Chapter Twelve
She looked so peaceful sleeping there on his couch, her long lashes resting on her still pale cheeks.
Guilt ate at Magnus. Knowing the reason for her pale complexion was his fault weighed on him, but he’d had no choice. For whatever reasons, the speed of his kind could have negative effects on people, even beyond what might be expected. He had no idea what that implied about its source, and normally he didn’t care. Still, he was convinced that had they not fled, she’d be dead.
Something had been in those woods with them. Whatever it was gave him an odd feeling. Like somehow he knew who it was, but couldn’t bring the person to mind. That was odd for a hybrid. Everyone had a special smell, but this person was just out of reach. Of course, there was always the possibility that the Horatius Group had developed some new horror to send at them. It’s not like they were constrained by mere morality.
Someone knocked at the door. He hurried to answer it before Lara woke up.
Rem stood on the other side of the door with a grim expression. He glanced over to Lara on the couch and nodded outside. Magnus stepped out and closed the door.
“What did you find?” Magnus asked. Even a small bit of clarity would help him feel better about the situation.
Rem handed him his phone and Lara’s keys.
“We got her car out,” Rem said. “It’s parked just outside.”
Magnus nodded and stuck the items in his pocket.
“We couldn’t find whoever was out there,” Rem said. “Marcus combed the whole area, but came up with nothing. Whoever was out there knew how to hide themselves.”
“The Group?”
“Not sure.” Rem shook his head, his green eyes narrowing in annoyance. “But I don’t think so. Not like this. It’s too cagey, too subtle. There’s no reason to work our nerves instead of just taking us on.” He shrugged. “It might be those Azilians, but they don’t even seem to know we’re here,” he said. “I just can’t figure it out. It’s like there’s something we’re missing. A Glycon or two would be nice at this point. At least we’d know what we were dealing with.”
It was strange. A group of hybrids not knowing what was skulking in the woods was very disconcerting, especially considering the kinds of things that might be hunting them.
“What are we going to do about the Azilians?” Magnus asked. “Even if they have nothing to do with what’s in the woods, Lara’s right. They are up to something.”
Rem ran a hand down his face and leaned against the rail to the porch. The toll of leadership seemed to be wearing on him. Magnus was just glad that it wasn’t him in that position. He knew some had thought he should be the leader, but he was more than happy to follow Rem. After all, it was Rem that had won them their freedom.
When they were still prisoners together and Rem had come to him about his plans to escape, he’d thought maybe he’d finally lost it. All those times when he’d had to do his brother’s bidding, Rem had just done what he was told. They all had. Romulus wasn’t someone you fucked with easily, and if you did, death would be a release from his revenge.
Still, Magnus couldn’t get the idea of escape out of his mind. Rem’s confidence inspired his own, despite the plan.
The plan was crazy. It meant that Rem would be in danger that neither of them would be able to pull him out of if things went south. Yet, he still took the risk.
So they set the plan in motion. Rem would pose the idea to his brother that he be a spy in the Luna camp, that he escape from Vanessa with the Luna hybrids and find out all they could.
Just that alone was crazy, but the reality was even more so. While in the camp, Rem revealed himself to Titus. He convinced the leader of the Luna hybrids to help him take down Romulus and end the slavery of Magnus and his people. Given how little reason the Luna hybrids had to trust him, that was an impressive feat in of itself.
Magnus looked over at the man who had risked everything to save his people. Most would have ran once they were given the freedom. Hell, he couldn’t have really blamed him if he had. But he didn’t. The debt they owed Rem ran deep, but their loyalty to him, even deeper. He’d earned it.
“The Azilians could be a problem. We need to know what’s going down over there,” Rem said and stared up at the ceiling. “Whatever they’re up to, it’s going to spell trouble, and shit always flows downstream. Even if it has nothing to do with us, if they get the attention of the town focused in this area, it won’t be good for us.”
Magnus nodded. “Lara said their current leader came into power about a year ago. Maybe this new leader has a different sort of vision for how things should be run. Tomorrow night, something is supposed to happen. Maybe we’ll have more answers after that.”
Rem sighed loudly. “So we wait.” He glanced over to the door and gave a small smile. “Looks like the night wasn’t a total waste.”
Magnus shook his head. “Yeah, nothing like being raced through the forest only to faint from the stress it caused.”
Rem stepped forward and clapped him on the shoulder. “She’ll be fine. You did what you needed to, now rest. I’m on guard. I’ll call if we need you.”
If anyone could handle whatever was out there, it was Rem.
They nodded at one another before going their separate ways.