I tensed. I thought we’d agreed not to conduct that deal, that we would just give Callum a sample of my blood. The sample which was behind me on the bench. I glanced at Gage for confirmation, but he wasn’t looking at me.
“I’m not stupid, Callum,” Gage responded coolly. “Given the number of copies floating around, it is prudent that we also confirm the Lore Book’s authenticity. After all, it’s highly possible that one of the many guests you’ve brought along may be running a parlor trick.”
Callum drew his brows together in a furious scowl, and I realized his mask had slipped. This was his real face, behind the veneer of polish. I shuddered at the dark intensity that lay there. And the longer we stood, the more unwilling I was to follow through with the exchange. There was no way I was going with him.
Callum schooled his features back into a harmless canvas and turned to the woman beside him. “Give the Lore Book to the descendant. Let her hold it. Her touch should vouch for its authenticity.”
Alison stared at Callum and made as if to speak.
He cut her off. “Do it!” he snapped. Turning to us, he added, “And as a precaution, my companions will ensure the exchange is done without ulterior motives.”
Alison slowly began to move forward while his guards immediately raised their hands again, cupping them in front of their chest in a mimic of before. A swirling mass immediately rotated into life on each of their cupped hands, but this time the vortex’s rotated faster. The energy from these entities brushed against my skin with a white-hot burn.
It was as if the very air was burning, and my skin tingled, reacting to the writhing energy in the air. Oh yes, these guards held immeasurable power. Dark and voracious, it overwhelmed my senses. But most disturbing of all was their magical signature—three different scents. The young man smelled like acrid, choking smoke; the old crone like brine and offal; and the older man smelled strongly of rot. The combined odor was overpowering. I felt my gorge rise. They smelled wrong.
I could feel the book as Alison walked closer. It felt incredibly old and very powerful. My heart and my head pounded in a beat that seemed to sing to the book. This was my legacy, it seemed to scream; this was the blood of my ancestor. Alison reached us, the book clenched in her hands.
My hands became slick with sweat, and my pulse raced. I didn’t want to touch it. The urgent need to run away was all-consuming.
Gage grabbed my arm and held tight, as if he knew my instinctive reaction. With the bruising grip he had over me, I wasn’t going anywhere.
Alison stood in front of me and held out the book. “Touch it.”
I stared at her, trying to hide my irrational fear. Gage squeezed my arm in a silent prompt.
My heart stuttered in my chest. “Gage, I don—“
But before I got the words out, he’d forced my palm face down on the book’s leather cover. For a second, nothing happened, and I began to feel ridiculous at my instinctive fear. Then I felt it—an internal movement, as though something was building within me. It was a rising tide of energy, growing exponentially with every breath. I felt squeezed, as if whatever was building inside of me was pushing everything else out, as if it was a living, breathing thing. In the next breath, panic erupted.
Alison was watching me closely, and when I began to pant in agitated bursts, I caught the small smile on her lips. That look told me everything. She wasn’t going to help me or bring attention to what was happening.
My lungs were on fire as the energy continued to expand, traveling up my spine, one vertebra at a time. I felt that fire slip into the muscles of my neck and knew what it would do to me if I continued to maintain contact with the book.
“I think we’ve seen enough,” I heard Gage drawl as if from far away. “As you can see, she can touch the book without fatal consequence. Brydie is clearly Cailleach’s descendant.”
Through a golden haze, I saw Callum hold up a hand. “Just a minute.”
Panic clawed up my throat. I didn’t have a minute! Gage must have felt my distress, for he looked directly at me then. His face was receding, the golden light clouding my vision. I understood then that the power of the book was going to obliterate me.
“Alison! Take the book,” Gage barked sharply, tugging me backward into his chest.
There was a sudden wrenching, and the book was gone. A familiar arm banded around my waist and pulled me close. I inhaled greedily, the now-familiar scent of woodsmoke and forged steel engulfing me in a soothing, protective embrace. Just as suddenly as it had come upon me, that golden haze began receding. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Alison’s coy smile. Why hadn’t she been similarly affected? Was it something to do with becoming a Lore Keeper?
Gage’s chest vibrated against my cheek as I continued to breathe deeply, focusing on hiding my reaction to the book. It would not pay to show any weakness, not around Callum.
“It’s time to move onto business. We’re sitting ducks here. Talorgan’s spies are everywhere.”
Callum narrowed his eyes. “I’m running this exchange, Campbell,” he barked. “It would be prudent that you remember that or the deal’s off.”
There were a few tense seconds before Gage gave a marginal nod.
Callum smirked and shifted his attention to me. “What’s your name, descendant?”
Wanting to face Callum head-on, I pushed off Gage’s chest. The movement was ineffectual, but when I looked up and silently urged him to let me go, he responded by relenting his grip enough for me to stand beside him. Clearing my throat, I looked at Callum and aimed for a neutral tone. “My name is Brydie.”
“A pretty name for a pretty girl.” His eyes glinted with something more than neutrality. “Did you know that your own clan, The Oaken Tree, have been looking for you these past few months?”
“No.”
“It’s true. Ever since we heard of your existence.”
“Why?”
“Because I think we might be of mutual benefit to each other.”
“In what way?”
“We would like to see Talorgan’s demon vanquished. Too many of our people have died because of Falin’s existence in our world. And we think we can destroy the demon by using your blood. Of course, destroying the demon also works in your favor, as Talorgan would no longer be immortal. And ridding the world of that disease benefits us all.”
It was as Gage and Ian had discussed. “But that outcome depends on my blood being compatible, does it not?”
“Yes. But first things first: is the outcome agreeable to you?”
I narrowed my gaze, squashing the instinctive reaction to take a step back from the man. “It merits discussion,” I agreed.
“Indeed. In fact, I’m sure you regret not coming sooner,” he drawled. “However, we all have regrets, even your companions.” Callum’s gaze flicked toward Gage and Ian.
“Get on with it!” Gage bit out.
Callum shot Gage an amused look. “Worried, Campbell? Your secrets are not as watertight as you believe. I hope you are ready for the reckoning that will come when she finds out.”
What was he talking about? My gaze flew to Gage’s face, but apart from a muscle ticking in his jaw, his expression was carefully blank.
Callum smiled at Gage’s close-lipped silence, then waved his hand at me. “Come to me, Brydie.”
I winced as Gage’s fingers tightened viciously on my arm. “No. The descendant stays with me.”