“What will James and Gordon do to Elizabeth?” Kay asked in a whisper.
Before anyone could reply, Elizabeth’s phone buzzed on the table. The display read “unknown number” but she couldn’t risk not answering. Kay accepted the call and immediately turned on the speaker. “Hello, this is Kay.”
“Hello, Kay.”
“James!” Her voice sounded sharp, too high, and she took a breath, trying to force it lower, as Bryn looked at Ethan and brought his finger to his lips.
“Where are you, Kay?” James asked. He hesitated for a moment. “Are you… are you well? I’ve been worried.”
“Yes.” What could she say? She had survived, but only because of Ethan.
“Where are you?” James asked. “I want to see you.”
“I’m in Wales. You know that’s where I wanted to go.”
“Right now?”
“Right now, I’m standing in my gran’s kitchen wondering where she’s gone.” Her voice started to rise again as her Shadows spun angrily. “Please, James. Please tell me you haven’t done anything to her.”
There was a long pause, and all she could hear was his strained breathing. “I came to Wales to check on you,” he said eventually. “It’s all going to be okay.”
Surely, if James had traveled all the way to Wales, they should have known. Someone should have Seen something. Something more than just a vague sense of danger. “Why didn’t I… why didn’t Elizabeth—”
He cut her off. “Why didn’t she know I was coming? The blood Shadows do more than just control people and solidify. They can create wards that don’t erode. You can’t find me, Kay. Not unless I tell you where I am.”
Her pulse beat heavily in her ears, a cold sweat prickling over her neck. “Please tell me where you are so I can come and get her.”
His voice was rough as he answered. “It’s going to be okay. We just have to be calm. All will be well. I’ll protect you, I promise, but you need to do what I say.”
“No, James, it’s not okay! How the hell can you expect me to be calm and do what you say? Last time I saw you, you tied me up and controlled me with those blood Shadows.” She rubbed her cheek gently. “You hit me.”
Beside her, Ethan was almost rigid with tension. The cords of his neck stood out starkly where the muscles had bunched. But James was still speaking. “Kay, we don’t have a choice. You don’t understand—”
“Explain it to me then.”
James took a few shuddery breaths and seemed to slowly take control of himself.
His tone changed, becoming smug, condescending even, as he continued. “I told you already. This is our chance to take back our rightful place. To come out of hiding and emerge as the leaders this world so desperately needs. Imagine what we could do, Kay.”
It was a tone she’d never heard from him before, but she had heard from his uncle. God. He sounded just like Gordon.
James swallowed audibly. “I know this part is hard, but achieving important things is never going to be easy. I can protect you and Elizabeth from Gordon, but we’re going to have to give him something else.”
The panic twisting through her gut crept into her voice. “What… what does that even mean?”
He ignored her question. “There’s someone here who wants to speak to you.”
There was a shuffling noise and then she heard James demanding, “Say hello.”
A muffled voice spoke slowly, as if drugged. “Kayleigh,Cariad.”
“Granny! Elizabeth?” Kay shouted desperately, but there was no answer.
James came back on the line. “See. We’ll be together soon. All I need is for you to come and meet me… and bring me Zach and the norm.”
“Bring Zach and Ethan?” she repeated, horrified. “But he’s—” She looked at Ethan helplessly. “They’re in London!”
James sighed. “Gordon wants them dealt with. Do whatever you have to do and get them here. I’ll call you in an hour with directions.” And then he ended the call.
