Endless (25 page)

Dad’s mouth was
hanging open. ‘You, you … I mean, Violet, you healed her.’

He’d been told, but seeing was believing. As if reminding himself what he was really dealing with he whispered one more word. ‘
Angel
.’

I decided to let him have his moment and focused on Evelyn.

She nodded, clearly thinking the same thing. ‘Tell me.’

With relief, I filled her in on the latest events, not much of which was different from what Griffin had already told her. Nonetheless, Evelyn listened intently to every word, particularly my quick recap about seeing Phoenix in the tunnels beneath the city. Dad, to his credit, managed to shut his gaping mouth and remain silent the whole time.

‘Lilith has taken up from where she left off,’ Evelyn said when I had finished. ‘Phoenix told you they were staying in the highlands?’

I nodded again.

‘She’ll be in one of the bigger estates along the Hudson and not too far outside of Manhattan – within an hour’s drive, I’d say.’

‘How do you know?’

‘Because I know her better than anyone, and Lilith has a weakness for the water. She likes to be close to it, in case she needs to make a quick escape. Jonathan and I followed her all around the world, but eventually she came to America and took a shine to that area.’ She raised her eyebrows. ‘Old money and lots of it. She took pleasure in annihilating families and destroying their lineage by first dirtying their reputations. She would pick the best of the estates along the Hudson, putting entire towns under strong illusions to ensure that family disappearances were never investigated. She drove many of them to their own gruesome suicides. It was horrible. But Lilith took so much pleasure in their destruction that instead of fleeing she stole their fortunes and their houses, keeping them as trophies. Even now there would be many that are well hidden that she would still believe to be her rightful spoils.’

‘Griffin says
the Academy is preparing to launch an attack when they find a location. This information will help them narrow it down,’ I said.

‘She’ll be ready for them and expecting it.’ Evelyn sighed. ‘The toll will be high, but I don’t know that it can be avoided.’

I caught her gaze drop to my markings. ‘What is it?’ I asked. Her eyes often went to my wrists when I thought she was about to say something.

She reached out and touched them. ‘Just a theory. Not one to speak aloud.’

Because we were being watched.

‘Violet, if anything happens I need you to promise me one thing,’ she said, staring at me like she wanted to say a thousand things. ‘Do what Griffin says.’

‘Why?’

She smiled softly and changed the subject. ‘You’re angel maker is one of the most powerful angels to have ever been created,’ she said, carefully avoiding naming his rank. ‘Angels are creatures of pride, even the best of them. He knew when he created you that this day might come. He would not have left you without a fail-safe. Remember that.’

I tried to find the meaning in her words. ‘Is this about Lincoln and me?’

‘Possibly. I don’t know.
The very fact he selected your soulmate to be your partner … There is always a reason. But it is
their
reason and don’t ever forget it. Free will is yours until you choose to relinquish it. That you are soulmates may be their choice, but whether you make the bond is
yours
.’

‘Doesn’t exactly help,’ I said, more confused than ever.

‘I’d be happy to offer my opinion on the matter,’ Dad deadpanned.

I’m sure you would.

I settled for a snort.

‘I wish I had the answers but it’s complicated,’ Evelyn continued. ‘Your being soulmates could be the very thing that saves you both or …’

‘The thing that destroys us,’ I finished.

‘Yes. Which is why no one else,’ she glanced at Dad, ‘can tell you which way to go.’

The guard reappeared and tapped his watch. I nodded and stood up, returning Dad’s embrace.

I turned back to Evelyn, who was now standing, looking considerably better.

‘Would you do things differently? If you could go back and change things?’ I just had to ask.

She looked at Dad, love in her eyes. ‘I would’ve put more faith in the people around me whose lives were to be affected by my choices.’ She turned back to me. ‘But I don’t regret some of the things you probably wish I did and if I had to do them again, I would likely make the same decisions even though that means having a daughter who hates me.’

‘I don’t hate you. And I’m sorry it took me this long to understand. But … you scare me.’ I looked at Dad. ‘For him
and
for me.’ Whether I was ready to deal with it or not, she was my mum and she was here. ‘Do you … Do you even
know
what will happen to you once Lilith is returned? Was that part of your agreement?’

She walked me to the doorway,
Dad following silently. ‘No, we never got that far. What drew me here with her may well take me back again when she is returned. We’ll all have to accept that if it happens. James knows that. As for the rest … well, if we survive to see the other side of this – there will be a lot of things that need to be worked out.’

Yeah. Like the fact that Dad already looks too old for her and is the only one getting any older!

The guard cleared his throat. It was time to go.

‘Bye, Dad,’ I said, and turned to Evelyn. ‘Griffin is still trying to get you out of here.’

She nodded back, a little sadly. ‘Something tells me I won’t be in here much longer anyway.’ Before I could ask what she meant, she grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me close, whispering in my ear. ‘No matter the price, when you have the chance to destroy her, you take it! No second thoughts.’

I swallowed, and nodded even as her words sickened me.

Because when Lilith is returned – it might mean the end of Evelyn, too.

Like mother like daughter. She was possibly tied to Lilith just as much as I was tied to Phoenix.

‘Good luck in your testing,’ was Evelyn’s parting comment before the door closed and I was escorted back to the top level of the Command building.

CHAPTER TWENTY

‘What you are comes to you.’

Ralph Waldo Emerson

T
he Assembly
had scouts looking up and down the Hudson for the estate where Lilith was hiding out thanks to Evelyn’s intel. Nevertheless, the next few days went by with little progress, our frustration levels reaching breaking point as we dreaded what might be happening to the captured boy Spence and I had seen and every other missing child who was possibly being held captive by Lilith.

Nothing but dead ends so far.

Although the Assembly still refused to confirm that Lilith had taken the children, Griffin and Lincoln had been collecting all the data on disappearances, presumed deaths, unexplained kidnappings and more. So far, there were over sixty children on the list whom they believed Lilith had been responsible for taking from around the world.

It was tragedy enough for the children and their families, but for the Grigori population, it spelled disaster. These children were future Grigori recruits and our numbers were simply too few to endure such devastation if Lilith was successful.

The Assembly hadn’t
taken kindly to being delivered this information by Griffin. Drenson and Josephine had gone as far as to call into question Griffin’s loyalties. But every time I asked Lincoln and Griffin for more details they became cagey. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to tell me, but I was still restricted to the Academy buildings and therefore under constant surveillance.

And they’re protecting me, as always.

But for today, at least, I had other things to concentrate on. It was my official testing day and if I passed I’d be able to join in the hunt for Lilith and Phoenix, so that was what I planned to do.

I was in the training area with Rainer, the only person permitted to escort me to the Assembly. Apparently today was momentous, it being the first Grigori testing in over three centuries where all members of the Assembly would be present.

I do love being special.

‘Why does the whole Assembly come together so rarely?’ I asked Rainer, after finishing my warm-up.

‘Seth and Decima deem very little to be worthy of their presence. They vote on some issues, but have not sat in their Assembly chairs in over one hundred and fifty years. Plus, Wil and I are usually based in London. We only moved here after …’

I nodded. She didn’t need to finish for me to know she meant –
after Nyla
.

We started walking towards the main hall.

‘There will be a lot of people watching. Try to ignore them. It’s Drenson’s choice who you will fight so I can’t tell you what to expect, but I’m sure even if they throw a senior Grigori at you, you’ll be fine.’ I couldn’t hide the smile at her praise. ‘The mental obstacles will be more difficult, but you can do it. At the end, the Assembly will vote for your position as an official member of the Academy and of the Grigori population.’

‘How
do you see that working?’

Rainer’s eyes exposed her apprehension. ‘Unfortunately, Drenson and Josephine are unlikely to be swayed in your favour, so that means you need to get Seth and Decima on side as well as Valerie and Hakon if you want to be sure of a win.’

‘What about Adele?’

Rainer didn’t even consider before answering. ‘She’s never voted against Drenson. She never will.’

I could understand that, although it didn’t help me much. Valerie had made it clear I wasn’t her nearest and dearest and I’d been in history lessons with Hakon for the past three weeks and we hadn’t exactly bonded. Probably my fault since I was guilty of paying more attention to his sheer size than listening to the history he’d been attempting to bring me up to speed on. As for Seth and Decima – they were almost primordial; I had no idea what I could do to win them over. I was too scared to even look in their direction.

Rainer and I carried on in silence until we reached the double doors to the Assembly. ‘You ready?’

I nodded.

Rainer pushed the doors open to the massive room and I entered my official Grigori testing.

Lincoln stood just inside the doors and I paused only to hand him my dagger. I wasn’t permitted to have it in the testing but I trusted no one else with it. His eyes met mine briefly, reflecting nothing but confidence.

Rainer took her seat with the
other Assembly members, and I assumed my position in the centre of the room. Grigori lined the walls and more people watched on from the large balcony above. I spotted Griffin standing with Zoe and Spence, their attempts at hiding their concern not exactly successful.

‘Violet Eden,’ Drenson addressed me.

‘Yes,’ I answered, trying to appear at ease.

‘Do you come here today willingly to submit to Grigori testing?’

‘Yes.’

Drenson was so formal, but I could see the challenge in his eyes.

‘Are you willing to recognise the Assembly as your superior council and abide by the decisions that are made here today?’

It was a loaded question and we all knew it. But I couldn’t back down now. The only thing I could do was pass the tests if I wanted to maintain not only my position in the Grigori community, but Lincoln’s position as well. As my partner, whatever happened to me, affected him directly.

‘Yes,’ I replied, noting Josephine’s smirk.

She sat to Drenson’s left, wearing a steel-grey pantsuit, her hair tied up in a French roll that looked too soft for her features.

‘Let’s begin, then,’ Drenson said.

A senior instructor stepped forward and began calling out movements for me to perform. After all of Rainer’s training the actions came as easily as though I was doing them in my sleep, but I ensured I completed each one carefully.

Satisfied, Drenson stood up again and gestured to a woman stationed by a door to his left. When it opened, three senior Grigori entered the room and stood on the edge of the sparring floor. Each one dressed in black loose-fitting fighting clothes. The first carried two traditional Dragonfly katanas, the second, two Grigori daggers, while the third simply held his palms up, empty handed.

‘Select
your weapon,’ Drenson instructed me.

Frankly, I was surprised.

Am I really being given a choice of weapon
and
opponent?

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rainer leaning across her chair talking to Valerie and Hakon, her hands chopping through the air. Whatever she knew, it wasn’t good.

Okay. Be smart.

I looked at the weapons. There was no doubt the dagger was my best option, but then again, it was also weapon of choice for most Grigori. Bare hands were okay, but like Rainer had said, I was strongest with tools.

I stared at the katanas. I was good with them. I could be better, but then again, I always felt that I could do more. Something about holding a katana felt natural.

It was a risk, but I took it, moving into position opposite the Grigori holding the two Dragonfly swords.