“Leo said something about him saving a bunch of people.”
Cyn nodded.“That’s why his failure to save Justin and your mom pushed him over the edge.”
“And sent him to a mental hospital.I never heard from him, not even on Christmas or my birthday.”
And that hurt.He could hear it in her voice.“But now you know that he was actually trying to protect you.”
Her pained expression softened.“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
He moved through Brom’s house, small by beachfront standards.Most homes of this era had been razed and replaced by ostentatious monstrosities.Some of the old Crescents relished the past and kept them as they were.
“What the heck?”Ruby said behind him as she must have also seen the claw foot tub in the middle of the formal living room.It was filled with water and a large glass prism.
“Brom had this set up when I brought you to him all those years ago.When he saw the vision, and your father didn’t want to believe it, Brom insisted they consult a guy Justin befriended at college.Jay had figured out a way to see theDeus Vis.Normally it looks like ribbons shifting like kelp in a gentle ocean current.A solar storm will make it fluctuate, so it’s less stable.But Brom said when he checked it, the ribbons were vibrating so hard they were almost breaking apart.He called it fracturing.”
Cyn picked up the long black light on the floor and flicked the switch.He held the light over the surface, bringing ribbons inside the water to life.Disintegrating ribbons.“This is why Brom came back.He must have had another vision about theDeus Visfracturing, so he returned to Miami and put this together to confirm it.”
Ruby stared at the ribbons.“Whatever my father was doing all those years ago is happening again.”
“Looks like it.Mr.Smith wanted to make sure Brom couldn’t stop him this time.”
She met his gaze across the tub.“This is what keeps us alive, right?If these ribbons fracture, a lot of people could die.”
He snapped the light off.“Will die.”
Suddenly this was bigger than Ruby, demons, and Moncrief’s death.They remained there for several seconds as that sank in.
Finally, she blinked and looked down, then reached for a journal that was lying next to a pen on a small table.She flipped through the pages.“It’s blank, like Mon’s book.Does this mean he’s dead?”
“Moncrief’s book was created with illusion.It looks like Brom was writing in this.”Cyn searched the pages with his hands.“I feel magick.He’s hidden whatever he wrote.Did Brom try to touch you?”
“Yes.”Her mouth twisted in disgust.“He reached out like he was going to grab me.”
Yeah, she must have really thought he was mad.“Brom can impart his visions to others through touch.That may be the only way he can communicate with us.We need to find him.”He grabbed his walking stick.“Let’s go.”
They headed back down the beach, and once they were a distance from the house, he called Kade.“It’s Cyntag.Apologies for calling so early in the morning.I require your Deuce expertise.I’ve got a book I need deciphered.”
Kade’s voice was husky with sleep.“Is it in code?”
“It’s hidden.It belongs to Brom Winston.”
“TheBrom Winston?”
“Yes, and you didn’t hear that name from me.”
“You taunt me, Cyntag.You know I can’t resist all this secrecy.”
He chuckled.“I do.”He slid a glance to Ruby.“I hear I’m a master manipulator, as a matter of fact.”
Kade’s low laugh rumbled over the phone.“Oh, yeah, I gotta hear this.”
“Where can we meet?Like now.”
Once he’d made arrangements and disconnected, Ruby asked, “Can you trust this guy?”
“We worked together in the Guard for a long time.Serving in the Guard is like being a cop or in the military.We’ve covered for each other, kept each other’s secrets, and saved each other’s lives.He’s still there, so we haven’t had much to talk about since I quit.Thus, the answer to your question about trusting him is… mostly.”
“Why did you quit?Seems like you were in it a long time.”
