"Yet, you display them on your wall."
"I took the part of those demons that defined them. You see, in my family, the sphinxes are considered the superior breed. I'm a reaper, just like my mother. She and I have never been good enough for the others. What makes them so different from us? Nothing. They're not more powerful. They're not stronger. Yet, some of them felt that they had the right to fuck with me and hurt my mother."
So he'd stolen from them the one true thing that made the sphinxes so very different from Francisco and his mother, Knox realized.
"I don't hire hunters, Mr. Thorne. And I do my own dirty work, no matter how dirty it is. Mostly because I don't like to owe people anything."
Knox's instincts told him that Francisco was telling the truth. "I see. Any ideas on who the demon that hired the hunters could be? They sent the hunters an anonymous, encrypted email that deleted itself soon after being read."
Francisco rubbed at his jaw. "I've heard of the method, but there's only one person who I personally know that uses it."
"Who?"
"His name's Dion Boughton. He's a collector of many things, not just wings. If you're looking for someone who refuses to get his hands dirty but will risk any wrath to add things to his collection, you should look to him. He has a museum inside his home. From what I've heard, he also collects people."
"People?" Knox echoed.
"He likes to surround himself with the unique, which could have a lot to do with him being a very average person."
Both Harper and her wings were indeed unique, so Knox would definitely be having a chat with Dion.
"He won't be easy to speak with. He lives on a private island, which is psychically shielded. If you want to speak to him, you'll need an invite."
"Do you have his number?"
Francisco clasped his hands again. "He doesn't have a phone."
Levi's brows drew together. "Who doesn't have a phone?"
"He's a technophobe – he rejects any advances in technology, especially anything that interferes with personal privacy, like social media," said Francisco. "He's also a bit of a recluse. He doesn't accept many visitors on his island." He turned back to Knox. "If you wish to get in touch with him, you'll need to write to him."
Knox frowned. "Write to him?"
How archaic. Levi chuckled.
"I have his address." Francisco retrieved a small, leather-bound file from his desk drawer and flicked through it until he settled on a specific page. "Just send a quick note expressing your wish to meet with him. He should reply within a few days – a week at most."
Knox took the slip of paper on which Francisco had jotted down Dion's address. "How is your cousin, Thatcher?"
The abrupt change of subject made Francisco double-blink. "I haven't heard from him in a while. We don't talk much."
"Hmm. If you do speak with him, pass on my best wishes."
"I will do, Mr. Thorne."
///
Knox gave a curt nod and stood. He held Francisco's gaze as he warned, "If I find out that you've lied to me about anything here today, I'll come for you."
Francisco swallowed. "I'd expect nothing less."
"Good. We'll see ourselves out."
CHAPTER SIX
"Why do you always take me to weird places to do lessons?" Harper griped.
"I don't take you to weird places," said Knox, standing in front of her. "I take you to deserted places where they'll be no witnesses."
"Well, this place is certainly deserted." Harper's nose wrinkled at the smells of mildew, chalky dust, and sun-warmed stone.
"Look at the situation this way; you're seeing ancient ruins that have yet to be discovered by humans. That means we won't be seen by tourists, hikers, or archeologists. And if the flames do get out of hand, all they'll destroy are buildings, spires, and stone pillars that are already crumbling."
He was right, Harper thought as she glanced around. Everything was weatherworn and covered in moss, thick ropy vines, and other foliage. Even the stone statues were worn to the point that they were faceless.
What worried her was the snake skin she'd spotted among the rubble. That and the fact that it was eerily quiet. All she could hear were dead leaves scuttling along the stone and scrub bushes rustling with the breeze. "Don't you find this place even a little creepy?"