The Rephaim: Burn Part 22

A long pause. 'f.u.c.k,' Rafa says. And then he frowns. 'Who told you?'

'Dani.'

'Ah.'

'She had a vision about Jude and me and wanted to tell us. Only us. Jason was against it, but she convinced him to reach out.' I shift position so I'm talking to Ez. Her face is the least accusing. 'That's what brought Jude and me together last year. And then we met Dani and found out what she'd seen. Not just about Semyaza, but about a ritual using our blood that could open the portal. So we tried-but we failed because we didn't know the rest of the prophecy, about all of us having to agree to it.'

'Why didn't you tell anyone at the Sanctuary what you were doing?' Rafa asks me, and then to Jude: 'Why didn't you tell us? Why'd you go it alone?' He's frustrated. Stung. 'What the h.e.l.l were you going to do if you released them?'

Jude doesn't flinch. 'We were both done with the bulls.h.i.t. All of it: the lies at the Sanctuary, our crews despising each other, not knowing why we exist. Being apart. We figured that even if we died releasing the Fallen, the Garrison would at least show up. That there might be some resolution for the rest of you.' A grim smile. 'Of course that plan backfired big-time.'

Rafa's eyes flick from Jude to me and back again. 'So who stopped Bel? Who changed your memories?'

'Seriously, man, we don't know. But it has to have been an archangel, right? I have no idea who but I know why-he didn't want us trying to get to the Fallen again. I still don't get the point, given we only had half the prophecy. We were never going to be able to release them on our own.'

Rafa shifts his attention back to me, as if everything will make sense if he stares at me long enough. I feel exposed, sc.r.a.ped raw.

In the distance, a siren starts up. Sounds like Mick's burning ute's been found.

I take a moment to check the mood of the camp. Rephaim stare at me. Stare past me. Stare at their boots. Expressions caught somewhere between shock and bewilderment. Except Daisy. She's p.i.s.sed off and makes no attempt to hide it when our eyes lock.

'So Daniel was right?'

I bristle. 'No, he wasn't.'

'You just admitted you tried to free the Fallen.'

'But we didn't betray everyone.'

'Then what do you call it, Gabriella?' A new voice, behind me.

Rifles are c.o.c.ked as I turn to see Daniel step out of the forest.

'Why the f.u.c.k do we even bother with a sentry?' Rafa snaps at Mick.

Mick glares over his barrel. 'There's a lot of s.h.i.t going down here at the moment. It's distracting.'

Daniel is wearing jeans, hiking boots and a t-shirt and his hair is damp around his forehead. He shifted in far enough away that we wouldn't feel him and hiked in. It's not like he doesn't know the way now.

'You and Jude were going to loose Semyaza and the Two Hundred. You were prepared to die and leave them for us to deal with, without warning. What do you call that if not betrayal?'

Memories of Daniel rush over me. Our friendship, our brief intimacy; his varying degrees of disappointment in me. And then I remember my visit to the Sanctuary in search of Maggie.

He's standing there calmly pointing out my mistakes, after everything he's done this past week?

I don't think. I shift. When I materialise, I give him a half-second's warning before I lash out. It should've been enough time for him to defend himself, but he wasn't expecting an attack. Not from me-the old me or the new one.

I kick him hard in the solar plexus before he starts to counter, and then collect him with an uppercut to his chin. The punch reverberates up my arm and into my shoulder. He staggers sideways, grunts.

'That's for the cage,' I say between gritted teeth as Daisy skids to a stop next to me.

'What are you doing?' she says, but doesn't attempt to interfere.

I ignore her, watch Daniel steady himself and turn delicately to spit blood behind him.

'I didn't remember how to fight and you fed me to a f.u.c.king h.e.l.l-beast. Did you really believe I'd understand that act of betrayal once I remembered who I was?'

He straightens and rubs his chin. 'Do you want to take another swing, then, for the other h.e.l.lion?'

'What other h.e.l.lion?' Daisy asks. Behind me, I hear everyone else moving closer.

'How do you think Bel found Jude and me in Idaho? Remember the h.e.l.l-beast we brought back from Iceland? Daniel fed it my blood when he knew I'd gone to meet Jude and then Nathaniel used it to try to track me. Daniel didn't only lose his h.e.l.lion in that little experiment, he delivered it straight to Bel. A h.e.l.lion with my scent fresh in its filthy nostrils.'

'Oh s.h.i.t,' Micah mutters.

'Do you want to take another swing at him?' Jude asks.

Do I? It would be so gratifying to make him bleed a little more. But it's not going to change what either of us have done, so what's the point? I shake my head.

'Pity,' Jude says. 'Okay, Daniel, what are you doing here?'

Daniel finally acknowledges Jude. 'I took an educated guess you would be reckless enough to come back to this camp.'

'That wasn't the question.'

A pause. 'I wanted to see if you had a plan for Zarael.' Daniel's gaze slips back to me. 'When did your memories return?'

'A few hours ago.'

'Are you here officially?' Daisy asks.

'No.' Daniel dabs at the corner of his mouth, checks his fingertip for blood.

'Are you joining us?'

Daniel gives her a flat look. 'No, Daisy. But I am curious about the timing of Gabriella and Jude's memory recall.'

'Get over it,' Jude says, losing patience.

'As usual, you miss the forest for the trees.'

'As usual you're a patronising d.i.c.khead.'

'Did it occur to you there's a reason your memories have been returned to you right now?'

'And what would that be?' Jude asks.

'If you're right, and an archangel took your memories only to give them back a year later, it might be because Zarael's retaliation for the farmhouse attack is more significant than you believe. If he leads his horde here, it might be the trigger for the final war between heaven and h.e.l.l.'

'Wow,' Jude says, bitter. 'You're laying that on us? b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, Daniel, you're on fire.'

I stare at Daniel. Is it possible he's right? My stomach twists at the thought.

Then I realise what he's not saying.

'You didn't know I had my memories back before you decided to come here,' I say. 'You came to see if we had a plan. Why?'

He studies me for a moment, seems to be about to respond. And then his gaze flicks to Rafa. To the mark on his jaw.

'Gabriella has her memories back and that's the extent of your injuries?' He doesn't hide his disappointment.

Rafa eyeb.a.l.l.s him, dark and dangerous. 'You worry about your f.u.c.k-ups, Pretty Boy, and I'll worry about mine.'

Daniel's lips twitch in a bitter smile. 'So you, Jude and Rafa...you've sorted your differences?'

'It's a work in progress,' I say.

'And this is where you want to be right now, with this group?'

'Yes.'

He studies me for a long moment, and I can see him readjusting his thinking. 'Then this group is in good hands.' He disappears.

Leaves swirl where he was standing. I watch them settle back to the ground and try to get a grip on my frustration. But my insides churn with anger and guilt.

And a creeping certainty that everything's about to turn to s.h.i.t.

TIPPING POINT.

'You know why he came here,' Daisy says, clipping her words. A strand of red hair falls over her freckled cheek. 'He came to make sure we've got the situation handled.'

Rafa scoffs. 'And if we don't? Is he sending us back-up?'

'I don't know what he was planning, Rafa, but everything's changed, now, hasn't it?'

'Why, because the truth's a lot more complicated than any of us would like?'

'It's changed because now we all know how much we've been lied to.' Daisy's voice is getting louder. She doesn't look at me, but she doesn't have to. I've already seen how deeply it cuts her that I didn't tell her what was going on last year.

'Then why don't you run back to the Sanctuary?' Rafa says.

'What's the point? Nathaniel's a liar too.' Her eyes graze over the rest of the Rephaim. They're restless now. Agitated and unsure. Tightening weapon straps. Flexing fingers. 'n.o.body else here got anything to say about all this?' Daisy demands.

Taya glances at Malachi and then away, cradles her bandaged hand. Jones fiddles with the leather on his sword hilt. Micah watches me and I can almost see him putting the pieces together, a.s.sembling the bigger picture. Mya is tensed, ready to fight or shift, and Jess's hand rests on the b.u.t.t of the pistol holstered against her ribs.

'What do you want to hear, Daisy?' Zak's deep voice fills the clearing. He's on the far side of the camp, gripping his sword so tight I can see the tendons on his forearm. 'You want us to turn our backs on Gabe and Jude now? Is that it?'

'That's not what I'm saying. I want to know how you lot feel. What are you thinking, Zak?'

'I don't know.'

'Me neither and that's my point. We're about to go into a battle-maybe the biggest and s.h.i.ttiest of all time-and the trust is gone. How are we supposed to do that?'

'What's the matter, Daisy? Scared to go into a real fight without Nathaniel to hide behind?' Mya snaps. She's hanging here by a thread and still she can't help but pick a fight with Daisy.

Daisy turns on her, eyes blazing. Rising to the bait. This is a feeling she understands. 'No, Mya, I'm scared to go into a fight if you're the one covering my back because you're a traitor.'

Mya takes the insult. Feeds on it. 'Yeah, well at least I don't just play at being rebellious when there's nothing at stake.'

'What am I doing right now?'

'Whining like a b.i.t.c.h.'

Daisy draws her twin-bladed sais a good second before Mya unsheathes her katana. They lunge towards each other-and then Ez is between them. Shifted from beside Zak. Her knives are out and she points one at each of them, brings them up short. She's breathing hard, eyes wild.

'Don't move, either of you. I f.u.c.king mean it!'

They both falter and I sense the shock around the camp. Ez never loses her temper. Never. Even Mick looks startled, and he barely knows her. He lays his shotgun on the roof of the ute, slowly, nods at his boys to do the same.

'I am sick of all this fighting.' Ez stands firm, arms outstretched and blades steady. Daisy and Mya lower their weapons. 'No wonder Jude and Gabe tried to force an outcome last year. Yes, they kept secrets they shouldn't have. They weren't alone.' She glances at Mya. 'But ripping each other apart doesn't change any of that, any more than it brings us closer to the truth.'

Relief ripples through me. Ez hasn't wiped us yet.

'The last twenty-four hours have been tough on all of us, and the last twenty minutes have not helped.' Ez finally relaxes her arms, although she doesn't sheathe her knives. She scans the group: Outcasts and Jess, Sanctuary exiles, the Butler crew. Rafa, Jude and me. 'Everyone needs time out. So go do whatever you need to for a few hours. Get some sleep, train, eat, hook up, I don't care. Just get your heads straight.'

I have no right to ask anything of anyone right now, but I have to. 'Listen, no matter how you feel about Jude and me-or Mya-Zarael's still coming and we need your help.'

Ez is the only Rephaite who meets my eye. Nods. She checks her watch and holds up a hand to the others. 'Zak and I will be in town at five, at a bar called Rick's. If you're still in, you can join us there.'

There's shuffling and muttering, and then half the group is gone without saying goodbye. Mya glances at Jude-he doesn't meet her gaze-and reaches for Jess. They disappear.

'Thank you,' I say to Ez.

'Don't thank me yet.' She says it over her shoulder on her way to Zak. 'I need time too.' Zak nods at Rafa and then he and Ez shift. My stomach dips as more Rephaim leave. Malachi, Micah, Taya. Daisy and Jude have a tense, silent exchange and then she's gone too.

Now it's only Rafa, Jude and me, and the Butlers.

'Think they'll show at Rick's?' Rusty asks, climbing down from the flatbed truck.

'I don't know.' Jude leans back on the car, glances at Rafa. 'I have no clue how this is going to play out.'

Weariness washes over me. I need a shower and another hour or so of sleep. But there's something else I need to do first.

'I'm going to see Dani.' I check Jude was listening and then lock eyes with Rafa. 'I'll be back at my place later if you want to talk.'

'What do you-'

I shift without waiting for him to finish.