The Sorcerer Heir (Heir Chronicles) (29 page)

J
onah paced back and forth. “You enjoy being a saint, don’t you, Gabriel? Hosting your big benefit concerts, having everyone marvel at how much you’ve sacrificed for ‘Gabriel’s Kids.’ It was perfect. The grown-ups all died, and the kids didn’t know. Once we all die off, you can forget about all this and get on with your life.”

“No,” Gabriel said. “You’re wrong.”

“What a shock it must have been to discover that the dead were still around to haunt you. Even worse, I could communicate with them, and I kept pestering you about meeting with them.” He spun and faced Gabriel. “The question is, why am I still alive? It would have been so easy. Slip a little something into my meds, and I’d be just another shade, voiceless and invisible except to those hunting us.”

“No,” Gabriel said. “No. I would never hurt you. How can you say that?”

“You mean, after all you’ve done for me?”

Jonah,
Lilith said.
You’re wrong about Gabriel. He loves you. He always has.

“Not feeling the love right now,” Jonah said. “How do you think the remaining Thorn Hill survivors will feel when they find out you’ve been lying to them for a decade? That you were experimenting on them? And you’ve been using them to clean up the mess you made?”

For once, Gabriel had no answer. So Lilith spoke up. She faced Gabriel directly.
Gabe. I want to help you fix this, as much as it can be fixed. Even though I don’t know what caused the catastrophe at Thorn Hill, I’m the one most likely to figure it out. I’ve already discovered some treatments that help.

“Like blood magic?” Gabriel said. “I never thought you would resort to tactics like that.”

How many sides of an issue can he be on? Jonah thought.

Here’s the difference between us,
Lilith said.
You haven’t been willing to bring those responsible for Thorn Hill to justice, because you couldn’t wash the guilt from your own hands. Some might question our tactics, but I know for a fact that I am not responsible for the massacre. The children of Thorn Hill were healthy, and happy, and blooming like roses until the night they were poisoned. It was wizards who poisoned us; it had to be. Who else stood to gain from that catastrophe?

Gabriel stared at her, hope flickering in his eyes.

Yes,
Lilith said.
If I’m not guilty, you’re not guilty either. Not of this, anyway.

Clearly, Lilith was wooing Gabriel. So she needed him for something. But what?

I know you’ve had grievous losses,
Lilith went on,
but you lost no family at Thorn Hill. I lost my daughter, who was all the family I had left. She meant the world to me. I will do anything possible to help the innocent survivors of Thorn Hill. And I will not leave Claire’s death unavenged. I will see that mainliners pay the price for what they did.

“Isn’t that mission creep?” Jonah said. “First it was wizards, and now it’s all of the magical guilds?”

Lilith turned on him.
It’s been open season on savants ever since Thorn Hill, and the underguilds are some of the worst offenders. So many have died who should have lived. I should know—the victims come to me at the end of it. Any mainliners who are not part of the solution are part of the problem.

Turning away from Jonah, Lilith crossed to Gabriel, put her hand on his shoulder.
The thing is, I can’t work. Not like this. I don’t know how much longer this body will last. Even at my best, I have no fine motor skills. I can’t communicate with anyone but Jonah without a heavy dose of blood magic. I have no lab. We need to work together, like we did before. And that means you’re going to have to stop trying to kill me.

Gabriel’s eyes flicked to Jonah, then back to Lilith. “I don’t know what Jonah’s told you, but—”

Let’s not begin this thing by lying to each other,
Lilith said.
The number of people who know the truth about Thorn Hill is growing, so don’t think you can keep this quiet by silencing me. Or Jonah.

Gabriel shifted in his chair. Once again, he pulled at his shackles. “All right,” he said. “I’ll call a cease-fire for now, and we’ll continue to talk.”

“Does the cease-fire extend to mainliners?” Jonah demanded. “Or is it open season now?”

Open season?
Lilith seemed puzzled.
What do you—?

“I mean, will you continue to kill the gifted, and we’ll continue to get the blame?”

“Jonah,” Gabriel said. “I don’t think we—”

He deserves to know,
Lilith said. She turned her full attention to Jonah, for almost the first time since Gabriel had arrived.
While we negotiate, we’ll continue to need blood magic in order to function. We’ll do our best not to embarrass you or make you a target. Perhaps blood magic can be collected elsewhere, so that you don’t come under scrutiny.

“You think I’m worried about being
embarrassed
?” The turmoil in Jonah’s gut had turned into what felt like a lead weight. In less than an hour, it seemed that Gabriel and Lilith were forming a team again. Who knew where that would lead? As for Jonah, he knew a lot more than he did before, but none of this would help Kenzie or anyone else. “It seems like we’re back where we started,” he said. “Somebody poisoned the water supply. We don’t know what was used, and we don’t know how to treat it. And before long, we’ll all be dead.”

Have a little faith,
Lilith said.
I haven’t given up. I will find a way to fix this. Your participation will be critical as we move forward.

“If you’re expecting me to go out and kill mainliners, that’s a nonstarter. I’m done with being the assassin on call, for Gabriel or anyone else.” Jonah reached for the chain binding Gabriel to his chair, and Gabriel flinched back. “Don’t worry,” Jonah said. “I’m not going to
touch
you. People don’t always get what they deserve.” He gripped the chain, hard, until the links crumbled and the chain broke into pieces.

Lilith leaned close to Gabriel.
He’ll come around,
she whispered. It sounded like betrayal in Jonah’s ears.

“I don’t want to play a role in any of your schemes,” Jonah said. “In fact, I’m having a hard time being in the same room with you.”

He turned and walked out.

When you storm out of a place, it really helps if you have someplace to storm to. And a plan for what to do after you get there. And an awareness of who might be waiting outside.

When Jonah walked out of the terminal alone, he hadn’t gone more than a dozen paces before Alison and Charlie were incoming. “Where’s Gabriel?” Charlie demanded, looking over Jonah’s shoulder.

“In there,” Jonah said, pointing. “He and Lilith are still talking, making plans, catching up on old times. I really felt like a third wheel.”

Alison scowled at Jonah. “What do you mean, ‘old times’?”

“Did you know they were, shall we say,
going out
, back in the day? I sure didn’t.”

“Going out?” Alison grabbed Jonah by the front of his jacket and jerked him close. “What are you talking about?”

“Alison,” Charlie said quietly, as if to avoid startling either of them. “Gloves are off.”

Alison immediately let go of Jonah and leaped back. Then tried to act like it was some kind of deft strategic move.

“How could they be in there talking?” Charlie said, keeping his distance. “I thought the only way to talk to shades was through you.”

“I thought so, too,” Jonah said. “Lilith is using blood magic to amplify her voice. Who knew that was possible?”

“Cut to the chase,” Alison said, cradling her shiv-launcher. “Did you kill Lilith or not?”

“Not,” Jonah said. “I think Gabriel’s changed his mind about killing her.”

“Is that what he said?” Alison persisted.

“Not in so many words,” Jonah said.

“Did you make some kind of deal with Lilith?” Alison’s voice rose. “Did you agree to give her Gabriel?” She leveled her weapon at Jonah. “Is that why he didn’t come out with you?”

“Don’t point that thing at me,” Jonah said. “Gabriel’s fine. He’s feeling better than he has in years. He just dumped a crapload of guilt.”

They both squinted at him, channeling suspicion.

By now, Thérèse and Mike had emerged from hiding, and Jonah waved them over. “Want to know what Thorn Hill was all about? Here’s the news. Lilith and Gabriel were in the business of turning children into their personal army of customized mutant Weir.”

After a long moment of silent gaping, Alison was the first to speak.

“You’re lying,” she said flatly. “You used to be loyal to Gabriel, but now you never miss a chance to stab him in the back.”

“I’m telling the truth,” Jonah said. “Gabriel is the one who’s been lying to us. We were part of a massive experiment in genetic engineering. According to them, our parents
volunteered
us.”

“They told you that?” Thérèse said.

Jonah nodded.

“So—we’re savants because of something they did?” Thérèse said, still dissecting what Jonah had just said.

“Lilith claims that our condition is multifactorial. Her theory is, after they modified our Weirstones, we were poisoned.”

A half dozen shades had appeared from among the surrounding buildings, Brendan in the lead.

What’s going on in there?
Brendan asked Jonah.
Where are Lilith and Gabriel?

“They are talking,” Jonah said. “Isn’t that what you wanted?” He tipped his head toward the terminal. “Don’t take my word for it. Have a look for yourself.”

“Fine, I will,” Charlie said, turning away, toward the terminal.

No!
Brendan said, stepping into Charlie’s path.

Though Charlie couldn’t hear him, his intention was clear. “Get out of my way,” Charlie hissed.

The rule was we all stay outside,
Brendan said. He pointed at Alison.
Jonah, you promised. No weapons. No double cross.

Some of the hosted shades were gripping metal bars and broken bottles, creeping closer. The other slayers clustered around Charlie, protecting his back. It was like two angry mobs, with Jonah trying to play peacemaker.

“Better stand down,” Jonah messaged them. “Lilith’s called a cease-fire. She’ll be upset if you mess it up. Besides, if anyone’s been double-crossed, it’s us. The children of Thorn Hill.”

Jonah found it hard to play the role of peacemaker while channeling rage. It was like he’d forgotten how to be charming.

“Sorry,” Jonah said. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m going back to Oxbow. I promised to tell Natalie and Rudy what’s gone down. You can come with me if you want, or stay here, but I suggest that you talk to Gabriel and Lilith before you start fighting.”

“I’ll go with Jonah,” Alison said abruptly. “The rest of you, check out the terminal and see what’s what. Let me know what you find out.”

“Come on, then,” Jonah said, turning away.

A
ll the way to Oxbow, Alison walked a few paces behind Jonah, her shiv-launcher slung over her shoulder, radiating resentment. Jonah tried to ignore the prickling between his shoulder blades.

Alison seems angrier with me than she is with Gabriel, Jonah thought. Is it that she doesn’t believe me, or is it that she just doesn’t care?

When Jonah walked into the practice room, he’d expected to find Natalie and Rudy waiting for him. He hadn’t expect-ed to find Emma there, too. She was seated on the floor, elbows on her knees, the three of them a triangle of tension.

Emma looked up at Jonah, and her emotions washed over him, a tangle of guilt and regret. His first thought was that it had to do with what had gone down in the Flats. But, no. How could it?

Alison stopped dead when she saw Emma. “What are
you
doing here? You’re not in this.”

“She can stay,” Jonah said, adding quickly, “if she wants to.”

“But—”

“She deserves to know what’s going on,” Jonah said. “She’s one of us.”

“She’s
not
one of us!” Alison hissed. “At least not—not in that way.”

“She’s a Thorn Hill survivor,” Jonah said. “She knows about Nightshade, Lilith, all of that. Her mother died at Thorn Hill. Her father—her father’s dead, too. She’s in.”

Alison scowled. “Does Gabriel know that she—?”

“I don’t give a flying—” Jonah paused, took a deep breath, let it out, then said, “Why, no, Gabriel doesn’t know. When he stops keeping secrets from us, we’ll stop keeping secrets from him.”

“Look,” Emma said, “I came over because I need to talk to Jonah. But, listen, if you all want me to wait outside while you talk, I’ll—”

“No,” Jonah said. “Stay and hear this.” His gaze met Alison’s, and she looked away first. She slumped into a chair and sat, staring down at her hands.

After an awkward silence, Natalie said, “So. What happened at the meeting with Lilith?”

And so Jonah told them. Rudy and Natalie listened with expressions of growing disbelief. At first, they interrupted with questions, but those dwindled as the full import began to sink in.

Emma just sat frozen, saying nothing, her expression peculiar, almost a plea for forgiveness.

When Jonah came to a stopping point, Natalie and Rudy looked at each other, then back at him.

“They were...experimenting on us?” Natalie’s voice was pitched higher than usual.

“Gabriel keeps trying to call it something else, like we were coconspirators or something,” Jonah said. “But, yeah. Basically.”

“And so—you’re saying it was
Gabriel
who poisoned us?” Rudy said.

“You be the judge,” Jonah said. “I’ve pretty much told you exactly what they said to me. He says it wasn’t him, it was Lilith, and Lilith says wasn’t her, it was wizards. So maybe we weren’t poisoned at all, it’s all been a misunderstanding.”

“If we have to choose who to believe, wouldn’t we have to choose Gabriel?” Natalie said. “I mean, I know you and Gabriel have had your differences, but he’s the one who’s been here for us.”

“Lilith has lied about other things,” Rudy said. “I mean, she claims she had nothing to do with the killings at Seph McCauley’s.”

Alison’s head came up. “It was her,” she muttered. “It had to be.”

Jonah shrugged. “I guess McCauley has plenty of enemies. My point is, Gabriel’s been lying to us, keeping secrets for years about the true purpose of Thorn Hill. They’ve both admitted that they experimented on us. I think we have to ask whether his obsession with riffing shades has more to do with keeping his secret than putting restless souls to rest.”

“What secret?” Rudy asked.

“All this time, he’s been worried that if it came out that he and Lilith were feeding us potions to turn us into an army of mutants—”

“Savants,” Natalie said.

“Army of
mutants
,” Jonah repeated. “He’d be blamed for the massacre.”

“And are you?” Rudy asked. “Blaming him for the massacre, I mean?”

Irritably, Jonah raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know what to think.”

“Well,” Natalie said, “you could argue that if mainliners knew what was
really
going on at Thorn Hill, they’d exterminate all of us. Gabriel
may
have been trying to protect us.”

Jonah bit his lower lip. “The ironic thing is, Gabriel kept warning me not to talk to Lilith, that she would charm me into believing her lies. Now I think
he
really wants to believe it. He wants to be a hero in the worst way. And she’s giving him that chance. In one conversation Lilith has persuaded Gabriel that the story he’s been telling us is true—that we were poisoned on orders from the Wizard Guild. We don’t know who did it, and we don’t know what poisons were used.”

“What if it’s the truth?” Emma blurted out.

For a long moment, nobody said anything. Until Natalie said, “Why do you say that, Emma?”

Emma shook her head. “Never mind. You’re right. I don’t know why I’m even butting in, talking about things I know nothing about.”

She feels guilty, Jonah thought, confused. Why would that be? Because she’s healthier than the rest of us?

“Do we even know that this Lilith is who she says she is?” Rudy asked. “I mean—she’s not in her original body, right? She could be anybody, pretending to be Lilith.”

“Gabriel seemed convinced, and he should know,” Jonah said. “They weren’t just business partners; they were lovers.”

“What?” Natalie leaned forward, hands on her blue-jeaned knees. “That’s—no. No way.”

“Surprise,” Jonah said. “For weeks, we’ve been hunting Lilith down on Gabriel’s orders, and it turns out we were assigned to riff Gabriel’s old girlfriend, who is one of the few people who knew the truth about Thorn Hill. She’s a sorcerer, and apparently an expert in developing potions that modify Weirstones. Gabriel hired her to do that at Thorn Hill. She has her own reasons for wanting to dodge responsibility. She lost a child there.”

“You think she poisoned her own child?” Natalie said, frowning.

Jonah snorted. “Right now, we don’t have enough information to sort the truth from lies. All I know is that we went through this whole farce of a meeting with Lilith, and we’re no closer than we were before to finding out how to...how to fix this. Fix us.”

“But...” Natalie’s face was lit up with hope. “If Lilith was the one who compounded the potions, shouldn’t she be able to tell us what she used?”

“This is not new information to Gabriel, remember,” Jonah said. “He’s been using Lilith’s notes for the past ten years, trying to come up with a therapy that works. Lilith says that’s because she did not make a mistake. None of this is her fault, so Gabriel’s been wasting his time. If there’s any good news coming out of this, it’s that Lilith and Gabriel have called a truce. Gabriel agreed to leave off riffing shades for now. Lilith, however, has no plans to stop killing mainliners. I just don’t see how this ends well.”

“What are we going to do?” Rudy said.

“Don’t look to me for answers,” Jonah said. “I’m all out of wisdom.” All out of hope, too. Discouragement weighed on him like a lead cloak. I’m going to lose Kenzie, he thought. He hadn’t realized how much he’d banked on this meeting with Lilith to provide a way out.

“Jonah,” Natalie said. “Don’t you think we should wait until we figure out who’s telling the truth before we do anything rash?”

“What makes you think that will ever happen?” Jonah snarled. “Nobody’s told us the truth up to now. I see no reason to think that’ll change before we’re dead.” He pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead.

“Jonah?”

He looked up to see that Emma had pulled on her flannel shirt and the winter coat she’d bought at Goodwill. She was shifting her weight from foot to foot like she was eager to be on her way.

Who could blame her?

“I need to go, but I wanted to talk to you in private if I could.”

Jonah’s weary synapses finally fired. “Right,” he said, unfolding to his feet. “Anyway, I have something for you. From Kenzie.”

“Something from Kenzie?” Emma looked mystified.

“A music notebook? He said you gave it to him and asked him to look it over. It’s at my place. If you can wait a minute, I’ll—”

“I’ll come with you,” Emma said. “And leave from there.”