeper could.

Logan glanced at Adne. She was in the window seat, and the aisle seat beside her was empty. Logan got up and moved to the vacant seat.

Adne shot him a poisoned look. “I told you to leave me alone.”

“And I’m not comfortable with you thinking I take your orders,” Logan answered. “So this is your first time on a plane? Are you frightened?”

“That question is so lame, I’m not bothering with it,” Adne said, keeping her face turned toward the window.

Logan smiled. Prickly as Adne might be, Logan sensed how restless the girl was. She wanted to talk, needed to. And Logan was feeling the same way. So he waited.

After what he supposed Adne considered a sufficient snub, she asked, “Do you think he’s in pain?”

“Chase?” Logan laughed. “No. He just gets whiny when he’s tired.”

“I meant Ren,” Adne said. “Do you think Ren is in pain?”

“Why would he be in pain?”

Adne turned to face Logan. “Because he’s trapped, isn’t he? He died, which means he isn’t supposed to be here, but he is.”

“I don’t know if a spirit feels pain,” Logan said. “But to be honest, I’m sure he isn’t happy. He hates taking orders from me.”

“Why is it that he has to obey you?” Adne frowned.

“I couldn’t get into specifics,” Logan said with a shrug, “but it has something to do with Bosque. Ren serves as a conduit, letting Bosque exert a fraction of his power on this plane.”

At the mention of Bosque’s name, Adne shrank into her seat.

“Are you afraid of him?” Logan asked. From what he’d witnessed of Ariadne, she was steely and cowed by little. But in Bosque’s presence, the Weaver had quailed as if her will was being sapped and she could do nothing other than submit.

Logan thought it had been rather glorious.

Adne said quietly, “Aren’t you?”

“Not really,” Logan replied.

Adne’s mouth quirked in a mocking smile. “I find that hard to believe. Bosque can’t have forgotten that you summoned him and forced him to reveal his true form. You’re the reason Shay was able to close the Rift.”

Logan maintained his nonchalant tone. “We all make mistakes.”

“Is that what you told Bosque?” Adne asked, incredulous. “That you just made a mistake?”

“I didn’t understand who Bosque was,” Logan said stiffly. “I do now. And he knows that I’ve changed.”

“You mean you know he’s your grandfather,” Adne supplied.

Logan sucked in a sharp breath. Trying not to show his alarm, he asked, “How do you know that?”

“I found a family tree,” Adne said. “Eira and Bosque had children. You’re a part of that line. So is Shay.”

Logan nodded. “That’s why he could close the Rift.”

“And why you can open it.” Adne finished the thought.

Logan searched Adne’s face for signs of deception. Is that what she thought? That he was the one who could open the Rift? She had no idea of the part she had to play in all of this. She’d been cast in the leading role and she thought she’d just be in the audience.

“Yes,” Logan answered simply. Better to let this scene play out than give away the plot twist now.

“Does Bosque really trust you to pull off something this big?” Adne didn’t bother to hide her smirk.

“I’ve demonstrated my skill.” Slightly ruffled, both by the new knowledge of Adne’s misconceptions and her insult, Logan shot back, “And I’ve proven my loyalty.”

“How?”

“I got you here, didn’t I?” Logan smirked.

“That was a fluke and you know it,” Adne replied. “I came here on my own. Not because of you.”

“Why are you here?” Logan countered.

The direct question took Adne by surprise. “I—I don’t know.”

“You must, though,” Logan said. “Throwing yourself into the belly of the beast. If you’ve gone mad, you hide it well.”

“I’m not crazy,” Adne said, though her voice was quiet.

“I don’t think you are,” Logan said. “But that means there’s reason behind your choices.”

“Never mind.” Adne fidgeted in her seat. “Let’s just say I am crazy.”

“I know why I decided to summon Bosque.” Logan ignored her attempt to dodge the issue. “After the war, I learned very quickly that wealth means little without power, and we Keepers had Bosque to thank for the power we wielded. I didn’t understand that until he was gone.”

“Good for you,” Adne muttered.

“Is that what you’re after?” Logan continued. “True power?” He leaned close to Adne and murmured, “I remember what he said to you in the library. About your power. He wouldn’t be seeking you now if you weren’t extraordinary. That’s the key, isn’t it? Bosque knows who you really are, but you don’t, and you want to.”

“I think you should go back to your side of the plane now.” Adne returned her gaze to the window.

Satisfied, Logan went back to his original seat. Though Adne’s unexpected arrival had been something of a boon, Logan had been worried he’d have to constantly contend with her for control of the situation. But now he saw things differently. For reasons she didn’t want to or wasn’t ready to admit, Adne was no longer Logan’s enemy. And Logan was beginning to think she might turn into a surprising ally.

AFTER CONSIDERABLE
discussion, it was decided that four of their number would go to meet Holt: Anika, Tristan, Ethan, and Sabine.

Anika, as the Arrow, was an obvious choice, and Tristan was deemed a good counterpart to Anika because he would be able to emphasize the threat that the Harbinger posed. Ethan was to play the “common man,” a warrior of the Searchers. And Sabine, as Anika put it, represented their future.

“The future?” Sabine frowned at the Arrow. “How does that work?”

“You’re a Guardian who became an ally,” Anika replied. “You represent the potential for peace.”

“I represent peace?” Sabine laughed, glancing at Ethan. “She doesn’t know me very well, does she?”

“You expect me to walk into that trap?” Ethan lifted his eyebrows. Sabine jabbed an elbow into his ribs.

“As painful as it will be,” Anika told them, ignoring Ethan and Sabine’s exchange, “we need to keep Holt happy, within reason. The goal here is a united front. If we don’t get to Logan in time, we may be looking at the beginning of a new war.”

“We get it, Anika,” Ethan said. “We can suck up to Holt for the greater good.”

“All right then.” Anika smiled at him. “Let’s go.”

They waited outside the door to Holt’s offices in Pyralis for at least five minutes before someone finally came to greet them.

“I appreciate your taking the time to speak with us,” Anika said.

“I assume you’d like to reach a détente.” Holt didn’t bother to stand when they filed into the room.

Two Strikers flanked Holt, standing tall and silent, with their weapons displayed prominently. They were even wearing sunglasses. And while the crystals running through the walls of Pyralis boasted the bright, flickering tones of burning flames, the shades were just unnecessary. Sabine wished she could tell them how lame they looked, but that wouldn’t make Anika very happy.

Holt gazed at them from his seat, wearing a smug smile, as if he were a king sitting upon a throne and about to receive petitioners.

Watching him, Sabine thought,
A man who feels it necessary to flaunt his power has no real power at all.

If he hadn’t been making such a mess of things at the Academy, Sabine might have felt a little sorry for Holt. He was a petty man grasping at power, his ambition no doubt fueled by self-doubt and fear.

“I’d still like to think we have the same goals,” Anika said to Holt. “Goals that compel us to work together rather than against one another.”

“And what is your goal, Anika?” Holt asked.

“The same as it has ever been,” Anika replied. “To protect the earth from the corruption of the Nether.”

“You say that.” Holt leaned back in his chair. “And yet you seek to hinder my efforts to rid our world of the lingering threat posed by the Keepers who survived the war.”

“You’re right.” Anika clasped her hands behind her back. “We don’t see eye to eye on that issue. But new information has come to my attention that I wanted to share with you before I brought it to the other guides. Something that requires immediate action.”