Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 111986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Knox nodded in understanding. “I appreciate your foresight.”
Jolene’s smile widened. “I thought you might.” I paid Harper a visit before I left for the meeting. Other than tired, she seems reasonably well, all things considered.
The hex doesn’t seem to have caused any lasting effects.
Which means I don’t have to blow up any more buildings. Jolene linked her arm through Beck’s. “Ah, I see dear old Malden. It will be fun to have someone to toy with.” She headed for the table, and Knox knew she’d undoubtedly tease the other Prime much like her granddaughter usually did.
After the last three Primes arrived, and all were seated, Knox closed the door. His footsteps were silent as he stalked along the carpet toward the head of the table, passing light-gold walls that were bare, aside from the media screen at the front of the room. The voices fell silent, until all Knox could hear was the steady hum of the air conditioning.
Knox slowly sank into the seat at the head of the table, the media screen at his back. “Thank you all for coming. I appreciate you taking a break from your schedules to attend the meeting on such short notice.”
“Did you find out something about the Horsemen?” asked Jonas.
“Did you?” Knox returned.
Jonas blinked. “If anyone knows anything, they’re not talking.”
Raul grabbed the pitcher and poured himself a glass of ice water as he spoke. “There are whispers of who they could be, but they seem to be merely speculation fueled by paranoia.”
Knox leaned back in the chair, making the leather creak slightly. “What about you, Thatcher? Heard anything interesting?”
Thatcher adjusted his tie. “I confess, I haven’t investigated the matter much.”
Knox lifted a brow. “And why is that?”
There was a long pause. “I’m not convinced they are real,” Thatcher finally admitted. “I am not calling you a liar, Knox. I just don’t trust the words of a delusional, near-rogue demon.”
Ordinarily, neither would Knox, but… “It wasn’t Laurence Crow who told me about the Horsemen. He wasn’t aware they were using him like a puppet.” Knox had learned of them from Dario and Nora, but since many back then had suspected that Dario was near-rogue, Dario had believed that to voice such a conspiracy would simply make him seem paranoid – a symptom of a rogue demon. As such, it would have then given credence to the near-rogue rumors.
Although the Primes wouldn’t be so disinclined to believe Dario now, Knox thought it likely that they would be angry at Dario to hear that he’d warned Knox but not them. He had no interest in causing friction between the Primes or shifting their attention from the real issue – Harper’s safety was at risk. As such, Knox said, “Roan talked of the Horsemen to Harper. He was cruel, but not delusional.”
“Are you willing to trust the word of a dying, treacherous demon?” asked Malden, though there was no judgement there – merely curiosity.
“My mate believes he was being truthful,” said Knox. “I trust her judgement.”
Malden inclined his head. “In any case, I personally have no information about the Horsemen.”
Knox twisted his mouth. “Shame. But I did not call you all here to discuss the Horsemen. I’m sure most, if not all, of you heard that my mate was recently attacked by hunters.”
“I heard,” said Dario. “Is she all right?” There was genuine concern in his voice.
“Fine. She fought them hard. They wanted her wings. In fact, they were hired to acquire them. Since my mate’s wings have never come to her, it was a waste of their time and earned them nothing but an early and excruciating death.”
“The Horsemen hired them?” asked Raul.
“That was my first thought,” said Knox, tapping his fingers on the smooth glass table. “Then her cousin was almost kidnapped. The demon who attempted to take the little girl had also been hired by someone.”
Jonas’ brow knitted. “That doesn’t mean the two events are necessarily related.”
Jolene spoke then. “Both the hunters and the kidnapper were hired by someone who sent an anonymous, encrypted email that self-deleted shortly after being opened. That’s not a technique that’s widely used, but I know of some people who do use it.”
Thatcher sat up straighter, looking resigned. “You might as well know that I am one of those people.”
“Oh, I already knew that,” Knox told him. “Just as I already knew that the main collector of sphinx wings is your cousin, Francisco Alaniz.”
Thatcher’s mouth pinched. “Francisco does not collect them for collecting’s sake.”
Knox held up a hand before the demon could explain further. “The wings on his wall belonged to his relatives and are trophies – I know. Don’t worry; Francisco didn’t mention you. He did, however, mention Dion Boughton. I was surprised to learn from Dion that he once belonged to your lair.”
Raul’s eyes slid from Knox to Thatcher and back again. “Are you accusing Thatcher of something?”