Night World : Witchlight Chapter 15

But she could let on Alexs sobbing purge when she got in the railroad car, and it seemed to follow in her head even when they had left the house behind.They chequered with the road crew stati atomic number 53d right tabuside the Ashton-Hughes front gate. It spirited extremely professional, with bright lights and solely the acc egressrements.All secure, the glamour in charge said cheerfully when Keller rolled down the window. He shifted his reflective vest. Thirty cars in, nix out. There hasnt been one for a period-I think youre fashionably late. He winked.Thirty? Keller said. How many people per car?Two in most of them, that some were packed.Keller glanced at Iliana beside her. And thats what they cite only inviting a fewer people?Iliana shrugged. You paynt seen the house.Anyway, its safe, the witch foreman said. no. genus Draco has gotten in, I raft promise you that. And none is dismission to shell in, either.Keller nodded at him, and they drove on.Diana was righ t. In considering how big the crock upy was, you had to see the size of the house. Keller had studied the plans, further it wasnt the same.They passed something standardised a peach orchard on one side of the driveway, and then a drug dealer house that seemed to call for swallowed up a dozen cars. But Nissa dropped them hit by the front steps, on a lower floor the stately white columns that decorated the magnificent porch.Impressive place, Keller fancy.They walked in.In the cavernous, softly lit entry hall, at that place was a girl in a threatening uniform who took their coats. There was also Brett. When he cut Diana, he pounced.Blondie I thought you werent going to make itYou knew I wouldnt miss this, Diana said gently. But Keller thought she looked much less interested in Brett than the last time shed spoken to him.Shes learned a lot, Keller thought. And, of course, directly that she knows Galen, she sees this loser for what he is.Brett was looking the separates over i n his meat-appraising way. So mediocre which of these lovely ladies is your cousin? I never got a chance to ask.Oh that one. Diana pointed a random finger.You? Bretts eyes ran up and down Kellers tallnessand her neutral hair. I never would wee-wee got guessinged.Were sort of foster cousins, Keller said.She didnt kindred Brett. That was nothing new, notwithstanding somehow this evening she realty didnt like him. There was something roughly creepy in the way his eyes clung to girls, and when he looked at Diana, it was like watching a slug crawl over a peach blossom.Well, execute with me and collapse the fun, he said, gesturing expansively and flashing a smile. Keller almost asked Where? but in a moment she completed that it was pointless. The society really seemed to be all over the house.The entry room itself was big enough to have a party in, and it had a wide, sweeping staircase exclusively like a proper southerly mansion. Above, on the second floor, Keller could see a hallway lined with portraits and statues.Brett led them through room by and by room, each one impressive. Some seemed to be real sitting rooms others just looked like displays in a museum. Finally, they went through one last undefendable archway into a ballroom.Paneled walls. Painted ceiling. Chandeliers. An ocean of floor. And the college band at one end playing music that was definitely modern. A few couples were bound a slow dance, very near the band. They looked small enough to rattle in the enormous room. Keller almost giggled, but Diana looked dreamy.Its beautiful.Brett looked satisfied. Theres food over in that location on the sideboard. But most of the foods downstairs in the hazard room. You want to see that?I want to see Jaime, Iliana said.Shes down there.The game room was amazing, too. Not just pool tables and darts but arcade-style video games, old-fashioned pinball machines, an indoor basketball hoop, and generally just nearly everything youd find at a superior arcade.As soon as they walked in, a zany in black pants, white shirt, and black vest offered them a tray of tiny quiches and mini-pizzas. A caterer, Keller decided, not part of the regular staff of the house. She shook her head at the food and went on looking around, keeping her senses open so she could take in everything at once.This was the first time Iliana had been out in public since shed deceased to school last Monday, and it was nerve-wracking. The game room was much more crowded than the ballroom, and everybody was laughing and talking at once. On top of that, this old mansion had some very modern renovations. The band music was universe piped into the other rooms.Jaime Iliana said as a figure emerged from the crush of people.Jaime looked good. Her face had a healthy color, and her dark blue eyes were wide open and shining. Her brown hair was fluffed softly, and she was wearing a very exquisite blue dress.Iliana. She hugged Iliana hard, speaking in her flat but oddly pl easant voice. It seems like forever. How are you?Fine. My colds better, and my hand- Iliana held up her right hand. There was a neat bandage around the palm to protect the stitches. It itches sometimes, but thats all. How more or less you?I still have headaches. But Im bondting better. Jaime smiled at Keller and the others. Im so glad you all could come.Yeah, so are we, Keller said politely, persuasion a stab of instinctive guilt. It was irrational, but she kept expecting this girl to look at her and say, Youre the one who ravished me The monster catAnd she wasnt glad that they had come. Her early warning system was clamoring already she felt as if her fur was standing on end. She couldnt explain it, but there was something wrong or so the house.Keep alert, she said quietly to the others as Jaime led Iliana to the food tables. Remember, two of us are with her at all times. The other two can wander the house, check the perimeter, look for anything suspicious. And keep in touch. She shake off a finger to her brooch.That was when they found that their transmitters didnt work. Keller had no mood why. All any of them could hear was static like white noise.Keller cursed.Well keep in touch physically, then, she said grimly. She checked her watch. It was almost nine. And well push her out of here in an hour. Ten oclock. hardly to be safe.Good paper, Galen said.Winnie and Nissa said, Right, Boss.Keller stuck close to Iliana, specializeing herself that they were fetching every precaution and that all she had to do was stay cool and they could get out safely. But as time went on, she only got more and more uneasy.The dragon was going to attack.She was certain of it.But how? What form would the attack take? Was it going to be a battering ram of dark power like the one that had brought down the roof of the safe house? Or something tiny and sneaky, some clever way to get past the wards?A mouse? Or an insect? No ordinary shapeshifter could turn into a bug, but it was a kind of animal, afterwards all. Could something like that slip through the wards undetected?What was it she was missing?Nothing to do but keep her senses, open, search every face for enemies, and be prepared for anything. As it turned out, though, she was altogether unprepared when it happened.Nissa and Galen were the two wandering the house at that point. Keller and Winnie were sticking with Iliana. Keller herself didnt plan to leave Dianas side all night.But as she was watching Jaime and Iliana laughing and chattering by one of the food tables- which offered everything from barbecue to pewee to exotic fruit-Brett walked up chewing his lip. He was heading for Iliana, but he looked undecided and genuinely unhappy.Keller headed him off reflexively. She preferred to keep him away from Iliana just on principle. Anything wrong?He glanced at her with something like support in his dark blue eyes. For once, he didnt look arrogant or patronizing or even well groomed. Uh, theres s omething I need to tell Iliana about I guess. He gulped, his face twistinged.You guess? Keller herded him into a relatively private niche beside a video game. What do you retrieve, you guess?Well, I do have to tell her. I just hate to. He lowered his voice so that Keller had to lean closer to hear him. Her moms on the phone. And she says that her slight brother is missing. Ice water sluiced over Keller. For five seconds, she didnt breathe at all. Then she said, What?Brett grimaced. Hes missing from his sleeping room. And, I mean, I hate to scare Iliana with it, because hes probably just crawled out the window or something-hes that age, you know? But her mom wants to talk to her. Shes sort of hysterical. He wet his lips. I guess we should all go over there as a search party.Hes really worried, Keller thought dazedly, while another part of her mind, a clear, cold part, clicked through possible solutions. So theres something under that brand-name facade after all. In spite of the he probably crawled out of the window crap, hes worried about the kid-and hes worried about telling Iliana, too.Because Dianas going to go ballistic, the cold part of her mind put in. Shes going to get as hysterical as her mom and insist on rushing back there. And a search party-that would mean all of us outside the wards, crawling around between houses in the darkNo. It couldnt happen. It was undoubtedly just what the dragon wanted.But how had he gotten to the corrupt? With all those wards and the agents watching the house-how?It didnt matter. Right now, she had to deal with the situation.Brett-dont tell Iliana.Huh? But I have to.No, you dont. Ill talk to Mrs.-to Aunt Anna. Im her niece, remember? And I have an idea where the baby capacity have gone. I think hes safe, but she has to know where to look.Brett gawked at her. You have an idea?Yeah. Just let me talk to her. And dont say anything to Iliana just yet. Keller glanced toward the game room bar, which was set up like an Eng lish pub. There was a phone, but a girl with red hair was talking animatedly into it, while eating nuts from a bowl.Its the other line, Jaimes line, Brett said. She said she called on that one first, but it was busy.Okay, wheres the other line?Jaimes room.Keller hesitated, looking at Iliana. Winnie was on one side of her and Jaime on the other. They were the center of attention, something like the disembodied spirit of a rose, with other people surrounding them like petals.At least she was in full behold of everyone. Andsomebody trying to get to her would have to go through all of them first, and that would alert Winnie.But I wish Nissa and Galen were here to take over from me.She glanced at her watch. Fifteen minutes before they were supposed to come back to the game room.The baby couldnt wait that long.She forged through the crowd and touched Winnies shoulder.I have to run for a minute-a phone call. Nothing to worry about yet. Ill make it fast, she murmured in Winnies ear.Winnie glanced at her, surprised, but then she nodded. Problems?Maybe. Stay alert. Keller said it through a smile for Ilianas benefit.When she got out of the throng, she said to Brett, Take me there.Actually, she knew where Jaimes bedroom was from the plans. But she didnt want Brett hanging around Iliana. His face alone would give away the show.They hurried up the wide staircase. Kellers mind was racing, making plans.I can calm her down, at least. And I can call Circle Daybreak and tell them-if they dont already know. Theyll make a much better search party than humans. Iliana doesnt need to know about it at all until after the ceremony. And thenHer mind stalled, and the sick feeling in her stomach grew.No. It wouldnt be enough. She knew what she really had to do.I have to go back there. Just me. I owe Diana that much. I owe the whole family that much. Ill be the best one to search. I can drive over to the house feist and see whats going on. Borrow a car from Brett. That way, when the drag on attacks-and hes going to attack-Ill be the only one there. Youll be the only one dead, a snide little voice in her mind pointed out. But Keller gave it the cold shoulder.She knew that already. It wasnt important.Youre going to risk your life-give up your life- for a baby? One whos not a Wild Power, not even a shapeshifter?At least Ill get another chance at the dragon, she told the voice.Youre going to risk the mission, the alliance, the whole daylight world, for a single case-by-case? the voice went on.This was a better point. But Keller had only one thing to say to it.I have to.Here. Brett gestured at the open door of a pretty bedroom, then followed Keller when she went in.Um, can I help you? He was getting over his worry and trying to cozy up to her again.No.Oh. Well, Ill leave you alone, then. He slid out the door, closing it behind him.And Keller let him. Later, that was what she couldnt quite consider. That she had been stupid enough to walk into the trap and stand there wh ile it snapped shut.She picked up the phone. Mrs. Dominick?Silence. .At first, just for a moment or two, she thought Hianas mother might have stepped away from the phone.But then the nature of the silence got to her.There were no sounds in the land at all. It was dead air.Keller hit the plunger to hang up the phone. Nothing happened.No dial tone.She glanced at the phone cord it was plugged into the wall. She pushed the plunger rapidly, four times, five.Then she knew.Shed been suckered.In one motion, she whirled and sprang to the door.Only to twist the handle uselessly.It was locked.And it was a good, sturdy door, made out of solid wood, the kind they used to make. She found this out by throwing herself against it hard enough to bruise her shoulder. It had been locked with a key from the outside, and the rigidly was a good, sturdy one, too. albumin icy-hot rage swept over Keller. She was more angry than she could ever remember being in her life. She couldnt believe it-shed been foo led by an idiot human boy. The Night People must have gotten to him somehow, must have bought himNo.Keller knew she wasnt a genius. But sometimes ideas came to her in a flash, allowing her to see a complete picture all at once where other people saw only fragments. And right now, like a bolt of lightning, realization dawned on her, and she understood.Oh, Goddess, how could we have been so stupid?She knew how the dragon had done it.