Page 16 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“How did he escape?” Jed asks as I tumble off the mattress.

“We never had a chance of holding him,” Zac points at me. “He fooled us as he waited for your naked ass to show up. Then he walked through the wards like they were water and teleported out like the barriers didn’t exist.”

“He’s an ancient,” Jed says, rubbing a hand along his jaw.

I twist my head to stare at him. “How many ‘ancients’ are there?”

He shrugs. “We can narrow it down.”

“Well, they’ve been missing for at least three thousand years. That should help.”

“Do you have the Jar?” Zac asks, giving me his hard assed stare.

“It’s safe.”

He nods once. “Keep it that way. Tell no one where it is.”

In the absence of a sarcastic comeback, I salute him.

Duncan frowns. “What Jar? I thought it was broke?”

“The one we retrieved from the Vatican. My contact believes the last evil’s form was split between two Jars; beast and spirit. We released the spirit form which has taken up residence in Archan, but the beast form remains sealed in the other Jar.”

Jed and Zac lock gazes. A flash of fear passes over their faces. “Who is he?” I ask.

Jed shakes his head. “We can’t be sure.”

“But you have an idea?”

Jed shrugs. “Maybe, let’s hope we’re wrong.”

Groaning at their evasive answers, I reach for Duncan. “To the bat cave, Dumbledorf.”

Jed snickers, whilst Zac and Nathan look confused. “I’ll come back for you,” Duncan says to Jed, before the world shifts and I’m sucked down a twisting black hole. I land feet first with a wobble and come face to face with a pissed Zee. Oh boy.

“Bloody hell, Natia. Can’t you follow simple instructions?” Zee huffs. Duncan snorts before disappearing.

My hands shift to my hips. “Since when are you the boss of me?”

“Since we’re sworn to protect you. How can you expect us to do that if you keep throwing yourself into the path of the most dangerous creatures you can find?”

“I went to see Archan, he was waiting for me.” Duncan reappears with Jed. “At least we know what he wants.”

Zee spins on his foot as he stalks over the various rugs, taking in the length of the large room. “Oh, and what might that be?”

“To wipe out humanity and start again with him ruling the world.”

“Life goals,” Jed mutters, running a hand through his blonde tipped hair.

Zee grinds his jaw. “What does he want with you?”

“To rule by his side.”

Zee barks out a humorless laugh. “You’re going to be the queen of this new humanless world?”

My head drops into my hands as exhaustion beats down on my body. “Stop, Zee,” Duncan says. “She’s been through hell and back in the last few hours. Archan dragged her through wards which shattered all of her mental shields and almost fractured her mind. Nathan helped heal her and rebuild the shields, but she’s exhausted.”

Zee’s jaw ticks, I can almost hear his teeth grinding together from across the room.

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