Page 25 of Looking Grimm

“I’ll get to that,” I replied between breaths. “But they might be the only recruits with even a smidgen of measurable magic power. That makes them more important and more likely to know about Grimm.”

“Lot of good that’ll do you if you let them escape,” Ripley said. “And how do you intend to get them to talk? Or subdue them long enough to get information? One of them could quite literally bury us alive.”

I was plenty aware of Ethan Everett’s abilities, having played clean up after he wreaked havoc on the downtown block and, subsequently, Maximus Lyle’s house. So, I wasn’t surprised when we hit the warehouse’s ground level and found it quaking.

The smoke from Ripley’s poison had dissipated, and my eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness. There was no one else in sight. No one upright, anyway, but at least a dozen bodies littered the floor. I stopped beside Ripley, who joined me in searching the cavernous space.

“Did you…?” I began, then tried again. “Are they…?”

His jaw flexed in profile before he replied, “I handled it.”

I felt like I should thank him or apologize for forcing him to rescue me when he could have easily slipped out the door with everyone else. But before I could speak again, a gale of wind swept toward us. It struck with ferocity, driving us into the cold brick wall and pinning us there.

Grunting, I squinted as the aerial onslaught persisted.

Before us, Ezrah Everett descended to stand with hisarms spread and a smug smile on his face. “This is even better.” He strode forward. “Now there’s two of us and two of you.”

Ethan emerged from the shadows several feet behind his twin, ripping up the cement with his advance.

“Could be a hell of an orgy,” I muttered. “It’s not too late to flip the script on this whole thing.”

The building trembled again, causing a groaning, creaking sound. Shattered glass rained from overhead, dusting my hair with shards.

Ezrah laughed. “You’re a real jackass, you know that?” He bent to draw a long knife from his boot.

“Sounds familiar,” I said.

Ripley writhed beside me. For a guy who would likely be bowled over by a strong wind on a normal day, this had to be hell on him.

“Do something, Farrow!” he exclaimed.

I squirmed, almost flattened by gusts so powerful they felt like G-forces. “I’m thinking! Can you knock them out?”

“I’m a bit tapped at the moment, mate,” Ripley growled. “Why don’tyoudo it?”

If I could have moved my head, I would have shaken it. “I’ve got two modes: kill and overkill. Neither works here.”

My plan to take the twins alive was slipping rapidly out of reach. Not that I knew where to put them with the storage facility and Nash’s cellar eliminated as viable options.

Meanwhile, Ezrah and Ethan closed in, the former brandishing the knife with a sadistic fervor he must have learned from Avery.

The wall behind me shuddered again, an empty threat because Ethan surely wouldn’t bring the place down whilehe and his brother were inside. I had time to figure this out.

I may have underestimated Ezrah—expecting him to take his time getting a pound of flesh from me or at least talk a while longer about how much of a dick I was. Instead, he crowded in with the knife tip pressing into my stomach.

“Gonna collect big on you.” He leaned in as the wind unsettled his pale hair. “Doubling up on Grimm’s favor and the Capitol’s bounty? I’ll be parading your carcass all over town.”

My eyes were watering furiously, and it was a struggle to keep them open. I imagined I looked about as menacing as a skydiver midflight as I retorted, “Sounds like some real Weekend at Bernie’s shit. Do I get to wear the sunglasses?”

Beside Ezrah, Ethan had closed in and produced a dagger of his own. He didn’t say a word as he put the blade to Ripley’s throat.

“Cutting it real fucking close, Farrow.” Ripley’s voice was strained.

Close was the keyword. The twins were inches from us and from each other, which was exactly what I needed to use my magic without being able to use my hands to channel it.

I did it with a blink instead, scrunching my entire face as I thought of the brothers colliding with each other headfirst.

A scuffling sound preceded a mutual grunt and a sudden, almost eerie, stillness.

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