Page 22 of Cathmoir's Sons

She raises her hands. “Ergo, inviting him over when they’re not here.”

“Ergo? Ergo? You’re twelve. You can’t possibly know what that word means.”

“I’m thirteen and I not only know what it means, I’m using it correctly,” she says, lifting her upper lip to show her little fangs. “I’ll show the Capricorn in.”

I straighten the bed and belt the robe I’m wearing and hope Evan Lords isn’t offended by how much of my chest is showing. Although the burns are much better, the places where Cousin Kim tore four glyphs out of my chest are still healing. I’m supposed to leave them to air except when I’m sleeping.

How I’m going to get back in the water next week when swim practice starts up again, I’m not exactly sure.

The man who follows Aine back into the room bears a resemblance to the man who stood in the ruins and summoned the Mother’s power, but if Aine hadn’t introduced him, I’d have had a hard time placing him. His head isn’t covered by a golden helmet to start with. He’s wearing the same green cloak, pushed back over his shoulders. Under the cloak, he’s wearing a plain black, three-piece suit. His beard and hair are neatly trimmed, although a little long. His eyes are the same, though, and I would recognize those. Blue like new denim and weary in a way that says he’s seen too much and the weight of what he’s seen is crushing.

“Mr. Lords.” I hold my hand out to him.

He shakes, firmly, not trying to crush my fingers. “Mr. Hale. May I call you Rhodes?” At my nod, he continues, “Please call me Evan.”

It feels a little strange to call someone probably old enough to be my dad by their first name, but I know I need to get used to it. I’ll leave Bevington in six months and take my place as an adult in the Unseen World. Adults call each other by their first names.

“I’m sorry I can’t greet you more formally,” I say.

Evan waves off my apology and sits on the edge of the donut-bed. “I should be the one apologizing for invading your sick room. I have a few questions that are quite pressing. Are you well enough to speak for a few minutes?”

“Please go ahead.”

“I’ve spoken to many who fought at Jedburgh Abbey. I’ve had some conflicting accounts but several people agree that you were attacked by a woman in a green cloak just before the demons joined the battle. She tore tattoos out of your skin. Do you know who the woman was?”

I nod. “My cousin, Kimberly Cavalo-Darling.”

Evan sucks air through his teeth. “I was afraid of that. Has she been in contact with you since the battle?”

I shake my head. “As far as I know, she hasn’t tried to come to Cait House, either. They would have told me.”

“May I ask what your relationship was with your cousin prior to the battle?”

“Distant,” I say. “Her dad took her to England after her mom’s death. I think she was fourteen. There were a few years between us, and she hung out with the older cousins, so I didn’t know her that well even before she left.” I pause and consider before I tell Evan, “She contacted me recently through my Uncle Ezra. She wanted me to join the battle on Bromios’ side. I told her no.”

“She attacked you at Jedburgh Abbey,” Evan says.

It’s not a question but I nod.

“The tattoos she tore out of your skin,” Evan begins, nodding at my chest with its bright pink scars. “What were they?”

“Names. Bromios. Melephesius. Alugiel. Sariel.”

“I’m familiar with Bromios, obviously,” Evan says. “And I’m assuming Sariel is the fallen angel from the book of Enoch. Who are the others?”

“Greater powers like Bromios. Melephesius brings torrential rain, floods. Alugiel controls the pits of the earth, earthquakes, landslides.”

“And Sariel lightning, killing light.” Evan rubs the back of his neck. “Would you say that’s a chain of command or more of a coalition?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know. My great-uncle Niles told me the names when he, uh, burned the glyphs into me. I’ve tried to forget what happened for a long time. My boyfriend translated them when we started dating and told me a little about them but I’ll admit, I haven’t wanted to know. I wanted to put it in the past.”

“I don’t think you’ll be able to do that for much longer, Rhodes, I’m sorry. Even with your injury I can see you bearmany more names of power. The other archangels. I can make out several archfiends as well. They’ll make you a target if nothing else.”

I nod sadly. I’ve had plenty of time to think about the ramifications of what Cousin Kim did on that battlefield.

“I can offer you the protection of the Capricorn Guild,” Evan says.

I shake my head. “I’m not going to hide. I take the White Cloak in June. This isn’t going to derail my future.”

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