Levi doesn’t try to backtrack his statement. “As far as I can tell, he has a handful of others. He’s also one of the few mythics strong enough to utilize god objects without killing himself. So, if you want to heal Clementine, then he’s the one we need, and I can almost guarantee he’ll demand the knife as payment. And honestly, I’d rather have it guarded by him than passed around the town.”
“He shouldn’t have as much power as he does,” Georgiana mutters.
“What he does and doesn’t have doesn’t matter right now,” Griffith cuts through The Council bickering with a firm voicethat has me thinking he could be a leader if he wanted to be. “What matters is, will he help us? Will he help Clem?”
I think back on the monster who pulled me from the lake when I was dying and kept me company after wrapping me in a silk robe.
Even after all that, I still don’t know what he’ll say. But there’s only one way forward as far as I can tell.
“Let’s go ask him.”
31
CLEMENTINE
“You’re quitethe damsel in distress, aren’t you?” Sev smirks at me from his front porch, where he insisted we bring the god object and the hunter if we wanted his help.
I sigh. “Seems so. I’m not exactly happy about needing to be saved. Again. At all.”
“Are you able to use the god object or not?” Griffith asks with an obvious restrained tension.
He’s even less happy than I am about the idea of me potentially being indebted to this morally gray monster.
Sev takes his time examining the blade, running his fingers over every detail. In my mind, the blade was larger, almost sword length. But that must have been the fear and pain distorting my memory because the weapon isn’t even the length of my forearm. Still wicked sharp and capable of doing irreparable damage, but not the saber of my nightmares.
As Luke claimed, when two of the jewels are pressed in and the hilt twisted, it slides open a hidden capsule. Inside lies a gold powder no one has been allowed to touch for safety reasons. Thepowder is apparently what has the means to heal me if wielded by a powerful enough hand.
“For my help, the payment is this.” Sev holds up the dagger. “It is mine now.”
“Now wait—” Georgiana begins, stepping forward with a frown on her beauty-queen face.
“Done.”
We all turn to face Luke, who spoke like he has any kind of negotiating power in this situation. Currently, his hands are cuffed in front of him, and he stands, flanked by Carl and Levi.
“This isn’t your deal to make,” Juan snarls at him. Like Georgiana, the Of the Claw council member does not seem fully on board with calling in Sev.
Problem is, neither had alternative solutions, and they aren’t the ones actively dying.
Luke ignores Juan, keeping his attention on Sev. “One day, they will realize I’ve never been a danger to this town. When that happens, they will feel obligated to return all that was taken from me. But I won’t reclaim the dagger. If you heal Clementine, then it is yours.”
Sev saunters forward, extending a hand that is suddenly sporting a collection of claws. “Swear it.”
Luke’s wrists are still cuffed, but he extends his arms and doesn’t flinch when Sev slashes a small cut on his forearm. The second wound of his for the night, the first one only starting to clot.
“I swear the dagger is yours once Clementine Divos is healed from her mortal wound.”
The monster grins wide, slicing a small gash in his own skin for the blood exchange. “Deal.”
Georgiana huffs, and Juan growls, but Selena and Levi watch with silent acknowledgment. Moira preemptively gave her approval, but had to head home to relieve their babysitter.
Sev ignores The Council members, instead approaching Griffith.
“You need to feed the powder to her.”
Griffith frowns. “I’m not even an alpha. You expect me to have the juice to fuel a god object? You trying to kill me?”
“Listen closely, children.” Sev speaks in an instructional voice. “Not all objects need power. Many simply require intention. Do any of you know the story of this dagger? No. Of course not. Can’t believe the Shelly witch hasn’t come across it yet.”
