Page 53 of Coerced

“Good.” I was sure I was right. “She couldn’t - or wouldn’t - tell you who the Master was, but you and I both know it had to be a prince or higher to have a harpy for a pet and be able to supply those kinds of artifacts.”

He still didn’t answer.

“I don’t think the portal has anything to do with this. Not directly. I think it was only a way to get her in and out of the Sanctuary without being caught. I think you can answer this one, Clem. Did the wards on the valley trigger because of the harpy or because of the gremlins?”

“The gremlins. As soon as their little green feet touched the ground.”

“Makes sense,” John said. “However many times she came to the Sanctuary, the harpy never touched the ground to set off any alarms. She just flew in and out of the portal. But why did she have the gremlins that last time? She must have known what would happen.”

“I don’t think they were supposed to come through.” I shook my head. “Just guard the other side. The circle we found out here in the woods. Like the Hellhounds were doing before they got restless and started tearing up the mountain. Either she called the gremlins when she saw us or they took the opportunity themselves. We probably looked like a feast to them.”

“Young, fresh meat?” Tara’s laugh was a little high-pitched.

“Pretty much.”

“So Reilly’s research was about something a prince would be interested in,” Maddy said. “There was a prince in your story last night, too, Kerry.”

“Hell has a lot of princes.” Clem chuckle was dark. “Let’s be careful about making assumptions.”

“One other thing.” I didn’t want to freak them out, but they needed to be aware of it. “Clem, you said we should avoid the Sanctuary right now. I feel that way, too. I don’t knowyourreasons, but I think someone there is still working on the Diabolical side.”

“A traitor?” Gemma looked over at me with wide eyes.

“Maybe.” I rolled my shoulders. “Lots of things are making me think that, anyway.”

Everyone was silent, and I realized I hadn’t been the only one with suspicions.

“Do you think it’s someone we know?” Gigi asked calmly.

“What do you mean? One of ourclassmates?” Maddy wasn’t so calm. “That’s just dirty!”

“Or a warden.” Tara sounded grim. “Even worse.”

“Let’s not start pointing fingers,” Travis cautioned, “or going on a witch hunt.”

“That’s right.” I felt better now that I’d gotten the worry off my chest. “We have no way to find out right now, but we should stay on guard.”

“So we don’t contact anyone at the Sanctuary.” Clem read my mind. “Not any friends. Not any wardens.”

I’d been thinking the same thing. Even though I couldn’t think of Hank as a traitor, it was a possibility, and one I needed to be ready for.

#

When we got to the outpost, Clem took us straight to their field hospital and introduced us to a neph named Rihanna while the healers got Jax settled in a bed. She took a look at his wounds, then shook her head.

“I recommend we push him through the Hole so the Sanctuary people can take him to their hospital. They might have someone there powerful enough to stabilize him, but there is nothing we can do here.”

“Whoa. Wait.The Hole?” I asked.

“Yes. The portal.” She tilted her head. “Do you call it something else at your outpost?”

“Uh, we’refromthe Sanctuary,” John said. “What portal?”

“The one that connects the Sanctuary to all the outposts in North America.” She spaced the words out, like we were dumb or something.

“The door in the Repository!” Gemma grabbed my arm. “Remember, Kerry? The one you told Ms. Chapman was a permanent portal.”

“I remember.”

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