“They are twisted and evil,” Holt continued. “They must be purged from this world. I will not tolerate these horrors, my brothers and sisters.” Holt crouched down and gathered something that had been lying at his feet into his arms. He stood again. “Will you?”
“What the—” Sabine stared at Holt in disbelief. He was holding the body of a young woman. That she was dead was obvious. But it was worse than that. Her throat had been cut, sliced so deeply that her neck tipped back, opening like a lid to reveal her spine.
“Who is that?” Sabine whispered to Anika. The Arrow stood beside her, grim faced.
“A Keeper,” Anika replied. “We found her at the house where Logan Bane had taken refuge.”
“And Holt brought her body back.” Sabine shuddered. “But why?”
“For this,” Tristan muttered.
Holt scanned the crowd. When his gaze fell on Anika, a smile flitted ever so briefly across his mouth. He turned the corpse toward the Arrow. The girl’s lifeless eyes stared out over the amassed Searchers.
“Can you answer for this injustice, Anika?” Holt called to her. “Or will you continue to make apologies for those we’ve sworn to fight?”
“I don’t answer to you, Holt,” Anika shouted over the murmurs of uncertainty that swept through the room.
Holt bowed his head and made a show of gently laying the dead girl on the table in a solemn repose. When he rose again, he swept his hand in a broad arc.
“Who do you answer to, Anika?”
Anika remained silent and Holt turned his question to the crowd.
“Who does the Arrow answer to?”
Tristan took Anika by the arm, pulling her closer to him as though he thought he might have to shield her with his body. “You can’t stay here. It’s not safe. I don’t know what Holt’s after, but I wouldn’t put it past him to send someone after you.”
Stricken by Tristan’s words, Anika didn’t resist as he pushed his way back out of the increasingly riled crowd, taking her with him. Sabine tried to follow, but the mass of Searchers suddenly surged forward. Holt was shouting, but Sabine couldn’t make out his words beyond the roar of so many voices. She stumbled and fell to the floor.
A booted foot connected with Sabine’s stomach, knocking her breath away.
Someone’s knee slammed into the side of her head and dark spots appeared in Sabine’s vision. She grabbed at a Searcher’s hand, trying to pull herself up, but a sudden kick sent a spear of pain through Sabine’s back. Sabine hit the floor and rolled over, curling into a ball as the sea of bodies swallowed her whole.
REN WASN’T CERTAIN how or when it would be possible, but he knew that he would kill Logan. Someday, he would break the arrogant Keeper’s neck and the world would be better for it.
“You aren’t happy.” Logan offered Ren a placid smile.
“Should I be?” Ren snarled.
“It may not be the most ideal situation,” Logan replied. “But think of it this way. You could be a restless spirit wandering the earth aimlessly. I’m giving you purpose. You should be grateful.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ren said. “And think of a way to repay you.”
Chase, who was sitting beside Logan on the Rococo settee, flinched at Ren’s tone, but Logan laughed.
“I know this collar is chafing you, Renier,” Logan told him. “But given time, I think you’ll find obedience has greater rewards than rebellion. That’s a lesson I’ve had to learn myself. And given the circumstances of your own untimely death, I’d think you’d be inclined to accept the truth of it as well.”
Slightly chastened by the sting of Logan’s words, Ren fell silent.
“They’re late,” Chase said, looking at his Rolex for the tenth time in the past five minutes.
“They aren’t late,” Logan said. “They can’t be late when we appointed a day for this meeting and not a specific time.”
“I hate waiting,” Chase complained. “It makes me anxious.”
“That’s obvious.” Logan glanced irritably at the other Keeper. “If you can’t stop fidgeting, then pour yourself a drink. And get me one while you’re at it.”
Chase jumped up and went to the bar.
When Ren heard the clink of ice cubes, he asked Logan, “Since you have someone to fetch you cocktails and I can’t lift a glass or anything else, why the hell am I here?”
“For effect,” Logan answered. “The presence of a ghost adds atmosphere. And Sarah knows you. You remind her of Shay. Of why she wants to help us.”
“You,” Ren said sharply. “Help you. There is no us.”
Logan shrugged.
The doorbell rang and Chase dashed from the room. “I’ll get it.”
Throwing a longing glance at the abandoned glasses on the bar, Logan sighed. “It really would be a plus if you could fix cocktails, wouldn’t it?”
Ren ignored him.
Chase came hurtling back into the sitting room. “She’s not alone.”
Logan was on his feet, and the alarmed expression on the Keeper’s face gave Ren a twinge of satisfaction. “What do you mean she’s not alone?”
As if in answer to Logan’s question, two women appeared at the room’s entrance.
“Sorry to crash the party.” Adne stood beside Sarah Doran. “But I think you have room for one more.”
Logan’s eyes widened briefly, but he quickly recovered and relaxed back onto the settee. “Ariadne. What a pleasant surprise.”
“Really?” Adne lifted her eyebrows. “I didn’t think we were on the best of terms, Logan.”
“Bygones.” Logan waved his hand, then gestured to Chase. “My associate, Chase Roth. And of course, this one needs no introduction, does he?” Logan nodded to Ren.
Adne’s attention had been focused solely on Logan, but now she was staring at Ren. Her hands became fists.
Ren couldn’t speak or move. Though he knew his body had no substance, he felt as if he were made of stone.
“This is a trick.” Adne’s voice was brittle.
“Strange as it may seem, Ariadne,” Logan said, “I’d like to be in your good graces. So no tricks.” Logan glanced at Ren. “Aren’t you going to greet your sister?”