Blind Salvage: A Rylee Adamson Novel(74)

“Thanks for the rescue.”
Milly snorted behind us. “You’re welcome.”
“How did you find us?” Did she know where Faris’ underground secret hole was? Could she somehow be working for him still?
Milly pointed to Jack. “He pinpointed you, and then I opened up the Veil and took a look through. Not an exact science, but it worked.”
Jack snorted. “We got a few buckets of dirt before the dumbass witch opened it up right.”
She glared at him but said nothing else.
I turned to face her, not sure exactly what to say. “I don’t trust you, are we clear?”
“Yes.”
“And you have no more chances with me.” I stared at her, all the things she’d done racing through my head. Giselle, Alex, Eve. Pamela. Setting the booby trap at that castle to block us from leaving London. Crap, that seemed like so long ago and yet it had been less than a week. Her rescue of us with Berget, her warning about the unicorn foal and Orion, her second rescue of me and Alex.
Fuck, what was I supposed to do with her?

I took Milly back with us. Yeah, I know, damn stupid, right? But my gut was telling me that this time I had to bring her back. And when we got home, I knew why.#p#分页标题#e#
There was a note, nailed to the door of the farmhouse, fluttering in the December wind howling across the badlands straight through the farmyard.
 
All those who oppose Orion will be destroyed. Be warned, your allies will die in droves, stupid Tracker. This is just the beginning.
 
Nailed with it was Terese’s head, still dripping blood, her face slack with surprise.
Milly gasped and Pamela covered her mouth with her hand, but I just stared at it, chills rippling through me. I had a bad feeling about this.
“Milly, contact your coven. We need to know if they’re all dead.”
She ran around to the front of the house. Orion’s people, whoever the hell they were, were on a warpath, and they would systematically wipe out any opposition, even if Orion was dead. That much was clear.
“Pamela, Alex, go check on Eve.” I pointed to the barn and they ran, Alex skidding and jumping in the fresh fallen snow, Pamela chiding him to settle down; she at least understood the seriousness of what was happening.
Liam moved up beside me. “Any ideas?”
I shook my head. “They called me stupid; the Trolls seem to like that title for me. Can you smell anything to confirm those shits are the ones who did this? And where the hell is Dox and the others?” They should have met us when we showed up. But maybe they were out scouting the perimeter, or maybe they were still engaged with some of the intruders?
“No, whoever did this cleaned it up.” He turned in a slow circle. “Some sort of magic scoured it all, but other than that, nothing clear is coming through. I’d agree with you on your moniker, only the Trolls seem to call you stupid on a regular basis. What happened with Faris? Do you think this has anything to do with him?”
“No, this has nothing to do with the vampires, not this time.” Of that much, I was sure. Too soon after Berget’s loss to have her re-group, and Faris wouldn’t risk this kind of mess when he already had me tied to him.
I couldn’t tell Liam I’d be leaving in seven days with Faris. That I didn’t have a choice but to go with the vampire, to do his bidding or see all of those I loved killed.
I couldn’t even tell Liam Charlie was dead. I clenched my teeth together, held my breath to get myself under control. I was not good at keeping secrets; it was too much like lying to me.
You have to, to keep them all safe. Yeah, that was the issue.
Faris, I was going to strip him to the bones and throw what was left of him to the Trolls and then I would kill them all for siding with Orion.
A wailing scream erupted out of the house and I backed away, moved closer to the barn.
Liam stepped in front of me, facing the house. “The coven, all of them, are dead, aren’t they?”
I stared at his back, a wave of premonition washing over me, Doran’s words floating through me, Milly’s screams striking a chord in my soul, understanding filling me to the point of nausea. Ethan was dead, the coven and her lover were dead, and her screams spoke to me of what was to come.
You will love another.
The only way that would ever happen is if … I continued to back away, unwilling to let the thought form. I wouldn’t let it happen. No … .
Liam turned, his eyes meeting mine. “What is it?”
“Things are spinning out of control.” My words were soft, as the chaos shattered around us. Pamela all but fell out of the barn, retching, puking until she fell to her hands and knees. Alex was right behind her, howling to the air, his head thrown back, and I knew whatever peace we’d had, however momentary, was done.