Page 55 of As Darkness Fall
Telling Johnathan all of our plans probably wasn’t what Aaron or Vir would have wanted, but he was the only one who knew Lars well enough to possibly be of help.
“Then you definitely don’t want to do that,” Johnathan agreed, pausing his pacing to tap on his chin while he stared at the floor. “The last thing you want is him having any more power.”
“I know,” I said. “But what else can we do? These are myparentswe’re talking about here. I can’t just let him continue to harm them.”
“It’s unlikely they’re harmed,” Johnathan said quietly. “Just locked up somewhere.”
Asking Johnathan where they were being held was one of the questions I’d hoped to slip into our conversation. If we could strike at that facility and get them out, then there would be no need to go into the Underworld to get the Idol back. However, judging by his words and tone of voice, Johnathan knew as much as we did about their location.
“What if we gave him a fake?” I suggested. “Made a lookalike and traded that so he thinks he has both? Maybe it’ll give us time to get away.”
“It won’t work,” Johnathan said slowly. “He’ll be expecting treachery from you and will have a way to verify its identity.”
“Okay, scratch that off the list,” I said, feeling morose. “But we have to do something. I’m not resting until I get my parents back.”
Which probably meant I wasn’t going to rest anytime soon. Not with the way the deck was stacked against us. Was there any way for us to win? It sure didn’t feel like it. Somehow, the concept of waltzing into the Underworld and stealing from Hades felt more achievable than getting my parents back.
“There has to be a way,” Johnathan said.
I waited for him to reveal anything more, but he just stood there, silent. Feeling down, I headed for the door. I needed a drink. Or two.
“Dani.”
The short-form use of my name stopped me in my tracks. Slowly, I turned back to face him.
“Yes?”
Johnathan swallowed, his eyes looking up, drifting to the side before finally resting on me.
“I think I have a plan,” he said quietly, his eyes boring into mine.
“I’m listening.”
Johnathan licked his lips. “Lars is going to be expecting treachery.”
“Yes,” I said. “You told me that.”
“Fromyou.”
I started to frown until it hit me what he meant. Then, my lips twitched in what might have been the faintest hint of a smile.
“Go on,” I said, giving him my full attention.
Maybe things weren’t so hopeless after all.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ilooked around the table. Everyone was there, sitting as they had been for the past hour while I went over the plan. None of them had said a word.
“Does everyone understand?”
Immediately, the table burst into chaos as everyone started voicing their dislike at once. Aaron was the loudest, followed closely by Vir. Even Aaron’s team seemed unenthused by the idea, though they at least stayed seated, unlike the other two, who were on their feet protesting.
After it had gone on for around thirty seconds, I leaned in and slammed a palm on the table. Thecrackof the impact shocked everyone into momentary silence.
“Let me make one thing clear,” I said, my gaze hard, pinning each one of them to their seats in turn. “I did not ask if youlikedthe plan. I asked if youunderstoodit.”
Silence.
