Sherrilyn Kenyon - Invincible

“And one day, you will learn to take pleasure in the small things as well.”

Yeah, but after what he’d learned about himself today, he hoped it wasn’t from harming others. Even mildly.

“Now, where were we?”

“Finding lost things.”

“Yes, yes.” Grim returned, and a map of New Orleans appeared in the book.

“How do you get it to do that for you? Whenever I try something like that, it back-talks me.”

“Much like a child, the book knows it can get away with back-talking you. I have no love or tolerance for it. If it annoys me, I will burn it without reservation.”

Ah, intimidation did work. Who knew?

“Now,” Grim said, drawing his attention back to the map. “Tell me someone you’d like to find.”

Problem was, he knew where everyone lived who was important to him.

Everyone except Kody.

“Nekoda,” he said to the pendulum. “Show me where Nekoda is.”

Grim handed him the chain.

Nick hovered it over the map, and nothing happened. “This is a waste.”

“No. Learning is never a waste. What you’re doing right now is discovering how not to make a lightbulb.”

“Huh?”

Grim shook his head. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Educate yourself, kid. All right, the pendulum isn’t working. Sometimes you need an accelerant to help it.”

“Like gasoline?”

“Yes, Nick. We’re going to set the book and your pendulum on fire and then use them ’cause we’re just that intelligent.”

“Knock the sarcasm, okay? I’ve had a really bad day.”

“You keep lipping off, and I can assure you it will get worse.”

Nick cleared his throat as he reminded himself this wasn’t someone he could be himself around. “Sorry. You were saying?”

“Do you have anything of Nekoda’s?”

“Uh, yeah. I have her Nintendo she lent me and a pencil. Why?”

“Do you have one with you?”

“Both.”

“Give me the Nintendo, since that is more uniquely hers. Whenever you’re doing something like this, you want an item that means something to the person you seek. Such things can tell you a lot and aid you immensely.”

Like his book and pendulum that Grim had told him to guard with his life …

Oh, no. A really bad feeling went through him.

Nick bit his lip as he balled the pendulum up in his hand. “You told me that things like that can be used to control someone, right?”

“Yes.”

“Can it do anything else?”

Grim nodded. “Lots of things.”

“Such as?”

Grim considered it a moment before he answered. “You can use it to bind them to a spell. Manipulate them. There are things you could do for good, such as help them with motivation or retrieve something else they’ve lost, but few entities do that. Usually it’s reserved for hurting someone. Why?”

“Because I think I finally understand what Devus is up to.”

“Who?”

“Never mind.” It still didn’t really make sense. Devus knew where everyone lived. All he had to do was access their student files.

Which meant Devus must be using the stolen items to control or manipulate them. But for what? The football team could be for the play-offs, but Kody and the ones not on the team …

Something wasn’t right. He needed more information.

“Are you paying attention, Nick?”

“Absolutely. Undivided. Lead on.”

Grim grimaced before he continued. “Okay, you can—”

“Can you use the item to test for something?”

“Stop interrupting me,” Grim snarled. “Or I will skin you.”

“Sorry … but can you?”

Grim let out a long-suffering sigh. “This is why I don’t have children and why I’ve spent eternity avoiding them at all costs.” He met Nick’s gaze. “Yes. You could use the item to test for something personal about the owner.”

“Like what?”

“Anything. Do they bake? Are they smart? Are they going to die for irritating me, et cetera.”

“Yeah, I don’t like that last one.”

“I really don’t care.” Grim picked up the Nintendo.

Nick’s phone started ringing.

Cursing, Grim glared at him.

“Sorry. I forgot to turn it to vibrate.” Nick looked down at the number. It was Mark. “Um. I need to take this call. Is that okay?”

“Oh, by all means. Go ahead and hold up Death for that. It’s such a smart move on your part.” That sarcasm was thickest of all.

Nick knew it was stupid to taunt the being, but …

He answered the phone.

“Where are you?” Mark asked.

“St. Louis Number One. Why?”

“I just remembered where I saw your coach. And boy, you ain’t gonna believe this one.”

And boy, if you don’t put that phone down, you’re not going to live to draw another breath. …

Ever irritated Death? Not recommended you try it even on the tiniest level.

Suffice it to say, the Grim Reaper was not long on patience, and if you really must press your luck with him, the best way to survive it was to be born of the ultimate evil and have him fear you screwing up unlocking your powers as much you feared screwing up unlocking your powers.

Only that could save your life.

Nick tried his best to pay attention, but his curiosity over Mark’s discovery was killing him. While he was dying to know what they’d found, but he didn’t want to die to know. If that made sense. And if he didn’t pay attention and stop fidgeting, he still might become a stain on the pebbled walkway under his feet.…

This was the longest lesson of his life. Forget Richardson’s class. Pendulum swinging was starting to bring tears of boredom to his eyes.

By the time they were through, he felt as though he’d been tortured on the rack. The most aggravating part was that Grim had refused to show him what he really wanted to know.

“We’re working on my timetable, kid. Not yours. You follow me. I dance to no one’s tune but my own.” Really. Grim would make an awesomely annoying parent.

Ugh. But now that they were through, Nick was running full speed to the Triple B to catch up with Mark and Madaug.

By the time he reached the store, he was winded and exhausted. And his backpack had picked up an extra thirty, forty thousand pounds somewhere along the way. At least it’s not summertime. That would have made his run excruciating.

Opening the door that was now fully repaired and in proper operating order, he headed for the counter.

Bubba came out of the back room to greet him. “Oh, it’s you, Nick. I thought I might have a paying customer. Should have known.”

“Thanks, Bubba. Love you, too.”

He rolled his eyes before he wandered back toward the curtains. “Mark’s in the office with Madaug. They said to send you in as soon as you arrived.”

Nick paused as he watched Bubba close the tower shell on a computer, then move it to the pickup shelf for the owner to reclaim. He had to give Mark and Bubba credit as he glanced around the back area. They’d done an amazing job putting the store back together. There weren’t hardly any signs that it’d ever been damaged, never mind burned, shot, and attacked with an ax.

Best not to remind Bubba of that, since Nick had been the one wielding it.

“Did they tell you why they wanted to see me?”

Bubba pulled down the next system waiting to be repaired and hooked it into the periphals, then started booting it up to run a diagnostic. “Nah, and I don’t care. As long as you girls don’t burn down my store, I’m happy in my ignorance.”

Nick decided not to question that at all, given the damage they’d already wreaked, but as he neared the office door, he remembered what Kody had told him about his friend’s past. Was any of that true at all?