Amalgamate

Chapter 18

Rowan was engaged in silent dialogue as she followed them into the house. 'One mention of this Cuan and suddenly this place goes into lock down. Everyone's in line and things are being put in order. He should be an interesting guy. She wondered what he looked like. Lost in her own thoughts she almost didn't register Greer's words.

"This way, Rowan." She made him crazy, but he was glad she was finally here with them. At least she was safe, and he wouldn't be blamed for losing her.

"Where's Dermid, Greer?" No sense in making small talk. Neither of them cared for it.

Greer's voice was sorrowful as he spoke. "He vanished. We don't know where he is. That's why you're so important."

"Well, that would explain the urgency in finding me now!" Her existence had never mattered, not until Dermid was in danger of being snuffed out. Now she finally understood why all these people were flooding out of the woodwork to find her. Dermid had gone missing! And that was the real truth in all of this. She hated uncomfortable silences, "So, what I'm hearing is... you need me to help you find him. That's the reason I'm here."

Greer saw the futility in any response he could give. There was no point. Rowan was angrier now. She would believe what she wanted to regardless of anything he said now. His words had been misinterpreted, but there was no sense in explaining it because she would never be able to forget them. And of course she would draw that conclusion, she knew so little about all of this.

Her resentment towards the people who had cast her out was palpable. As Rowan thought about what Karita had said, 'Trust no one, Rowan.' She wondered, for the first time since this all began, if maybe these people, the ones supposedly trying to help her, had slit her abdomen, feigning an attack from some other lore faction? Maybe they were the ones who wanted to obtain Rowan's loyalty to use her powers to lure in Dermid? At the very least, it was food for thought. Speaking of that, she was famished. She couldn't believe she was thinking about food, but a girl had to eat at some point- priorities.

Rowan followed them into an oversized, rectangular room located deep within the confines of the estate. The interior was decorated with lavishly constructed lounge sofas and end tables. A large marble topped coffee table sat in the middle of the room. The furniture was in a semi-circle around an abnormally large fireplace. It was the most elegant man cave she'd ever seen. Testosterone was practically oozing from the walls: an over sized flat screen, custom sound system, video games, pin ball machines and an elaborate pool table set-up. They must spend a lot of time in here.

Her stomach growled, "Got any food in this place?" She was running on adrenaline, and that just wouldn't cut it. Besides, she got pissy when she was hungry. Surely, with as big as these men were, they had kitchens full of something of substance.

Greer seemed surprised, "You eat then?"

"Well, don't you?" She was staring at him, a shocked expression on her face.

"That's a clue as to what powers you may be developing, which lore factions will be prominent in you."

"You're kidding me right now?There are lore creatures who don't eat?"

"Well, other than vamps... who are on a strict blood diet, they're all female factions. For example, full blooded pixies. They never consume food. It's poison to them." She looked confused. "It may mean that your pixie instincts that have been passed down your family tree won't be prominent in you."

Rowan laughed at that, "Aren't pixies cunning, impulsive, and wickedly strong?"

"So are demons, but it's nice to see you've been listening. Good girl, Rowan." Callum liked quick learners.