Two girls. Two secrets.
Only one can survive.
Years before Nelle Wychthorn plans her escape, Tabitha Catt may unearth something in a Horned God's lair that is the key to freedom.
Desperate to save her beloved aunt from a dark curse, Tabitha is out t...
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Blades of grass were crushed beneath my boots as I slid to a halt and swung the backpack off my shoulders. Almost ripping it open, I snatched up the Brick and rapidly punched Sirro's number into the cell phone. My sister half-circled me, her hands on her hips as she anxiously paced back and forth.
Finally, the call went through... And rang... And rang... And rang...
A click. And then Sirro's polished voice roughened by distance said, "Varen."
I panicked like a moron. Fearing that we'd get cut off before I was able to tell the Horned God what I'd learned, I explained so quickly the words ran into themselves. "TheKinslayerisn'ttrappedintheholeintheground!"
Sirro went quiet for so long, if not for the rumble of the jet's engine in the background I'd have thought the line had died. Finally, the Horned God spoke and I had to strain to hear what he said over the crackling line and background noise, but what was blatantly obvious was the cold fury pouring from his voice. "I don't know if the presence I sensed at the Deniauds' is the Kinslayer. The scent was familiar...yet not. But I don't believe in coincidences, Varen."
Neither did I, and I had an awful feeling about Tabitha. I didn't like the fact I'd discovered her at the very spot and at the exact same time Sirro had detected the strange presence that haunted the Denaiuds' mansion.
Sirro began to speak and I shoved the thought of Tabitha aside to focus on what he was about to impart. "Kinslayer or not..."—crackle—"...weak, diminished..."—crackle—"...or even haunting the forest..."—crackle—"...it stole..."
My heart kicked into a frantic pace when the line kept cutting in and out.
"Master Sirro? I didn't hear everything you said. Can you say that again?" I urged him to repeat whatever directive he had in store for me when a sudden shrill kick-back in sound shrieked against my ears.
I jerked the Brick away just as Sirro began to speak again. "...don't..."—crackle—"...at the Deniauds..."—crackle—"...keep away..." The line suddenly died with the tinny sound of beep-beep-beep as the call disconnected.
Half a minute later, I lowered the Brick and stared at it blankly while wondering what the hells Sirro had been trying to tell me. It didn't sound as if he wanted me to go to the Deniauds' to track this thing down, it sounded more like a warning that I should keep away.
My attention was wrenched aside when Valarie, impatiently shifting her weight from foot to foot, asked, "What does Sirro want you to do now?"
I raised my gaze to meet hers. I half-shrugged while shaking my head and scrunching my nose. I had no fucking idea. I'd have to wait until Sirro had finished with his business and was back in Ascendria to find out what he'd asked me to do.
