Darkness Splintered

She nodded. “We could be back here in an hour.”

“That would be brilliant,” I said.

She smiled. “Trust me, it is my pleasure. It is a rare opportunity to practice what I have been taught.”

Azriel glanced at me. “Will you stay here, or return home?”

I hesitated, then said, “Home.”

“I shall meet you back there, then.”

With that, he took Rozelle’s hand, then the two of them disappeared. I grabbed the shifter’s wallet, then became Aedh and returned home. The apartment was dark and silent. Tao still wasn’t here. I bit back the instinctive urge to ring and check if he was safe, knowing there was little I could do if he wasn’t, and walked into my bedroom. I’d left the door open and the acrid smell of smoke was stronger this time. My nose twitched and I briefly wondered if we’d ever be able to rid the place of it. Or if, indeed, we’d even bother rebuilding it. Especially if the worst happened with Tao…

I slumped wearily onto my bed and rubbed my forehead, half wishing for coffee but not having the energy to actually walk down to McDonald’s to grab one.

“Which is why I did,” Azriel said, as he reappeared. He handed me not only a coffee, but a double Quarter Pounder.

I raised my eyebrows. “And just where did you get the money for these?”

“One does not need money when one can simply arrange for them to be given.”

“You stole them?”

“If they are gifted, they are hardly stolen.”

I grinned. “So if I feel the sudden need for diamonds, you could arrange for them to be ‘gifted’?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Diamonds are hardly necessary for your health.”

“You obviously have no understanding of women and diamonds.”

Amusement creased the corners of his bright eyes. “I think we can take that as a given. Eat.”

I did. Once I’d finished the burger, I took a sip of the coffee and said, “So what do we do now?”

“Until the Raziq or your father comes through with some way of finding either of our sorcerers, I do not know.” He paused. “I would suggest sleeping, but I already know the answer to that.”

“Yeah.” I grimaced. “It just feels wrong to sleep when the clock is ticking for Mirri. But I could go see Uncle Quinn.”

Surprise flitted across Azriel’s expression. “Why?”

“Because, as you noted earlier, if there’s one person in this world of mine who might know how to stop these bastards in their tracks, it would be Uncle Quinn.”

And not just the Raziq, but my father and, hell, maybe even Hunter. They had to be stopped, all of them. And while I knew I was going to have hell’s chance of stopping Quinn from subsequently joining any battle, it was a risk I might have to take.

Because I was beginning to think it could be the only way anyone was going to get out of this… the thought froze as my phone rang. The tone told me it was Uncle Rhoan, and I fought back an odd mix of trepidation and grief. Because I knew he’d be ringing about Jak. And that he’d be madder than hell.

Only trouble was, the pain of Jak’s death was still so raw I might end up saying something I’d ultimately regret.

“Then ignore it,” Azriel said, ever practical.

“If I do, he’s more than likely to order me arrested.”

He frowned. “Why would he do that?”

“Because I’m betting he wants answers about Jak’s murder and why Hunter would want him dead.”

And how could I explain any of that without stepping into territory that could ultimately lead him into danger? Because Hunter would kill him if she thought it necessary to both keep her secrets and me on the leash.

I took a deep, somewhat quivery breath, then reached for the phone and hit the vid-screen’s Answer button. Rhoan appeared. To say his expression was thunderous was something of an understatement.

“What the fuck is going on, Risa?” he all but exploded. “Why the hell would Madeline Hunter want Jak Talbott dead?”

I was tempted to tell him that was a question he should ask the lady herself, but I didn’t actually want him anywhere near the bitch. Not when she was so intent on teaching me a lesson. I licked my lips and said, “I don’t know —”

“Don’t give me that shit.” A dangerous light glittered in his gray eyes. “You know exactly why she ordered the hit, and I’m guessing you knew it even before you put a sword through the back of the assassin. Tell me what the fuck is going on, or I’m going to haul your ass into the Directorate and make the investigation official.”

Part of me wanted to snarl some smart remark right back at him; the other, more sensible part just wanted to run. The last thing I wanted was a confrontation with Uncle Rhoan, but I guess it was always bound to happen. As I kept fucking noting, it wasn’t like fate had shown any propensity to give me a break.

Which meant I had only one choice.

Honesty.

I swore internally and scrubbed my free hand across my eyes. “Do that,” I said, my voice holding an edge I couldn’t quite prevent, “and you might well kill everyone we both care about.”

His expression didn’t change. If anything, it got more dangerous. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Look, we can’t do this over the phone. Meet me at the cafe.” I hesitated, then added, “Come alone, and don’t tell anyone else you’re doing it. Not even Aunt Riley.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes. Don’t fuck me around on this, Risa. I’m warning you.”

“I won’t.”

He hung up and I threw the phone back into my bag for a second time.

What of your astral watchers? Azriel said. If Markel is on duty, you will – most likely – be safe against the possibility of the meeting being reported to Hunter. It is doubtful that the others would be so recalcitrant, given what Markel has said about them. And Hunter’s reaction will be swift and deadly.

I know. Just as I knew that if I wanted to stop my astral watcher from reporting back, there was only one way I was going to do it.

But could I take that step?

Could I take the life of someone who was doing nothing more than their duty?

Soldiers throughout history have lost their lives doing nothing more than their duty, Azriel commented. It is the way of war, be it waged on the fields or here on Earth.

Yeah, but this isn’t a war.

That’s where you’re very wrong. This is a war, and perhaps the only one that has ever mattered. You’re not only fighting for the lives of your friends, but for the souls of mankind and the existence of two – very different – worlds.

I knew all that. But I’d been hoping – perhaps naively – to survive this whole mess with as little blood on my hands as possible. I sighed. Let’s just hope it’s Markel following me, then.

You would need to be sure before you meet your uncle.

Yes. But we have ten minutes. More than enough time to step onto the astral plane.

More than enough time to take a life.

Ignoring the horror that spun through me at the thought, I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. Several seconds later, I stepped onto the astral plane.

It wasn’t Markel who watched me.

This vampire was short and thickset, with steel gray hair, swarthy features, and dead black eyes. His gaze, when it met mine, showed neither interest nor surprise, but rather the natural wariness of a warrior who has seen many battles.

My stomach began to churn. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to take this vampire’s life and make him a