Page 22 of The Shadows of Excess

I nodded curtly. “Thank you, Doctor,” I replied, masking my frustration.

As soon as Dr. Ward left the room, I turned to glance at Justice and Damon. The resolute expressions on their faces made it clear. They would not let me set one foot out of this bed anytime soon.

I rubbed my forehead in frustration and acceptance. “Okay, fine. I guess I’m stuck here for now.”

Damon met my gaze with a stern, unwavering look. “Yeah, you are. And don’t even think about trying any stunts.”

I rolled my eyes, not in the mood to argue but not entirely willing to let it go, either. “Fine, but we can’t ignore my dream. It could be important. We can’t afford to sit around and do nothing about it.”

Damon stood, his demeanor shifting into action mode. “We’re not sitting around. The vampire and I are gonna comb through this town, top to bottom. We’ll turn over every stone for a clue about Lisa and her phoenix.”

Justice studied me with a discerning eye. “Do you really think we can trust her to stay put?”

I was taken aback. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He raised an eyebrow. “It means I wouldn’t put it past you to hop out of this bed the second your brother and I leave.”

Damon, ever the strategist, already had his phone out. “I’m one step ahead.” He dialed a number. “Hey, Cap, where are you?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “He’s not seriously getting me a babysitter, is he?”

To my dismay, Damon was already briefing Brody on the phone, giving me the mischievous, brotherly grin I knew all too well. It was clear he wasn’t taking any chances with my safety.

After an hour of tense silence, Brody, Grady, and Scott arrived at the hospital. Their eyes were bloodshot, and their clothing was disheveled, indicating a sleepless night. I shot a sharp stare at Damon, silently pleading for him to treat me like an adult instead of an eight-year-old.

Damon extended his hand, and Brody grasped it firmly. “Thanks for getting here so quickly.” He cast a gaze over him. “You look like hell.”

Brody glanced in my direction. “That’s the toll when you’re battling demons all night. We’ve been on their trail, trying to figure out their next move.”

Damon released his hand. His impatience was barely contained as he leaned forward. “So, what’d you find out? Anything we can use to get a step ahead of these bastards?”

“Nothing good,” Grady reported.

Brody sighed. “We inspected Balancing Rock, where Becky’s body was found. We spread out and uncovered some evidence the PMC patrols missed. More coins like the ones surrounding the body.”

Justice drew his brows into a deep frown. “How could the PMC team miss those? That doesn’t seem right.”

“Precisely,” Grady agreed. “We believe either they were planted to lead us into a trap, or someone left them like bread crumbs.”

Damon frowned. “Where did Hansel and Gretel lead you?”

Brody met his gaze with a serious expression. “To another cave close to Balancing Rock. Inside, we discovered strange runes.”

“They were written in blood, weren’t they?” Justice supplied.

Brody nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. We found several dead bodies, each bearing the same marks you and your sister found in the Shadow Mine. It seems these symbols are part of a larger system we’re only just beginning to understand.”

Terror seeped into my heart, and a cold shiver rocked through me as I gazed at my tattoo. I licked my lips and rubbed my arm gently. “I’m not the only one who has this mark?”

Brody shook his head. “You’re not. All the victims in the cave had the same mark. We collected the coins found with them, and something else.” He paused, weighing his next words. “In the clenched hand of one victim, we discovered a page torn from a book, covered in symbols we couldn’t decipher. We believe it’s a significant clue. It needs to get to Dr. Gould for analysis.”

I looked at them, searching for answers. “Do we know anything about the victims themselves?”

Brody exhaled deeply, the weight of responsibility evident in his demeanor. “Not yet. It’s imperative we learn more, though. Their identities, backgrounds, anything that might help us understand. We have a duty to prevent this tragedy from claiming any more innocent lives.”

Damon extended his hand. “Let me see that page from the book.”

Brody looked at Damon with a measure of caution but not outright suspicion. “We need to be careful with this. It could be a crucial piece of the puzzle. Why do you ask?”

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