He dropped my chin. Gave me one last fiery look, his eyes burning into mine. Then he left my bedroom.
I stood there for a second, too stunned to process what had just happened. Then I closed the door. Leaned against it, the back of my head thudding against its hardness. And I started to cry.
Chapter Six
To: Edgar Weem
From: Renegade Son
Subject: Questions
Edgar,
Someone tried to snatch Azazel last night. That doesn't have anything to do with the Sons or you, does it? And you don't have any ties to a Liam Sutherland, do you? I'm willing to cooperate with you, but you need to be straight with me.
Hallam
Even though it was late, I couldn't sleep. I sat in my room with the door shut, picking at my bedspread. I felt so alone. I toyed with my phone, searching through the contact numbers. There weren't many names there. Jude. Jason. Hallam. Some people from work. I didn't know many of them well. I certainly couldn't call anyone for comfort. As I scrolled through them, I settled on my younger brother Chance's name. Chance lived in New Jersey with Grandma Hoyt. I hadn't talked to him since Christmas, when he'd come to visit us in Florida. I knew that I couldn't tell Chance what was happening to me here. I didn't want to worry him or endanger him. But suddenly, a longing welled up inside me to talk to someone who I'd grown up with. Someone who I'd known before all this mess had started. My brother.
I hit send on my phone, holding it to my ear as it rang. It was late. He was probably asleep.
But Chance answered. "Zaza!" he greeted cheerily.
Geez. For the first time in months, the nickname didn't make my stomach turn over. "Hey Chance," I said, grinning from ear to ear. "Sorry I'm calling so late."
"It's no big deal," he said. "I'm up."
"So how are you, little brother?"
"Excellent," he said. "I'm going to Italy."
"What?" I said.
"Yeah," he affirmed. "I'm going to a boarding school in Italy for really rich American kids. It's going to be a blast."
"Whoa," I said. "When were you going to tell me this?"
"I was going to call you," he said. "Soon. I totally was. I have tons of crap to tell you. And Jason. Hey, is Jason there? I wanted to ask him if he got the new game for X-box."
"Um ," I said, "Jason and I are kind of fighting."
"Oh," said Chance. "So that's why you're calling me."
"Sort of," I admitted, fighting tears.
"Hey," said Chance, his voice full of concern, "it'll be okay. You two are awesome together. He really cares about you."
"Yeah," I said, trying to pull myself together. "So why are you going to Italy?"
"Well," said Chance, "I asked Grandma about it months ago, because my friend Palomino got shipped off at the beginning of the semester."
"Oh, right, your friend, Palomino," I said knowingly.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Chance said. "Anyway, she's been in Italy for months. I barely get to talk to her except online."
"Sure, Chance. Whatever you say."
"She's not!" he said. "Anyway, Grandma said no. She said she wanted me close. But then, right after Noah and Gordon left a few weeks ago—"
"Wait," I said. "Noah and Gordon were there?" Noah and Gordon were my adopted brothers. No one had heard from them since November. They hadn't even come to my parents' funeral service.
"Oh, I forgot to call and tell you that," said Chance. "Sorry."
"Where have they been?" I said.
"I don't know," said Chance. "They didn't stay long. They just came by one day. They talked to Grandma Hoyt for hours in her office. Then we all went out to dinner. The next morning they were gone. And right after that, Grandma Hoyt said that it would probably be best if I went to Italy."
"So you'll get to go to school with Palomina, then," I said. "That's cool."
"I know, right?" I could tell he was smiling on the other end.
"That's weird about Noah and Gordon, though," I said. "I haven't heard from them at all."
"Really?" said Chance. "Because they told me they were planning to visit you."
* * *
I called Jude when I woke up and asked him if he could give me a ride to school. The thought of facing Jason and walking to school with him was simply too much. I'd cried myself to sleep the night before. I felt guilty for practically accusing Jason of sleeping with Lilith. And I couldn't shake the look in his eyes when he'd left my room. He was right. There was no way that he could possibly be unfaithful to me. It wasn't like Jason. I was probably temporarily insane. But it didn't help that Lilith was always around.