Page 434 of Shadowblood Souls
“But it’s impressive seeing your powers grow. Don’t you find that too? Isn’t it satisfying to know how much you can accomplish?”
A renewed wave of fury washes over me. My voice comes out taut. “I’d rather if I could accomplish things thatIwant to do instead of having to follow someone else’s orders.”
My captor lets out a low chuckle, but the feral glint that unnerves me keeps dancing in his penetrating eyes. “Sometimes your best interests are served by following someone who has a better idea of the world than you do. When we’re finished, when you’ve seen the full picture, there may be time for you to pursue other things.”
“Finishedwhat?” I ask, pulling my attention away from him to try to study the room around him again. “Why don’t you show me the full picture now, if it’ll change my mind?”
“Oh, I’m sure it’ll come together as we continue our work. After we’re through, the decisions will be in our hands—all of them. What more do you need to know?”
The confidence in his tone rankles me. I can’t concentrate on the details of his surroundings. Nothing jumps out at me as identifiable anyway.
I glower my frustration at him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He gazes back at me intently. “You aren’t happy with this world you’ve been forced into, are you, Riva? The guardians have had their various complaints, but they’ve never been willing to go far enough to really fix the grand scheme. Can you really tell me that you wouldn’t want to set an awful lot of things right?”
The grand scheme? Setting things right?
He sounds almost like Clancy right now, only puffed up with a hundred times more ambition.
“Are you going to tell me that our missions have been to destroy ‘bad’ people?” I demand. “Clancy already tried to convince us we were going to be heroes. We figured out the truth.”
“James Clancy was a petty man swayed by money and the opinions of his peers. I can see straight through to a wider vision. A world with everything in its proper place. But that takes time.”Balthazar cocks his head. “And help. I’m only doing what’s necessary to bring about the future we all need.”
Are all these vague claims supposed to make me feel better about the murders he’s carried out?
I grimace at him, the scream that wouldn’t affect him through the transmission anyway vibrating beneath my throat. “Why are you telling me this? I don’t care what the fuck you think you’re working toward when you’re forcing me and the others to go along with it.”
He hums to himself. “You’re still upset with me. That’s understandable. I can’t tell you more when you might try to use it to undermine me. But I want you to know that I appreciate the strides you’ve taken and the assistance you’ve given so far.”
Did he call me in here just tothankme? To rub it in my face that I’ve been forced to carry out his dirty work for him?
I bare my teeth, a dozen caustic responses jangling together at the back of my mouth, but Balthazar goes on first.
A slight smile crosses his face. I have the feeling it’s meant to be apologetic, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark.
“I will also be limiting your distractions. From now on, you’ll have fewer responsibilities to worry about.”
My pulse gives a painful lurch. “What are you talking about?”
He straightens up, a move that I know from experience means he’s about to end this conversation. “The younger shadowbloods haven’t been making any progress with the procedures. Continuing on an unproductive path is pointless. I’ve arranged to have them sent away.”
With that, the screen goes black, leaving his last words ringing in my ears.
Panic jolts through my veins. I haven’t seen any of the other shadowbloods since yesterday.
I spin toward the door and sprint to the hallway, heading for the stairs.
The names burst from my lips in a frantic yell. “Nadia? Booker? Ajax?”
No one answers.
Thirteen
Zian
Riva stalks back and forth over the patio, her sneakers scraping the stone tiles. A tremor runs through her tiny body.
With a sudden snarl, she lashes out at the nearest planter. With the supernatural strength we both possess, her foot connects and bashes a crack through the polished stone.
