Eternal Starling (Emblem of Eternity Trilogy) (28 page)

Alex lifted the corner of the calendar and found several more pieces of paper. As I watched him gather the pieces, a memory clicked in my mind and I knew what it was. I couldn’t believe I’d kept it! I wanted to scream at Alex to puzzle the shards of paper back together. Alex had the same idea as me. The pieces were large and it only took a few minutes for the message on the jagged edged note to come into focus.

I know who you are. Do you?

– Caleb 555-3845

Alex rubbed the back of his neck like the hair was standing up. I hoped that meant he knew it was a clue. He quickly taped the note back together with supplies from my desk, and left.

Alex met Emil in the parking lot of the Gunnison grocery store. He handed Emil the note, which Emil took with a raised eyebrow. As Emil read, his expression became more concerned. “I remember when Evie got this,” Alex explained. “It was the first day I met her in the mountains. A group of guys were standing around her car, all wearing dark grey long-sleeved jackets even though it was the middle of June. I was too preoccupied with Evie to notice how familiar the guys seemed. The ringleader of the group had auburn hair and was a few inches shorter than me. He wrote something on a piece of paper and gave it to Evie. At the time I thought it was a phone number.

“Evie ripped the paper up without looking at it and put it in her pocket. She probably emptied her pockets when she got home that night and forgot about the scraps of paper on her desk. The pieces must have been pushed under her calendar, or she would have thrown them away by now.”

Emil’s expression hadn’t improved since Alex had started talking.

Alex continued, “My gut tells me the guy who gave Evie this note had something to do with her disappearance. I didn’t like the guys talking to her from the moment I saw them. Now I realize it wasn’t just jealousy I’d been feeling. Plus, Caleb was the name of the guy who visited Evie’s parents in Montana and questioned them about her.”

The thought that I might not be out of reach seemed to spur Alex forward with a burst of energy. “So now we have a possible name, a description, and a phone number, though I doubt it still works. Do you know of any Daevos members named Caleb?” Alex’s voice trailed off as Emil’s face started to take on the distinct qualities of a corpse.

Emil nodded. “I heard rumors, but I didn’t think there was any way they could be true.”

A crease formed between Alex’s brows. “Rumors about what?”

“About Caleb. About his Clan.”

“He’s the leader of a Clan?” Alex asked, surprised. “Are you sure we’re thinking of the same Caleb? Because there’s no way the guy who hit on Evie could manage his own Clan.”

Emil seemed worried. He was gripping his car keys with a force that left his knuckles white. “I’m positive. I only know of one Caleb within the Daevos, and he fits your description. Plus, he’s the only Daevos member capable of thwarting your abilities and taking Evie.”

“How is that possible?” Alex asked. “The Daevos have limited powers compared to the Amaranthine.”

Emil explained, “The Daevos’s restricted powers make it difficult to fight the Amaranthine. Several years ago, there were rumblings throughout the Daevos community that a Clan leader named Caleb was trying to figure out a way to get more powers, either on his own, or with the help of the Daevos leaders. No Daevos member believed Caleb would be able to access the powers of the Goddesses; not while the Daevos were doing Callista’s work and hurting people and taking souls.

“Almost all Daevos members ignored the rumor and thought that if Caleb was really trying to gain access to additional powers, he was wasting his time. That was the last I heard of it. Obviously Caleb figured something out, because Evie is gone, and we can’t find her.”

The situation was worse than I thought. I could tell by their morose expressions that Alex and Emil agreed with me. If the Daevos had access to more powers, it could threaten the entire Amaranthine Society and start a war between the two groups. “If Caleb has obtained other powers, how do I fight his Clan?” Alex asked. “I don’t understand how their powers work, or even what powers they have.”

Emil nodded in agreement. “I’ll do some checking and try to get more information about this. Go back to your house; I’ll come over as soon as I know something.”

I could tell Alex didn’t want to go home and wait, but Emil wouldn’t get many answers if he was seen hanging out with a Protector. Alex seemed grateful that Emil was willing to risk himself to help me. “Come as soon as you can,” Alex said.

Emil nodded. His determined expression was the last thing I saw as Alex and I drove away.

Emil showed up at Alex’s house the next afternoon. “What took you so long? Were you able to learn anything about Caleb?” Alex asked, sitting down.

Emil sat across from him. “Yes.” The trepidation in his voice indicated Alex wouldn’t like what he was about to hear. “I talked to one of the Clan members.”

Alex went absolutely still. “You did what?” Alex fumed. “How did you find them? Did you see Evie? If you had one of them, why didn’t you let me know?”

Emil put his arms out, palms up, and wrinkled his brow. “What was I supposed to do, hogtie the guy in the middle of the store aisle? That would have been a great way to earn his trust—and the trust of the rest of the Daevos.”

Alex threw his hands in the air. “Dammit! I knew I should have been following you. If I’d been there, Evie would be home by now.”

Emil sighed. “No, she wouldn’t. If anything, she would be harder to find. Can you stop overreacting long enough for me to tell you what I learned?”

Alex took a few deep breaths to calm down. Emil started again, “I saw a Clan member’s vowmark and followed him into a store. I showed him my mark so he agreed to talk to me. His name is Joshua, and he told me a little bit about what his Clan has been doing in Gunnison. Caleb was able to figure out how to get additional powers and has started using them—which is why you can’t see him. He’s also figured out how to make the bonds between Protectors / Trackers undetectable. I’m assuming he’s the one who’s been taking Trackers, but I don’t know for sure. Right now, I think those are the only things Caleb has been able to master, but his Clan is trying to learn more, which, I assume, is why they took Evie.”

Alex seemed confused for a minute, but the muscles in his face drooped as realization hit him. “They think they can get information from her because of the bonds we share.”

“Exactly. I think they’re using her to find out what you’ve told her, or what she might have gleaned in the process of dating you. They’ve been working on getting this information for a long time. We need to be aware that Caleb and his Clan could have powers even the Amaranthine Society and Daevos Resistance don’t know exist.”

Alex wore a determined expression. “Do you know where she is?”

Emil looked at his hands, intertwined like a basket. “Not exactly, but I have a pretty good idea. Joshua was getting supplies—coats, blankets, dry and non-perishable food—stuff you would take on a camping trip. I waited for him to leave and followed him as far as I dared. He stopped near Kneeling Camel Overlook at the north rim of Black Canyon.”

“So they must be within walking distance of the Overlook.”

“Joshua also mentioned Deadhorse Trail, which is near there.” Emil shrugged. “It seems like a good place to start looking.”

Alex jumped up from the couch. “I’ll get the backpacks ready and meet you out front.”

Alex rushed to the garage, pulling the fully-stocked hiking bags off a shelf. He scanned the cars in the stalls and grabbed the keys for a red Jeep Wrangler. Emil was waiting around front as Alex pulled up.

The Jeep’s leather seats, state of the art sound system, and chrome accessories didn’t go unnoticed as Emil got in. “How many cars do you have?”

“A few. I needed one Caleb’s Clan hasn’t seen me in. Plus a Jeep won’t stick out in the parking area if the Clan sees it.”

The guys were quiet as Alex drove, but Emil seemed to have something on his mind. After a few minutes he said, “Can I ask you something?”

Alex was guarded but replied, “You can ask, but that doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”

“After all these years, what made you decide to try and have a relationship with Evie?”

I doubted that this conversation was going to be pleasant.

Alex took a deep breath. “I’ve been patient for a long time. I couldn’t wait anymore. I
know
she’s my soul mate, and I couldn’t stop myself.” He slid his glance to Emil. “The truth is, I was hoping she was done needing a Protector. I want to be with her—like we always
should
have been.”

The muscles in Emil’s neck strained. “You do realize that her soulmark still recognizes both of us, right?”

Alex tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “It’s been two hundred and fifty years. I thought she might finally be ready to make a choice.”

Emil raised an eyebrow. “That’s quite a gamble. Are you really that confident she’ll choose you?”

“Based on past history, absolutely.”

Emil cocked his head to the side and gave a sly smile. “If you’re basing it on the past, you
really
shouldn’t be so cocky,” he said. “She made a choice then too, Night. At least you’ve been able to spend time with her as her Protector.”

Alex held his lips tight. “Eventually I
will
be more than that. It’s not like you didn’t have your chance with her.” Emil frowned and opened his mouth to defend himself. Alex cut him off. “And since we’re playing twenty questions, there are some things I’ve wanted to know for years.” Emil didn’t respond so Alex pressed on. “What synapses weren’t firing when you decided you wanted Evie to be part of your Clan? You lied to her, put her life at risk, and used her! Now you have the audacity to tell me you’re still in love with her? I don’t think you love her now, and I doubt you ever did.”

Emil’s normally calm demeanor was replaced with quiet rage. “You have no idea what happened. Don’t assume you do.”

“So tell me,” Alex challenged, “what did I get wrong?”

Emil’s whole body tensed. “I knew from the moment I saw Evie that she was
my
soul mate. I wanted to spend forever with her. Becoming a Daevos member wasn’t my decision. I couldn’t leave her, so instead I brought her with me—even though I knew it was selfish. When she left, I thought I would die. The only thing that kept me going was that I knew she would be safe with the Amaranthine Society and someday, I’d have the chance to be with her again. Although if I’d known
you
would end up her Protector, I might have reconsidered.”

Alex exhaled in disgust. “I’ve always had her best interests at heart. That’s more than you can say.”

Emil locked his jaw until the muscles in his cheeks pulsed. Alex asked, “What do you mean being part of the Daevos wasn’t your choice?”

Emil’s face hardened at the memory. “I was brought in against my will right after my father died. I knew who the Daevos were and hated what they did. I didn’t want to be a part of the Resistance and told my father I never would. Unfortunately, he made sure I wasn’t the only one who knew his last request.”

Alex’s mouth fell open slightly. Emil noticed and smirked. “Not what you thought, is it?”

Alex held the steering wheel a little tighter. “No, it’s not,” Alex admitted. “I guess we both have a lot to learn about each other.”