“For the same reason you came here in the first place. Viktor would have never allowed you to negotiate on Cyrus’s turf. You came here knowing that you’d never leave. Keeping the book away from him hasn’t solved your problems, so let’s see what happens.” She laced her fingers over her knee. “It’s a spellcasting book, isn’t it? I said a word, and it worked.”
He frowned. “What worked?”
“Has anyone ever explained how to cast spells from the book? You don’t just read the words, Niko. You have to touch them, and it activates the energy. I’m willing to bet that only a Mage can unlock the power. It’s a process of give-and-take when you read the words, like it needs your core energy.” Gem reached out and seized Niko’s wrist. “Don’t you understand? Even if Cyrus learns how to read it, does he know how to use it? I bet he doesn’t, and that means it’ll always be useless to him.”
“Then what do you propose?”
Gem straightened her posture. “If I can convince him to let me stay and translate the book, I might find something in there I can use against him. Something that will get us out of this mess.”
“You don’t understand the power in the book.”
“If I can wield energy balls, I can wield words.”
Niko appeared statuesque before her. So much taller than she was. His stony expression gave nothing away as he sat quietly and stared into the void. Though Gem was a Mage of fifty, she felt like a child at his feet. Ancients lived more lifetimes than she could imagine. They had witnessed the evolution of science and religion. Some immortals went mad after a few thousand years, and others took their own lives. The vast majority simply died in battles or after attacks. Gem had rarely met anyone Niko’s age, and she’d most certainly never met anyone who was over five thousand, but she knew they were out there. Immortals that old terrified her. No one lived that long because of luck.
Even now as she sat before Niko, a man she considered a friend, she felt intimidated by his power and knowledge. She always had.
“Do you hate me?” Gem’s voice quavered as she reached out and held his wrist.
Niko immediately loosened her grip and held her hand between his. “No, braveheart. You did what you thought was right, and for that, there is no fault. My sensei taught me an important lesson: choices are not about results; they’re about intentions. Perhaps my choices worked for a long time, but now I can no longer avoid making different ones. My intention has always been to protect the book, but if it comes at the cost of your life or someone else’s, I have failed.”
She stood up and tugged on his arm. “Well, the first thing we’re going to do is get that bracelet of doom off your ankle. Cyrus is making good on that promise.”
Niko rose to his feet. He was naturally more than a half a foot taller than her, but Gem’s shoes gave her extra height.
“What’s your plan?” he inquired.
Gem liked that Niko trusted her even if she didn’t have all the answers. “My plan is to convince Cyrus that he needs me. The more time I can spend with that book, the better.”
“Gem, you should go. If there’s an opportunity for you to leave—”
“Then I would be a fool to take it. I’m not leaving you here, not with that insidious monster.” She waved her hand in front of his face. “Niko, can you see my light?”
He shook his head. “My world is dark again. Even in an empty room, I’ve always been able to see my own energy. Stones and fire give off light. The stars and moon shine. But now I’m alone in the dark.”
Tears welled in her eyes. If Cyrus didn’t make good on his promise to remove the ankle cuff, Gem would make his life a living hell. “How many are still out there, Niko? Who’s the threat?”
“Kallisto.”
Only one. As long as the others remained here, she would only have to worry about the one. “Raven’s father and all his Shifter friends are guarding the mansion. I don’t see how one man could get past all those wolves, and even if he did, there are so many rooms in the mansion to hide in. Switch is keeping a close watch on Hunter. This Kallisto person wouldn’t act without permission, would he?”
“Cyrus speaks with him every three hours. Knowing Cyrus, if Kallisto doesn’t hear from him, he’ll execute whatever order he was given.”
Gem seethed at the idea. “Even if Cyrus is dead? He’ll be free to do what he wants. Why would he have any desire to remain loyal?”
“They were once Tengrists but did away with religion when Cyrus became their god. That’s what an evil genius does. He doesn’t just become a leader; he becomes a deity over his followers until they no longer question him or allow anything external to influence them. They doubt everyone’s word but that of their leader. That’s why Plato follows him even in death. They weren’t always like this, but I recognized the turning point. And when Cyrus discovered the power in this book, I knew my only choice was to steal it. You’ve given him more than a book, Gem. You’ve given him true power.”
“Power that I promise he’ll never understand how to use,” she said firmly. “We just have to figure out a way to find Kallisto. That’s the only wild card.”
“And if we cannot?”
Gem shifted her stance and gripped the cuffs of her black sweater. “Then I guess we have to figure out a way to outsmart him.”
Niko drew closer. “You’re a young Mage full of optimism, but before you make this choice, I want you to consider what’s at stake. You could die. Your immortal life will end along with your knowledge, and he will cast you into the fire without a second thought. This isn’t your battle to fight. You can walk away, and Keystone will go on without me. I might find a way out of this, or I might not, but this is my burden to bear. Gem, you could die,” he said, his voice cracking.
Gem’s heart clenched when she felt the raw emotion in Niko’s tone. She had never known the feeling of someone caring about her. Even her own Creator had taught her that death was inevitable for most, so it was better to avoid emotional attachment. Gem had broken that rule with Hooper, and to some degree, she had allowed herself to care for Keystone. Enough that she was willing to die for them.
Gem sprang into his arms and hugged him tight even though he barely touched her back. “Oh, Niko. Don’t you see? Keystone is the only family I’ll ever have, and I’ll never leave you behind.Never. If that means we die together, then at least we won’t be alone.”
