His eyes bugged out of his head. “Harley James?”
I shifted uncomfortably. I didn’t guess there were too many females named Harley around here. Or maybe there were.
“She’s probably almost nineteen?” I did some random math in my head and hoped it was right.
Snake nodded. “That’s Harley James. Youngest Shade to ever make master. She’s insanely powerful. Best portal maker we have.”
Chills broke out onto my skin, and I noticed even Dash looked slightly nervous. “You know where she lives?” he asked his old friend.
“She’s got a place at The Plaza with all the other master Shades.”
Great. My freaking Shade sister was amaster. This just got a whole lot more complicated.
“Are you friends with her? Can you call her over?” I asked hopefully.
He scoffed. “I wish. She only hangs with the elite Shades, masters, and level tens. Not guys like me.”
Level tens. My sister hangs out with level tens? Kill me now.
My body went numb then, and the realization that I might not be walking out of here with a loyal family member settled into my bones. This news changed everything.
Gage seemed to sense my distress and wrapped an arm around me.
“I guess we’re going to The Plaza, then.” Dash rubbed his jaw, clearly working on a plan.
Snake grinned. “They’re having a party tonight. The Master Hunter Awards. I’m DJ’ing.”
Ahh, the Snake with headphones made more sense now.
“Can you get us in?” Dash asked.
Snake shrugged. “If you want to help set up my booth and then disappear, it’s no sweat off my back.”
We all sighed in collective relief. We knew where my sister was and we had a way into her apartment building.
“What does she look like? Harley? So if we spot her I can talk to her,” I asked.
Snake looked me over, resting on my blonde hair. “A lot like you, but with black hair.”
Great. Hopefully it wasn’t too obvious we were sisters. I didn’t want to advertise that.
He pulled out his phone and scrolled through some pictures, finally stopping on one and holding it out to us. It looked like it was from a professional website, and when I glanced at the banner at the top I readShade Academy Los Angeles All Stars. I peered down the page and stared at the beautiful dark-haired girl with ice-blue eyes. Her skin was pale with a smattering of freckles over the bridge of her upturned nose. She looked a little like Sam but also a lot like our father. I wondered if people could see Apollyon when they looked at me too, and the thought gave me the major creeps.
In the photo Harley was wearing an all-knowing smirk, but there was no life behind her eyes. She looked hollow, empty. It was hard to explain, but it made me sad.
“Thanks,” I muttered, turning away from him.
“I really appreciate this, man. I can pay you for the info and getting us into the party tonight. I know you make extra cash that way,” Dash told him.
Snake seemed to consider the offer. “Nah. Maybe next time. This one is free.”
Dash looked shocked, like he didn’t think their friendship would have weathered the time he was away. I didn’t know their story, but clearly they’d been close.
“Thanks. I owe you,” Dash told him.
Snake nodded. “Don’t get caught. And if you do, I haven’t seen you in years.”
We all inclined our head in agreement. Snitches get stitches, so I wasn’t going to say a word.
