I move silently to the rug by the fireplace, pry up the floorboard and retrieve the tome resting beneath it as the illusion remains. She moves to the desk. She doesn’t look like much of a warrior, but the way she moves…
Maybe a spy or a tracker.
I glance down at the tome in my hand:The History of Wolf Bloodlines.
Keeping it firmly in one hand, I step toward her, studying her carefully as I weigh my options.
If I interrogate her, she would alert the others, and capture would end the same way…
Or I could give her the illusion of finding the tome, if it is what she’s looking for.
If that’s the case, would they leave?
Let’s test it out.
I make the corner of the rug appear slightly bent, she’ll definitely notice it.
Then I wait and watch as she hurries towards the cabinet near the window, but stops when her eyes fall on the rug, before she yanks it back and pries open the floorboard that is usually hidden far better than how I make it appear to her.
“Found it…” she breathes, her hands wrapping around a book that looks just like the one I’m holding. I watch as she finds five more, all illusions created by me. I’m risking this by showing her the titles I think are the safest to share, but I didn’t have enough time to think this out properly.
She’s still for a moment before she nods to herself and moves towards the door, grabbing the bag she’s carrying on her back. She shoves the books in, and I step in front of her, raise my hand and drag my nail down the centre of her forehead.
She’ll have a short while… and then she’ll be dead. I’m taking a gamble here. If they are here for the tomes, then this may make them leave. I can hold the illusion for a while, but it’ll wear off the moment she dies.
Her eyes widen for a fraction of a second before she hurries towards the door, leaving.
I give her a few minutes before I leave the office with the tome in hand, but then pause, glancing back at Dad’s office. Unease crawls up my spine as a disturbing thought crosses my mind.
No other room seems to have been touched.
They didn’t search anywhere else.
They knew exactly where to look.
All IAsk
Unknown POV
If she didn’t go to my room or stick her nose where it wasn’t wanted, I wouldn’t have to do this. This battle has given me the perfect cover. Now, I just have to get away from the battlefield without anyone realising. Something that is hard when everyone is around.
I slip through the trees towards the bunkers. I know she won’t be inside, after all, she’s such a do-gooder. She’ll be out there protecting the entrance.
My parents are fucking embarrassments. Always at the beck and call of everyone else. Pathetic. We’re meant to be the Deimos bloodline, not dogs!
Rage burns inside of me like poison, my eyes simmering as I stop. Just as I predicted, there she is.
I stay in the shadows, watching as she attacks a manananggal. She’s quick on her feet, even though the monster towers over her.
“Get them down below! I got this!” Mom shouts to two of the warriors as another two warriors rush over with several pack members.
How stupid. She thinks she’ll be fine alone.
I scoff silently.
Or so she thinks.
The manananggal shrieks as she blinds it, its claws scraping uselessly at its ruined face, and I move closer, masking myself completely, letting her attention stay where I want it, letting her believe the danger is still in front of her and not coming towards her from the shadows.
