Boreal and John Grey Season 2 (31 page)

Damn him.

Talk to someone — from the Organization? To Sarah? To another super secret society? The Illuminati? The Hellfire Club? The PTA?

Someone was knocking on the door. She shuffled over, clutching the cell phone so hard the casing groaned. “Who is it?”

“Ella, it’s Mike. Will you please open?”

God, on top of a day gone to hell...

“Come in.” She unlatched the door, wandered to the sofa and plopped down on it, throwing her cell on the coffee table. “What’s up?”

“What’s
up
?” Mike scowled as he entered and sat across from her on the armchair. “Scott said he had to drive you and Finn home because of an attack. I forgot my cell at home. Are you all right?” He glanced around. “Where’s Finn?”

“He’s resting.” She dragged her hand over her face and looked at Mike through her fingers. “Scott said you were at a meeting out of town.”

“Yeah, I was.” He shifted his gaze to the heavy drapes covering the windows.

Ella’s deposits of patience were reaching a critical low. “Cut it out, Mike.”

He winced. “I really was out of town,” he said. “I told Scott—”

“Please, don’t lie. I’m tired of everyone lying. You can tell when I’m not being honest; well, I can tell you’re not, either.” Ella sighed, weary. “I don’t want to be mad at you. You may well be the only friend I’ve got left, and I owe you everything short of my life, just... please, don’t lie.”

“Okay. No lies. I meant to tell you this one day anyway.” Mike rubbed his eyes. They were bloodshot. “I wasn’t out of town on business, you’re right, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me today. I was visiting my niece.”

“Niece?” Ella blinked. “I didn’t know you had a niece.” Then again, she’d recently found out he’d had a brother — who was now dead.

“I rarely see her. Her mother moved away from here and they happened to be nearby today.” He gave a crooked smile. “You know, she has my brother’s eyes and laughter. It was great seeing her. Though she doesn’t remember me. You see, she’s...” He rubbed his eyes again and they shimmered with unshed tears. “She’s all I have left.”

Now wait a minute...
  “What do you mean? And your parents?”

He waved a hand, not looking at her. “My mom died when I was too young to remember. My dad left us soon after. It was just me and Josh, and now it’s just me.”

Ella shook her head slowly, cold shooting through her — hoping she hadn’t heard properly, or maybe that this was a nightmare. Wishing this day hadn’t happened. 

But everything remained as it was — Finn mourning in the bedroom, Mike with wet tracks on his cheeks and the world out of whack.

Only one thing she could do.

She went and perched on the armchair, drawing Mike into a hug. “You’re a dork, you know that?” she muttered on top of his spiky head, rubbing circles on his back. “You’re not alone. What am I, chopped liver? We’re a family, you said so yourself. Deal with it.”

Mike squirmed; probably couldn’t breathe pressed against her boobs. “Ella...”

“Shush.” She hugged him tighter. Breathing was overrated anyway. “You’re stuck with me, little bro, like it or not. For the good and the bad. Okay?”

She thought again of Finn, sitting in the darkness.

For the good and the bad
.

Maybe it was time to say those things to Finn as well.

Chapter Eight

Shatter

Dave called. He wanted to meet with a member of the Organization Council who might know more about Finn’s magic and dreams.

Not the Illuminati.
Disappointing.

“Finn?” She squinted into the darkness of the bedroom. “I talked with Dave and he says...”

A Gate shimmered against the far wall, spanning its whole height and width. Finn sat on the bed, facing it, his back to her. As she stepped softly inside, she saw he was still shirtless. His blond head was bowed, his hair catching the faint light of the Gate.

A silhouette moved in the mirror of the Gate. A slim figure, a spiked crown, a voice Ella knew, low and melodious, speaking in the sussurating elven language. The queen of Aelfheim sat on a throne of ice or crystal, her long, pale hands resting on armrests which were carved in the shape of claws.

Finn didn’t look up, his lashes fanning on his high cheekbones. In his lap he held the second tube he’d taken from the dead dragon rider. A gun, resembling the one he’d used in this memory.

A shiver wracked Ella. 

The elven queen leaned forward, her hand reaching for Finn. Bright energy shot from her fingers, curling upward, and Ella flinched back even though she was quite sure — ‘quite’ being the operative word here — that it couldn’t cross over and into their bedroom.

Still, cold sweat soaked her back. “Finn?”

His head lifted, his eyes finally focusing on her, dark with sorrow. “I killed them,” he said dully. “I don’t know why... Why should I have...?” His fingers gripped the tube tighter and to Ella’s alarm lights flashed on the shiny surface.

“Put the weapon down,” Ella said, trying to keep her voice steady. She waved her hand at the tube. “Please.”

Finn looked down at the flashing weapon. He put it down on the mattress, his throat working. “I still can’t believe it. But I remember doing it. I can’t...” A shudder went through him and he curled his fists on the quilt.

This was killing him. She couldn’t bear seeing him like this. She wanted to wrap herself around him, tell him everything would be okay.

To hell with doubting.

But before she could cross the room to reach his side, movement from the Gate caught her attention. Ah, she’d forgotten about that little issue.

The queen was saying something, and Ella wondered if Finn was even aware a Gate had opened. He gazed on his fisted hands, his shoulders hunched, tendons standing out in his neck.

Ella cleared her throat. “Hey, Finn. What about, you know, the Gate?”

The queen said something more, and Ella thought she recognized the Old Norse word for mother —
modhir
.

Finn’s face lifted. His brows drew together and he sucked a sharp breath. “
Faen
.” Then he flicked his fingers, sparks jumping off them, and the Gate vanished.

Ella blinked.
Wait — just like that? So simple?
Was he so much stronger already?

“What did she want?”

He was still staring at the wall where the Gate had stood a moment ago. He blinked at Ella’s question, brows knitting.

Then he grabbed the shiny tube and threw it against the wall. It crashed and dropped, clanking on the floor.

Throwing her arms over her face, Ella jerked back. “Jesus, Finn.”

“She said my mother’s alive.” He wiped a hand over his eyes. “But she’s dead. Everyone’s dead. Because of me. So we’re done.”

Damn.

That didn’t sound ominous in the least.

***

They were heading downtown to meet Dave and their potential helper. Finn slumped in the passenger seat, his mouth pressed thin and his gaze burning with shifting emotions — anger, sorrow, curiosity, and a ghost of fear.

The financial district was busy with people in smart suits walking around and talking on their phones. She spotted the China Construction Bank building and turned into the underground parking lot. A guard stopped them, asked for their business, and then Dave walked toward them and waved the guard off.

“They’re with me,” he said, and the guard nodded and backed away without another word.

Face washed a sickly grey by the overhead light fixtures, Dave leaned against the car and tapped the roof. “Hurry up. They’re waiting for us.”

Ella drove off, not waiting for him to move away. Damn robot. She was such a hypocrite, hating him and yet turning to him for help every single time. God, she felt so helpless it grated on her nerves.

When she parked and saw the difficulty with which Finn pushed out of the car and stood, then bent down to massage his leg, her anger spiked.

She hoped Dave was in a world of pain every time the magic in the Veil changed. She hoped a meteorite fell on his car. She hoped the oil he drank caught fire.

Yeah, she was a hypocrite.

“This way,” Dave called, gesturing at a glass door, and Ella struggled to get a hold on her temper.

“Piss off.” She waited for Finn to push away from the car and limp around to join her. “How’s Sarah?”

“She’ll be fine. I bet that grates.”

“Think so? I didn’t shove her in front of that bullet. She’s the one who came over uninvited and opened the curtains, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Dave grunted, scowling, and walked ahead.

Finn caught up and they made their slow way inside. Dave threw him a narrow look of suspicion before heading inside and calling the elevator. “Still having trouble with that leg? I thought you went to physiotherapy.”

“Physiotherapy’s expensive,” Ella said. “Spare a dime for your Shade-fighting employee? After all, you’re the reason he can barely walk.”

Dave harrumphed but nodded as the elevator doors dinged open. “Fine.”

Ella lifted her brows and followed him inside, Finn in tow.

By telling Dave the truth about her inability to help Finn in his dreams, about everything, she’d given him the means to use Finn — to fix his magic, make him stronger, and then... what?

Was Finn right? Would Dave pass him on to the Dark Elves to use as a key, opening Gates and taking their revenge on the nine worlds?

God, she wanted to push Dave up against the wall and punch him for hurting Finn. For being a lying bastard.

Right.
Should she beat Dave up first or herself? Talk about feeling torn.

Finn’s mouth was tight, his gaze bright, boring into Dave, who was pretending to examine the cuffs of his sleeves for dirt.

“Everything all right?” Dave asked. Such an innocuous little question.

“Peachy,” she said sweetly — maybe too sweetly, garnering a dark look from Dave.

Yeah, well.
She never was any good at pretending. Dave, on the other hand, was obviously a pro.

The elevator stopped and the doors opened before she got angry all over again. Dave was helping them, she reminded herself. Maybe she should put stick-it notes everywhere to make sure she didn’t forget and eviscerate her boss.

There was a woman in a kind of uniform — had to be a uniform, right? — of green skirt and jacket over a frilly white shirt and shiny high heels. She gave them a demure smile and gestured toward black sliding doors. “This way, please.”

Dave nodded and continued as if that was to be expected. Maybe it was, so Ella snapped her gaping mouth shut and hurried after him as he opened the sliding doors, entering the conference room. She turned back toward Finn who dragged his leg across the lobby. She made as if to go back and help him, but he shot her a look so dark she stopped in her tracks.

Ow.
Was he pissed with her? She couldn’t tell. She stepped quickly into the room to get out of his line of sight.

A long mahogany table and sober black chairs filled the space. Finn had barely come in after her, when a tall, thin man with dark slanted eyes rose from his leather office chair and executed a small, tight bow toward them.

“Mr. Chang.” Dave bowed back. “Thank you for receiving us on such short notice.”

So this was gonna be their savior? Ella tensed when the dark gaze settled on her, then moved to Finn. “And this must be the elf.”

Finn’s eyes narrowed, turning on Dave.

“As I said, son, the Council members know who you are,” Dave said easily. “Mr. Chang is the treasurer of the Organization.”

And many other things besides, Ella could bet. She wanted to make a bad ninja joke but held back. If Dave was telling the truth about the Organization, this man had more power than Ella could possibly imagine.

“May I see?” The man waved in the general direction of Finn.

“See what?” Ella muttered.

“Proof of what he is,” Chang said, politely.

Ella’s brows drew together and the headache pounded behind her eyes. “His ears? Is that what you want to see?”

“His magic, Miss Benson.” Chang’s mouth pursed. “He
is
John Grey, isn’t he? His magic is the only reason he’s been allowed to live.”

God, his words dripped such distaste it was hard not to flinch. But Finn hadn’t moved a single muscle, his face impassive, his eyes studying Chang.

“You want to see my magic,” he finally said, his voice deadly quiet. It was as if the air stilled, as if the split unit high on the wall had stopped whirring. Maybe it had.

“That’s correct.” Chang nodded.

Did he even know what he was asking?

Dave shifted forward and frowned. “Show him, son. He wants to help.”

Finn’s eyes flashed with anger. The air crackled.

“This isn’t a game,” Ella bit out, gripping the table edge.

“Finn, do it,” Dave barked. “We talked about this.”

Or else.

The threat hung in the air, loud and clear, just like it had that day on the airstrip when Finn’s dragon had been led away. Ella half expected Finn to grab Dave and throw him against the wall, then turn around and leave.

But Finn only shrugged, his expression shuttering.

Light exploded in the middle of the room, and a silver sphere appeared, hovering over the conference table. Its surface bulged as shapes moved inside.

Chang flinched back. Ella was sure she heard a curse from Dave.

The sphere rotated. Inside, shadowy forms slithered, faces leered. It was like a glimpse into hell.

She turned to Finn. He held his hands palms-up and flames danced on them. Silver light swirled in his eyes and every exposed expanse of skin glowed. His pale hair lifted as if with electricity, forming a ghostly halo around his sharp-angled face.

Then he took a stumbling step back and lowered his hands. The light in his eyes began to fade and the swirling sphere hovering in mid-air diminished into nothing.

“There,” Dave said, his voice all business — an odd sound after the hush and the silver fire. “Now let’s talk about the problem.”

***

“So the issue is that he can’t remember a part of his recent past,” Chang said, threading his fingers together, elbows on the table. “And you can’t influence his dreams, which are memories, and which seem to center around those half-forgotten instants of his past.”

Ella nodded.

Finn stared at a point in space. She wondered if he was hearing them.

“You’re not just the treasurer,” Dave said, his rumbling voice somehow soothing. “You’re also the best read of us. We hope you can help.”

Ella doubted any human knew as much as Dave about the Gates and the magic, but what the hell did she know.

“His blocked memories are coming back, is this correct?” Chang said, his dark eyes thoughtful, turned on Finn. “You’ve murdered your comrades?”

Finn winced.

“Do you remember why?” Chang asked and Finn shook his head, letting his hair fall in his face, hide his expression.

“That’s not the main issue,” Dave put in smoothly. “We need him to remember more.”

“The question is, why ask me?” Chang asked. “Do you think magic has something to do with the partial amnesia?”

“John Grey,” Dave said without looking at Finn, “is a special creature. The laws that apply to most of us don’t necessarily apply to him.”

Finn glared daggers at Dave.
Yeah, keep calling him ‘creature’ and see what happens to you.

“So you’re wondering if there has been a similar case in the sagas recounting John Grey’s last appearance in our world.”

Dave shrugged.

Chang turned to Finn. “Who tortured you?”

Finn recoiled as if slapped. The last of the blood left his face. “I can’t—”

“Yes, you can. Who was it?”