Anyway, there wasn"t much else we could do without tipping them off so we got back early and decided to see if we could fit in a training session over at Lincoln…"
Zoe looked down nervously.
„And?" I prompted, while dreading where this might be going.
„Well, when we got there the door was open so we just kinda walked right in – we didn"t think to knock."
Salvatore coughed loudly. Zoe rolled her eyes. „I didn"t think to knock," she corrected, giving Salvatore a cold glare. „I mean, everyone"s just been coming and going from there so I didn"t except to interrupt …"
Oh no, please God, don"t do this to me.
Spence shifted in his seat – he was dreading the same thing I was, he knew how much it would hurt me. I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek and stared at the spot just over Zoe"s shoulder.
„Was he with Magda?"
„Yeah," she said, but then taking in the look on my face and the trepidation on Spence"s she straightened in her chair and started waving a hand in the air.
„Oh … Whoa – I don"t mean … yuck! I didn"t walk in on them naked or anything … yuck!
Now I"m going to have freaky mental images all night!"
„Then what?" Spence and I asked together.
„They were loading up," Zoe said with a shrug, as if compared to the alternative this was now simple.
I had no idea what she meant and looked around to the others. Salvatore shimmied closer in his chair.
„They were armouring themselves. Guns in fact," he said in his Italian English.
What was Magda thinking? Is she really that desperate to get her claws into Lincoln that she would drive him to murder?
„Do you …" I swallowed through a suddenly dry mouth. „Do you guys know what happens to an exile if they"re shot?"
„It doesn"t return them, I know that much," Spence said.
„I think it"s meant to hurt like hell, not kill them but it"s a kind of torture," Zoe offered.
„Some Grigori use them – guns – to help get the upper hand, but it"s frowned upon."
„Cowardly," Salvatore said.
I shot him a fierce look.
„I am sorry, Violet. This may have been the not right wordings."
And yet, I had a feeling it was exactly what he meant. As much as I wanted to defence Lincoln, I couldn"t.
Griffin, Nyla and Rudyard a chose this point to move down to where we were sitting.
„Sorry to keep you waiting. We were just trying to double-check our research. We believe we know where the Scriptures are." Griffin looked at me. „Are you okay? Spence fil ed us in on the plane situation."
„Yeah, I"m good," I lied, knowing he would let me.
Even when you can tell someone isn"t being honest, you have to pick your times, decide when you wil and won"t pul them up on it. This was one of the won"t s .
„Is it commonly known that titanium does something to shield exiles against our sense?" I asked, embarrassed for not knowing more.
Griffin sat down beside me. „No. it"s not general knowledge and we had no idea it could be harnessed in this way."
„So you knew about it?" I asked, wondering how many other things weren"t „general knowledge".
Griffin spun a glass of Coke in his hand. „I knew. But up until today we believed the only people who knew were Grigori leaders."
„So how did Phoenix figure it out?" Spence piped up before I could ask.
„I"m not sure," Griffin said plainly. Then he looked about and his expression turned quizzical. „Where"re Lincoln and Magda?"
I shrugged and tried to play it cool. „Your guess is as good as mine, boss," which was as close to the truth as I could get.
„Well, we can"t wait for them," Griffin said, shaking his head but not real y surprised.
„Back to the Scriptures," Zoe said, impatiently. „Where are they?"
Nyla, Rudyard and Griffin all looked at one another and then back to us.
„Jordan," Nyla said.
„Jordan?" we all repeated.
„The country?" Spence added.
Griffin nodded and then gestured to Rudyard to speak.
Rudyard cleared his throat. „Yes, Jordan. We believe the Rules the exile we captured at the farmhouse was referring to are the Ten Commandments."
My mouth wasn"t the only one to drop open and al but hit the table.
Rudyard smiled, looking positively thrilled at the reaction to the developments. „I know it"s a lot to get your head around. We believe that when Moses received the Ten Commandments almost three and a half thousand years ago, he in fact received two sets of three stone tablets. On one set were the Ten Commandments as we know them, while the second was to be held for subsequent discovery by the Grigori, and the third was for exiles.
When Moses realised humans were not the only inhabitants of the Earth and that exiled angels existed, and even more concerning, that angels existed in the angel realm in both light and dark capacity, he was enraged. He smashed a complete set of tablets and never revealed anything more than the Ten Commandments for humans. For humans the second tablet while the Ten Commandments was uncovered and stored away. What remained were hidden for safekeeping and eventually translated into Scriptures, only to be revealed by their own kind. We believe that the Scripture for Grigori and exiles are in this same place –
concealed somehow – waiting to be discovered."
„And that"s in Jordan?" Zoe asked again.
„Yes, we think Moses was buried after this, the Scriptures were placed in that tomb, too. a prophet, Jeremiah, was sent on an angelic quest with the Ark of the Covenant, within which the Scripture were concealed. Jeremiah was charged which delivering the Ark and its contents back to their original owner. If our information is correct, he took the Ark to Jordan."
„It is a very old legend, not one widely told. Over time, the legend has been almost completely lost," Griffin added.
„Yes," agreed Rudyard, placing an ancient-looking leather-bound book on the table and opening to a yellowed page. „Al ow me to read a small passage from the Second Book of Maccabees," he cleared his throat.
„ The prophet, Jeremiah, having an oracle, commanded that the tabernacle and the ark with him, he went forth into the mountain, where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God. And when Jeremiah came thither, he found an hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door. And some of those that followed him came up to mark the way, but they could not find it.
„When Jeremiah learned of it, he blamed them, saying: As for that place, it shal be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy."
„Well, I have no idea what that meant," Zoe said, slouching back in her chair.
„We believe the Ark of the Covenant may be hidden in the tomb of Moses, which is in Jordan."
„So we"re going to Jordan," I echoed.
Rudyard nodded.
„Well, it"s about time something went in our favour," Zoe said.
I got the feeling I wasn"t the only one who agreed with her wholeheartedly.
„So," Griffin said, clapping his hands together to get everyone"s attention. „We need to get organised. Dapper overheard some exiles in here last night, they were talking about flying out tonight, so we have to assume it"s Phoenix. I"ve got Archer and Beth taking care of things here. Violet, you need to clear things with your Dad somehow – we need you on this trip."
I nodded. Finding a way around Dad was the least of my concerns.
„Nyla and Rudyard are heading straight to the airport to get a plane organised and the rest of us need to be there in two hours. Since we now know that Phoenix has a military plane we have to assume that he is going to Jordan himself he will be flying into the military airfield in Amman. The Academy us owed a few favours so Nyla is confident she"l be able to get us a military plane, too."
Nyla and Rudyard stood up simultaneously to leave, their hand
s unwittingly intertwining, and at that moment I felt like standing up and putting my foot right through their beautiful connection.
„Spence," Nyla said, standing over him. „You will stay here. I"m sorry but this trip is too dangerous – we don"t know what"s ahead."
Contrary to his tight-fisted hand, Spence surprised everyone by looking up at Nyla and Rudyard and smiling. „No problem," he said. „Have a good trip – bring me back a souvenir."
Nyla and Rudyard almost fell over. „Wel , that"s … very grown up of you," Rudyard said.
But as they walked out the door and Spence gave them another smile and a wave, I could see the doubt on their faces.
Spence was up to something, but right now I couldn"t have cared less.
Everyone else stood up and started to get organised, planning trips back to the hotel and to get supplies. I felt them to it. Instead, I zeroed in on Griffin.
„I"m going to get Lincoln," I said in a way that didn"t leave room for negotiation.
„We don"t have time, Violet." He barely looked up from his papers. „I"ve left them a message. If they miss our flight they can get a commercial plane."
„No can do, Griff. Lincoln"s not himself and if I leave him in Magda"s any longer it"s gonna be all bad."
„What are you talking about? They"re trying to wrap up an old case. Don"t get jealous over sil y things," he said, shaking his head at me, trying to fob me off.
But I didn"t have the time, or the patience right now. „Griffin, open your eyes! Lincoln and Magda have been off on some covert op since she got back. You have no idea what they"re doing and Magda never hangs around long enough to give you any more information than the bare necessities. They"ve gone after Nahilius!"
At the mention of Nahilius" name, Griffin"s eyes grew wide the way they always did when something major was dropped in his lap. He steadied himself, putting a hand on the back of a chair. Of course, the second he learned of anything that he hadn"t already been fully aware of he blamed himself.
„It"s not your fault," I tried to reassure him. „They"ve been sneaking around behind everyone"s back, but the thing is. I think Lincoln is losing perspective and I also think that Phoenix is the one doing this. He wants to keep Lincoln and me apart."
Griffin opened his mouth to speak, but I didn"t let him.
„I know you think we don"t have time to wait for them but I"m not going without him. I can"t leave him – not now, not when I know he needs me." I grabbed the backpack I"d stashed under the table.
„Go," Griffin said.
„I"l be at the airport in two hours. I promise."
I wasn"t sure what Griffin said, something about watching my back. I didn"t wait around.
The clock was ticking. If I was going to get to Lincoln it had to be now. I knew must have known where Nahilius was staying. As I walked out of Hades I spotted Onyx unpacking a case of Vodka. „You stealing or helping?" I asked, not slowing.
I wasn"t sure what griffin said, something about watching my back. I didn"t wait around.
The clock was ticking. If I was going to get Lincoln it had to be now. I knew he must have known where Nahilius was staying. As I walked out of Hades I spotted Onyx unpacking a case of vodka. „You stealing or helping?" I asked, not slowing.
„Haven"t decided yet," he said. „How about you?"
I smiled. „Just going to get what"s mine! Thanks for the info – I owe you one."
I was halfway through the door and expected to hear a demand for more bourbon, but there was nothing. He was probably working out a shopping list.
I ran a few streets, keeping an eye out for an empty taxi. Finally, I spotted one and jumped in. just as I shouted out the address of Nahilius" hotel and reached to pull the door closed, Spence flew in beside me.
„You promised," he said, closing the door behind him.
Shit. „Spence, I"m sorry, but things have changed. They have guns. For all I know so does Nahilius. I can"t risk it – you might get hurt."
„Damn it, Eden! I heard you give the address to the driver. I know where you"re going.
Don"t make me pay for my own taxi."
Here"s the thing about priorities. When your main one is on the line you find yourself doing things you would usually put in the „questionable" box. Normally, I wouldn"t risk Spence"s life just to help my own cause; normally, I would kick up a fuss and try to negotiate my way out of this; normal y … but nothing was normal about this situation and well …
priorities.
„Okay," I concealed. „But if you get dead, it"s on you."
„Hey," he shrugged, „I wouldn"t have it any other way." He buckled up and smiled with victory.
I"d deal with my conscience later.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
„ Well! Evil to some is always good to others."
Jane Austin
When the taxi pulled into the kerb, Spence and I all but scrambled out the windows, heaving for fresh air.
The driver and his taxi stank. The combination of garlic-charged body odour festering for hours on end in terry-towelling seat covers with no air conditioning, was pungent. From the moment Spence closed the door we"d been holding back the gag reflex as we tried desperately to stick our heads out the small openings the jammed windows permitted.
Stumbling onto the footpath, my head was spinning with a combination of car sickness and repulsion.
Spence took in a few deep breaths. „Wow, that was …" he scrunched his face while flapping his T-shirt – aerating.
„Yeah," I said, gasping for breath for a few cleansing intakes of fresh air, too.
Spence waited patiently while I took a moment to right myself. I hate riding in the back of cars at the best of times.
„Okay," I said eventual y as I stood straight and started to register my surroundings. „We must be close. I can sense exiles."
Spence nodded and looked around. He couldn"t sense anything yet.
We were outside the hotel Onyx had directed us to. The Luxe Grand, a five-star hotel with all the trimmings. Standing to attention in crisp white shirts beneath tailored grey waistcoats, were three doormen – one to open car doors, one to take any luggage and one to open the hotel doors for guests. It had the clichéd red carpet out the front edged with gold pillars and heavy velvet rope. It sent out a simple message – If you can"t afford to be here, go away.
Spence and I paused. I heard him scoff under his breath. He was in the same pair of baggy jeans he always word when he wasn"t in training gear and a faded green T-shirt – as opposed to his faded blue T-shirt. Spence wasn"t wel -off. I looked down at my own very average ensemble – black cargos and black long-sleeved T-shirt. At least we weren"t wearing flip-flops.
We spared each other a glance, both thinking the same thing, and shrugged simultaneously before moving towards the red-carpet entrance.
The doormen each gave us a snooty up-and-down look, but we didn"t stop. We needed to get up to Nahilius" room. Unfortunately, Onyx"s text had only said „top floor". No room number.
We powered through the lobby not wanting to draw any more attention to ourselves than we already had, and bee-lined for the lifts, deciding to take a chance that Onyx was right.
And that he wasn"t setting us up!
The top floor, which turned out to be the twenty-sixth consisted of two penthouse suites.
Spence and I pressed the number in the lift and waited.
Nothing happened.
„It"s got one of those swipey things for the top floors," Spence said, pointing to the electronic swipe machine, which was not dissimilar to the one I have outside my apartment building.
„How are we going to get one of those?" I asked, feeling everything was against ours.
Spence looked over to the reception area and then to where a maid was busy tiding up some of the lobby tables. He pulled out his mobile phone then dashed over to one of the coffee tables and grabbed a hotel notepad. He dialled a number and, after a short delay, he coughed and started talking i
n a deep voice.
„Yes. Hello, I"m staying in the penthouse on twenty-six. I"ve been in meetings all day and am on my way back to the hotel now. I"d like someone to go up and check that the air conditioning is on. Last time I walked in it was unacceptable." Then he just ended the call.
I held my hands up as I walked towards him. „I don"t understand," I said.
But then Spence dragged me back to the lifts. „Just wait," he said with a wink.
One minute later, a maid came rushing towards the lifts and pressed the up button.
Spence, who had a hand on my shoulder, put a finger to his mouth to tell me not to speak. It was then that I realised, he had us under a glamour.
The lfit bell sounded and the maid ducked through its doors. We were closed behind.
Inside, she swiped her key card and pressed the number twenty-six. Finally – I got it. I also saw what kind of glamour Spence had used – nothing. Literally, when I looked in the mirror I couldn"t see anything other than the maid. No wonder Spence wanted me to stay silent.
Who needs an invisibility cloak when you"ve got a Spence.
The ride took a lifetime. I didn"t breathed I was so scared of exposing us. Finally, the lift stopped and the doors slid silently open. Level twenty-six.
We snuck out and waited in the hall as the maid went up to one of the two doors and knocked. Spence hadn"t clarified which penthouse he was „staying" in – it was perfect. She was going to have to check both.
The door opened and a scantily-clad woman answered the door.
„Da?" she said, in what I thought was a Russian accent.
„Madam, I"m sorry but I"m just checking to see that your air conditioning is running to your satisfaction?"
The woman, who was dressed in a clingy leopard-print dress, looked at the maid like she were something she"d stepped in. Spence was shaking a little and I elbowed him to stop him laughing out loud.
„Tis fine," the woman said.
„Certainly, madam, sorry for the interruption," the maid said, backing away and giving a little curtsey as she did. I had no idea how much a night in the penthouse cost, but judging from the woman and the sheer amount of jewellery she was draped in, I was willing to bet it was a lot.