“Any word from the vamp? She said she’d take care of Zacharias’s guards.”
Morgan shook her head. “I haven’t heard. There must be a reason. But I expect when the sun goes down, she’ll contact us. You changed the subject. How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. What did you find?”
Morgan handed Rowan one of the folders she had taken from Zacharias’s desk and sank down in a chair opposite him. “You should read this. As you can see, the title page reads,Sodom and Gomorrah.”
“Catchy title.”
She smiled. “I thought so as well. We must give humans credit for their provocative way with words. Inside the folder is a list of cities across the globe, and on the line beside each city are rating charts and a box indicating the date for extermination unless signs of redemption are found.”
Rowan whistled through his teeth. “Bloody freaking hell. Wizards dedicated their lives to protecting humans. But there is a twisted reality to it. They formed a truce with humans and it’s looking as though they were betrayed. With Wizards out of the way, the Talons could do whatever they wanted without the Wizard guardrails stopping them. Do they give a reason for their genocide? Humans also like to create a reason for why they wage war.”
“Their excuse is in the title,Sodom and Gomorrah. They mention the ancient cities numerous times and the reason that God destroyed them was because the people were evil, concerned only with their own pleasure, and no longer believed in a higher power.”
Rowan sat up straighter. “The Talons have long believed they should have the right to root out wrongdoers. It’s one of theirconsistent mantras. Over the centuries, there have been many names they petitioned to be killed, in the name of cleansing the world of evil. Wizards and reasonable humans required proof and the rule of law. It sounds to me as though the Talons want to circumvent that longstanding edict.”
Morgan closed the file. “It’s worse than that. The Talons may have moved from punishing individuals they feel are immoral or unworthy to dealing with entire cities, states and countries. If I’m reading these charts correctly, they want to destroy places they deem unworthy by using a planned series of natural disasters, blaming each catastrophe on climate change or global warming.”
“It’s all making sense. That’s why they brought in Vlad and the Grey Council. They need the Wizards to manipulate the weather and make it look like a natural disaster. Vlad thinks he’s playing Constantine, but it’s the other way around. When the Talons have what they want, they will use the Oculist drug to murder anyone who stands in their way.” Rowan rested his elbows on his knees and held his head in both hands. “Genius. Is there a timeline?”
“The first phase begins this summer.” She left her chair and knelt beside him, placing the back of her hand on his forehead. “You’re ice cold.”
“I feel like shit. Of course, learning the Talons mean to bring about Armageddon doesn’t help. Hard to face the fact that Vlad has turned psycho. He was never a good guy, but this is another level. I’m hoping he doesn’t know the true end game. But it would be like him to think that if he does what the Talons want, they won’t turn against him. We’ll have to find a way to bring this to the Grey Council without Vlad finding out.” Rowan clenched his jaw. “I think it’s this damn bullet in my shoulder. It’s giving me chills. It feels like I’ve been swimming with polar bears.”
Morgan examined Rowan’s wound. “I don’t understand it. I removed the bullet and cleaned and washed the wound.”
Rowan squeezed his eyes shut. His expression shadowed in pain. “You should leave. I think the bullet contained poison, or else I’m still suffering from the side effects of exposure to Oculist power in Stryker’s house.” He grimaced, holding his stomach. “Either way, you’re not safe. Promise me you will kill me before I can harm you.”
She brushed hair off his forehead. His skin was like ice. “Rowan. You must know by now that I won’t leave you.”
“Morgan…” He doubled over in pain and fell to the floor, unconscious.
Silence sliced through the air like shards of glass.
Rowan had said, “…kill me before I can harm you.” His words changed everything. He thought not of himself, but of her. He had given up, but she would not, could not.
She was glad Rowan had lost consciousness. He wouldn’t have agreed to her suggestion of where she planned to go for help. She knew asking the Grey Council was out of the question. Their solution would be swift. They’d order Rowan killed. The only option was Cassandra and the Trolls’ compound. They might turn her down for the same reason the Grey Council would, but she had to try.
She reached for her cell phone, ordered a taxi, and prayed it wasn’t already too late. She also sent a message to Wiz. She couldn’t do this alone.
****
The ride in the taxi to the Trolls’ compound had been uneventful. Now, the difficult part began. “Stop here,” she said to the taxi driver and handed him cash that exceeded the fare. Wiz bounded from the cab and headed for a stand of trees and bushes as the driver helped her with Rowan.
“Are you sure this is where you want to go? We’re out in the middle of nowhere. All I see are trees and an old rusted-out truck. Your man needs a hospital.”
The man was middle-aged, balding, with a wife he loved and three children he adored. Morgan had read all of that in the taxi driver’s thoughts on the drive from Sorsha’s house on Capitol Hill to the Trolls’ hidden compound. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t leave a stranded woman and an injured man out in the middle of nowhere. He would have to have a nudge.
She rested her hand on his arm, gently sending soothing words into his thoughts. She told him everything would be okay. She suggested that he’d seen an ambulance pull up and medics help Rowan into the vehicle. For good measure, she placed in his thoughts that he’d overheard one of the medics say that Rowan would be okay.
The driver stepped back and nodded to the woman. “You have a good day. I’m glad your man will be okay.”
As the taxi drove off, trees parted and the entrance to the compound opened of its own accord. She fervently hoped that when she’d told the driver Rowan would recover, it hadn’t been wishful thinking.
The Trolls were known for healing. Their skills exceeded even those of female Wizards. The magical community praised their goodwill to help others. There was only one group they refused to give their aid—male Wizards. She was taking a big risk coming here. She was unsure of the reception Rowan would have.
Cassandra’s voice entered Morgan’s thoughts with tight urgency.“As always, your presence here is a great honor, but why did you bring a Fire Wizard to us? He will do us harm.”
