"Now you remember," he whispered.
"What are you?" she forced through numb lips.
The man rubbed his forefinger and thumb together as he considered her. "Something old and forgotten."
There was a tone to his voice that told Eva she was no longer speaking to the body's owner. Whatever bargain he'd made with the darkness allowed it to use him like a puppet.
Eva's heart sped up as she tried to remain in control.
"I was like you once. A Caller. I was imprisoned many ages before the mythologicals were betrayed and bound to that place." He looked around. "Not much has changed."
Eva's eyes followed him as he stood. "If you're a Caller, why are you doing this?"
The puppet laughed. "Because it's fun—and I like power."
Eva paused.
He arched an amused eyebrow at her. "Were you not expecting such a simple answer? You must have felt it yourself. The potential for more."
Eva pressed her lips together as his stare held hers.
"No matter. You'll learn," he said when she didn't answer.
"You're not going to win." She tried to hold on to that belief.
Even if she died here, there were still the Trateri and Caden. Others would stop him.
One corner of the puppet's lips raised. "Maybe if I didn't have you. It's going to be fun corrupting you until you lead me, of your own free will, to the mythologicals and those humans who are special."
I won't.Eva kept the words locked deep in her heart.
She had to play this smart. He would hurt her when he realized she wasn't going to cooperate. Truthfully, he was probably going to hurt her anyway, but she'd delay it as long as she could.
A man entered the cave. "Neil, there's movement in the hills where we left our tracks. The Trateri are massing."
The puppet drew back. "Right on time."
The puppet's eyes changed as his master faded, leaving Neil's dead gaze behind. He headed for the mouth of the cave, the rest of his followers falling into step behind him.
All but one, the man who'd delivered the message. The stranger sent a probing look Eva's way.
"Today, we excise a piece of the infection from our lands," Neil preached.
There was an avid look on the faces of those watching him. An obsession that made Eva's skin crawl.
She was quiet as she studied them. She opened her senses, thinning the mental wall Polaris had coached her to make, while still keeping it raised.
Darkness pressed in on her, making her want to vomit. The majority of those in front of Eva contained small patches of darkness that spread throughout their bodies. A cancer they didn't realize was eating them from the inside out.
Only a few were free of taint—including the man who'd brought the message.
There was a roar from those present as Neil finished.
"What do we do with the woman?" the blond from before asked.
Neil cast a look Eva's way. "Whatever you want as long as she's alive in the end."
Eva controlled her breathing as the leader took the majority of the men with him, leaving only three behind—the messenger from before among them.
