“Tell me what that means,” Sarah said.
“You need to bring him something,” Ren told her. “A box that was taken from him. It’s carved from ebony wood.”
“A box?” Sarah frowned at Ren. “Where is it?”
“Ariadne has it,” Ren answered, wishing he could lie. “It’s in her room at the Academy. What’s in the box is what matters: a pendant, a small piece of bone, and a pair of rings. Make sure you have them all.”
Sarah sat down on the bed, then stood up again. She buried her fingers in her hair, bent her head, and moaned.
“Are you okay?” Ren asked. He didn’t have a playbook for this part of the game.
Sarah kept her head bowed, but she nodded.
After a few minutes she looked up. “I’ll do it. God help me, I know I shouldn’t, but I want to.”
Don’t do this, Ren thought. Please.
But he said, “I can tell him that. Just bring the box and its contents when it’s time to meet him.”
“How will I know when and where?” Sarah asked. Ren hated the spark of hope he saw in her eyes.
Damn you, Logan. I hope you rot in hell for this.
“I’m sure he’ll send me back with that information,” Ren sighed.
Sarah nodded.
Ren felt a sense of completion and suddenly he knew he was free to leave. And he wanted nothing more than to get out of there. Without so much as a parting word to Sarah, Ren shifted into wolf form and vanished.
LOGAN HAD NEVER rehearsed conversations in front of a mirror before, but he’d felt compelled to as he devised a strategy for getting Audrey to take a walk alone with him. It wasn’t easy to make himself sound convincing. Aside from Chase, Audrey’s general relationship to other people was bare tolerance, and that included Logan. Logan doubted that Audrey ever would have agreed to let Logan stay in Montauk, much less drag her and her brother into the depths of occult malfeasance, without serious pressure and cajoling on Chase’s part.
Logan had maintained doubts about Audrey’s reliability in all of this. She was easily frightened and manipulated, likely to change her stated opinion about something or her allegiance as quickly as doing so worked to her benefit.
Just like he used to do.
He couldn’t deny it. Logan was sensitive to the fact that much of his rancor toward Audrey derived from how much she reminded him of the petulant boy he’d been for most of his life. Coddled, arrogant, and completely divorced from the history of blood that had bought his expansive lifestyle.
He hated Audrey for holding up such an ugly mirror of his past every day. And Audrey wasn’t oblivious to Logan’s opinion of her. But, as with everything else in her life, Audrey didn’t give a damn about anyone’s thoughts but her own.
That made Logan’s task tricky.
As he descended the stairs to the living room, Logan wasn’t certain he’d be able to pull it off. At least it hadn’t been difficult to get Audrey alone. Logan had sent Chase into town to track down a bottle of Dalmore 50, which Logan insisted was the only thing he would drink. And only a Keeper would actually regard such a request as a perfectly reasonable thing. It didn’t matter that it was the middle of the night. Chase’s family had enough sway in Montauk that when Chase called ahead, the shop owner would be waiting to open exclusively for him.
Audrey sat on the chaise, examining her nails.
“I think I need a new manicurist,” Audrey told Logan, as if he cared. “This one can’t seem to get the gloss on the polish right.”
“Audrey.” Logan sat in the chair to the right of the chaise. “I was hoping to talk with you about something.”
“Sounds serious.” Audrey continued to inspect her manicure.
When Logan didn’t reply, Audrey dragged her gaze away from her varnished nails. “Ugh, Logan. Is it serious? Don’t we have enough going on?”
“I’m sorry,” Logan said, and Audrey’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. He was laying it on too thick. Changing tack, Logan continued, “I’m sure the replacement of your manicurist deserves your time far more than our shot at immortality.”
“Well, you don’t have to be so dramatic about it,” Audrey huffed. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Can we take a walk?” Logan asked.
“It’s freezing out,” Audrey objected.
“Wear a coat,” Logan shot back. “Look, I don’t want Chase barging in on us. I need to talk to you alone.”
“Oh my God, Logan, I thought you said this was about immortality.” Audrey’s mouth twisted in revulsion. “Did I hear you incorrectly? Because I don’t care what you do, but I do not want to hear about any boy drama you’re having with my brother. That’s not my job.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t kiss and tell.” God, I really, really hate you. “Let’s go down to the beach.” Logan stood up. “And I’ll tell you what’s going on.”
With a lengthy show of sulking and an endless stream of complaints, Audrey donned a coat and finally let Logan open the terrace door for her so they could make their way to the shore. When Logan’s feet sank into the sand, he felt a charge of anticipation. It was time.
“Okay, Logan, I came outside. We’re on the beach. Now, why am I freezing my ass off out here?” Audrey rubbed her arms for effect.
“You won’t be for long,” Logan answered. “It’s just . . . he wants to speak with you. And just you. Not Chase.”
“Who wants to speak with me?” Audrey frowned at him.
When Logan simply watched her, waiting, Audrey’s eyes grew large.
“You mean him?” she gasped. “But why?”
“Maybe it’s all that brilliance you’ve demonstrated,” Logan snarked. “All I know is that he asked to see you.”
“How can that . . . how is it possible?” Audrey began to fidget. “He’s cut off from us now. Isn’t he?”
“He’s confined to his realm, yes,” Logan said. “But with the proper rites, I can speak with him. I’ve done it once. And if you agree, I’ll summon him now.”
“Now?” Audrey gaped at Logan. “Right now?”
“Yes, right now.” Logan had already been edgy, and as usual, Audrey was getting on his nerves. He pointed at the bright moon overhead. “It’s the appropriate time of night to do this kind of spellwork.”