The Cost of Conjuring: A Bargain Beyond Blood

19. I'm too angry to even name this chapter

Alice leads me through the tunnels in silence. She did not joke about the storm because there's water everywhere. Dripping from pipes and cords, darkening the concrete walls, and making everything smell like wet stone.

She stops at the bottom of a stairwell that's so long I can't see the top, and before I know what's happening, she is crushing me in the warmest, most enveloping hug I've ever been subjected to.

"Please be careful and call if you need help. I know you suck at that."

My eyes burn and my throat constricts and all I manage to do is nod but it seems like she gets it. I start up the stairs and when I turn around she's already gone.

I hope I get to see her again.

Riding the subway is even weirder than usual. I've slept all day and the storm is still going. Rain hammers on the windows, obscuring the gray clouds and the even grayer city. Families and groups of old people covered to the teeth in raingear smile at me as they discuss their Sunday adventures. I play with the coin and try to hide but the sparkling pink hoodie makes that impossible.

The wind and rain smack me into the wall as soon as I leave the station and I'm soaked to my skin before I even reach the edge of the industrial park. Trash and a huge bright blue tarpaulin attack me, forcing me to sidestep right into an ankle-deep puddle to avoid getting caught.

As soon as Cera's building comes into view I know something is wrong. The big door Cera uses when she gets out at night to stretch her wings is wide open and water gushes out of it over the sidewalk and joins the small river on the roadway before going down a storm drain.

I hurry through the growing puddles as images of Cera being trapped under something enormous that smashed through the roof are replaced by ones where she's being taken down by a squad of police and QMs.

Why didn't I try to get here sooner? I should have checked on her before I went to the club, I should have—

The first thing I see as I splash through the door is Cera's black wings spread wide against the opposite wall, like she's about to take off. Or bite someone's head off.

Relief hits me so hard I almost get carried away by the small river of dirty water leaving the building.

She hasn't seen me yet. Her violet eyes are trained on a tall, lean figure dressed in black, standing in front of her. Too close for their own safety.

I stop right inside the door with freezing water gushing around my drenched boots because, over the thundering rain, I hear Li's voice, loud and clear. I have no idea how because he has his back to me, facing Cera like he isn't afraid at all. His voice is calm and colder than the rain trailing down my back.

"No, you fucked up. You failed to mention the troll lover he keeps underground. You think I'm an idiot? That I don't know when I'm being played? Is he in on it? You both will regret this."

Most of the ceiling has collapsed which explains the water and the shards of glass just visible in the murky light getting through the clouds. The burned books and melted candles appear distorted from under the water's surface, some papers float past me on their way to freedom, and the green amplifier is still in the middle of the ruined circle.

My brain is trying to interpret what Li just said and what it means. This must be a setup. He knows I'm here and is just fucking with me. That has to be it.

Cera flaps her wings, sending water everywhere. Li takes a step back and raises an arm in front of his face.

"What troll? Is Levi okay? You just left him after he did a spell? You are more worthless than I assumed."