Page 116 of He Who Ignites The Flame
“Already taken care of,” Damien said. “All of them have been.”
I took in the sight of Vincent’s black eye, and guilt dragged my heart into my stomach. “Couldn’t let them get you while you were down.”
“I swear, the both of you are going to be the death of me,” Anna said, dragging my attention to where she was crouched behind me.
She leaned in with a small flashlight and checked my eyes. “Good thing you’ve got a hard head, or that bat might have done you in.”
“It’s my finest quality.” I grimaced, flinching away from the bright light.
“Is he all right?” Semele called, her boots smacking against the pavement as she jogged over to me from the entrance of the bar.
“I think he’ll live to torment us another day,” Damien said.
“Oh, thank The Fates,” Semele said with a sigh of relief.
Something brushed against the edges of my consciousness, a familiar presence.
Barrett?
I held up a hand to the others, silencing them, and Damien’s brows furrowed.
Yeah, Atlas?
Vincent, Anna, and Semele exchanged confused looks. Damien nodded his chin to the bar in a quiet gesture for them to leave us, and they dipped their heads before returning to the bar. Atlas’s voice slipped through my mind again, clear as if he stood next to me.
You got an update for me up there?
I chewed my lip, irritation swelling in my chest. I hadn’t seemed to get any closer to finding the slippery bastard responsible for the murders beyond the fact he was a Nous user.
Not enough to name him, but I’m getting closer. All I know is he’s blond and a Nous user. Attacked a human girl tonight and had a run-in with two warriors on patrol around eleven, twelve o’clock.
Damien crouched beside me, remaining silent so as to avoid any chance Atlas might pick up that he was aware of our conversation.
I’ll check my men’s whereabouts during those times, see if we can pinpoint anyone who fits that description. Fin and Clo came upon a pair of humans left in the tunnel.
I stiffened, sucking in a breath. Fin and Clo were the nightmarish creatures that stalked the tunnels around The Underworld. My mind dredged up the horror those souls suffered in their final moments.
Both matched the description of the others you spoke of.
I cursed under my breath.
So it is someone associated with The Underworld.
Yep, and I want them found and their throat slit. A dog who can’t be controlled isn’t one I want in my company.
I ran my hands over my face. While it gave me something of a lead, The Underworld was so innately intertwined with The Order in ways neither I nor Damien could fully comprehend. No matter how much favor I gained with Atlas, he still had his pawns, still had his connections he disclosed to no one, not even to his right hand.
You still interested in joining me for a visit with Hades?
I sucked in a breath, and Damien tilted his head. My eyes slid to him, but I remained silent.
Yeah, when you leaving?
Be at the Propylaea in twelve hours.
Fuck. That left little room to prepare, but that was how he did his dealings. Movement on short notice was more difficult to track, more difficult to anticipate if we wanted to intercept them and continue to chip away at their operation without blowing my cover.
I’ll be there.
