Lili St Crow - Betrayals

“She’ll probably insist on you being kept as her guard. There might be a few others eager for the honor.” Christophe shrugged, juggled a hash brown from hand to hand. “If Dylan survived, he’s probably gotten a report in somehow.”

I swallowed hastily. “He said his contacts weren’t responding. Like Augustine. He said Augie’s disappeared.”

“Don’t fear for August. He’s canny.” Christophe set the crackling paper bag aside. The whole car smelled like salt, blood, fast food, and unwashed teenage bodies. Not to mention sick werwulf. Ash twitched as Shanks slammed on the brakes and hit the horn.

“Moron!” he yelled. “Stay in your own goddamn lane!”

“City driving.” Christophe didn’t even sound fazed. “In any case, Dru, my concern is getting you in the Schola’s doors. Not worrying for Augustine. Six more blocks and a right, Robert.”

“I got it.” A light turned green ahead. Shanks eased the car forward. I kept eating, barely tasting the food. My hands trembled, and I didn’t think it was from hunger.

Traffic parted like waves. The gray, smoky clouds were shredding, and I saw flashes of blue sky.

Sunshine meant we were safe. At least from the vampires.

My mother’s locket hid under my sweater. It was comfortingly warm, skin-warm. Like normal metal.

“You know who it was.” My voice surprised me. “In the transcript. Christophe, you know.”

He shook his head. Took a crunching bite of hash brown. His teeth were as white as Ash’s. White as Graves’ wide smile now, too. “I suspect, Dru. I don’t know.” A long pause, as another block rolled by. “But I’ll find out. And then, God help whoever is playing this game.”

It’s not a game. This is my life we’re talking about. I took a scalding gulp of coffee. It didn’t help. The same nameless instinct that had made me refuse to leave without Ash told me Christophe knew more than he was telling. Though you didn’t have to be a genius to figure that out. He always knew more than he was telling. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ve told you. Do you remember? I have a reason now. Turn here, Bobby.”

“I know.” The car wallowed to the right.

The engine sounded a little unhappy, and I didn’t blame it. “Christophe—” My cheeks were on fire again. Why was I blushing like a… like a girl, for God’s sake?

“Hush, Dru. Two blocks up on the left. Do you see it?”

“I see it.” Shanks slowed down. “I take it you don’t want a chauffeur?”

The djamphir laughed. “Why start now? Take care of her, boys.”

Graves glanced at me.

“Wait a second.” I had my hands full of breakfast and Ash was stirring in my lap, little gleams showing under his eyelids. “Don’t tell me you’re going to—”

Too late. The car almost stopped, Christophe’s door opened, and by the time I got half my protest out it had slammed. He darted between two parked cars and vanished down an alley between two brownstones.

“I can’t believe this.” But I could. It was pretty much the way everything was going now.

“Don’t worry.” Shanks actually stuffed the rest of his muffin in his mouth and chewed two or three times, then gulped. “Shit, he took my coffee. Anyway, Dru, we’re home free.”

“Yeah.” Graves gave me an eloquent sidelong look, just as Shanks sped up a little. The two blocks slid underneath the car’s tired tires, and just as he turned left through a half-open wrought-iron gate, sunlight burst down the street, dipping everything in gold. “Home free. Until someone else tries to kill us.”

“Great.” I almost dropped the McMuffin on Ash’s face. Then I began chewing. Whatever happened next, I’d probably need a full stomach to handle it.

A wet black driveway unreeled, trees arching on either side. The tips of their fingering branches held delicate green buds. When we came out of the double line of greenery, sunshine splashed across a huge white stone building. The lawns were immaculate. There were a pair of concrete lions standing guard at the end of the driveway, too, and I thought I saw one of them twitch. But it could have been just the blinding, fresh morning light.

It looked familiar, but I realized the other Schola had been a smaller, grayer copy of this place. It had seemed really grand and imposing, but this was the Real Deal. I swallowed sudden dryness, doused with a last gulp of overcooked coffee. I dropped the cup near my feet and hoped my numb legs would hold me up when we finally got out of the car.

“Thank God,” Shanks said, softly. “We’re safe.”

I looked down at my lap. Ash’s eyes had shut again, the gleam under the lids gone now. “I hope so.” I finished the last bit of my muffin. Dibs sighed, a sound of pure relief.

Shanks pulled up to the steps leading to the front door. He cut the engine, and I sensed that people inside the big pile of white stone were aware of our arrival. Any moment now the door would open, and we’d have questions to answer and things to do and…

The huge, iron-bound double door at the top of the gleaming white stairs was already opening, revealing a slice of darkness inside for just a moment before slim teenage forms boiled out. They were all boys, and all djamphir.

Which ones were enemies?

“I sure as hell hope so,” I repeated, and reached for the door handle.