Harley Merlin 12 by Bella Forrest (story books to read TXT) 📗

forward and grasped the table as a howl tore out of my throat, scraping trails of fire up my esophagus. Thundering rounds of white-hot pain discharged inside my skull, ricocheting between my temples and using my brain as a bouncy castle.

You knew this would happen! Lux can’t protect you—she can’t even keep an eye on her own husband! Erebus’s curse had jolted the gremlins awake, and now they swarmed my head. They’d gone ape, screaming at the tops of their lungs until I didn’t know the difference between them and the blood rushing in my ears.

I’m not getting out of this alive, am I? Unless Melody found an escape, it’d be torment after torment, task after task, pain on pain, until I died of exhaustion or Erebus offed me when I’d served my purpose. Until then, he’d use the same threats, and I’d keep bowing my head and obeying from terror.

“I can make this stop, Finch, if you tell me what you’re hiding. I can sense your deceit. For a former cultist, you do not excel at lying,” Erebus scolded, his hand clenched. A direct reflection of what he was doing to my insides.

Telling him would only make it worse. I dug deep, pushing past my limits and using fumes to hang on.

“I’m… not hiding… anything. I don’t… have anything… to tell you!” I roared, scraping my nails across the tablecloth. It yanked most of the plates and cutlery and glasses to the ground, but the shattering eruption gave me something to focus on.

He flicked his fingers, and I flew, then slammed into the back wall. The air choked out of my lungs, leaving me winded. “Are you sure about that?”

If I told him, I’d have them both vying to kill me. Where was Lux’s promised protection? I didn’t see her riding in on her white steed.

“I’m not… keeping secrets!” I rasped, dangling from the wall.

Erebus literally harrumphed and released me. I fell to the floor with a hefty thud, since he hadn’t bothered lowering me first.

“Very well.” He picked up his glass and sipped casually. “If you remain honest with me, you have a better chance of surviving what comes next. Now get on with your task.”

“Will you give me more information first?” I stood on wobbly legs. “How do I break the curse?”

Erebus sighed irritably. “You misunderstand, as ever. You cannot break the curse.”

“But you said—”

“Nash Calvert must break the djinn curse himself,” Erebus interjected. “You will convince him to break it, then retrieve his blood. I need at least five vials.”

I stayed put until I had my strength back. “You make it sound like a walk in the park. How am I supposed to convince Nash to do that? I’m guessing he knows he has this curse, right? Or am I the bearer of bad news?”

“He knows,” Erebus replied.

“Do you know what curse the djinn put on this guy? Do you know how to break it?” I pressed.

Erebus gave that irksome shrug that made me want to rip his head off. “Nash knows. It is your job to find these answers and plan from there. I can’t micromanage you, Finch. I am much too busy.”

“I’m not asking for micromanagement. I’m asking for details. Useful details. Details that will get you what you want.” I groaned in exasperation.

“Uncover the details yourself.” Erebus’s face shifted to a blank canvas. “And don’t return from Canada unsuccessfully. I will not repeat myself. You understand what is at stake by now.”

“Yeah, I know.” You’re a vindictive asshole, and proud of it, too. The thing was, I got the sense he didn’t actually know the details, which was why he couldn’t give them to me. A lot of showboating to cover the fact that he was in the dark about the specifics.

Regardless, it looked like I was going to Canada to find Nash Calvert, our key to Atlantis.

Seventeen

Raffe

Before you start jet-setting, don’t forget to take that book!

I reread Finch’s message. Santana and I had our bags packed, and I’d texted Finch to let him know we’d be leaving in a moment. This was as much his mission as ours.

Are you at the SDC? Can you bring it? I replied, tapping the screen while Santana sat nearby, watching curiously. Kadar knew about the thieved book, and it rested in our shared memory. Finch evidently wanted the Storyteller to look at it, since she had the expertise in books.

A flurry of pings erupted a moment later, each sentence a separate text:

Nope, I’m not there. E-man business.

It’s under my pillow in my room.

Don’t give me the third degree on security.

It’s secure because it’s simple.

No need to break my bedroom door down though!

There’s a spare key on top of the door—feel around and you’ll find it.

I have pristine figurines in there that’ll be worth hundreds someday.

I’ll know if you’ve touched anything.

I chuckled as I typed back. I won’t touch anything. Pinkie swear. Hope everything’s okay?

The phone pinged again:

The usual. Travel safe, Raffster.

Will do, I sent, before putting the phone away.

“What does he want?” Santana asked coolly.

“He wants us to take a book with us,” I replied.

She frowned. “Book?”

“Yeah, he… uh… picked it up at a bookstore and wants the Storyteller to look at it. Apparently, it’s got information on Erebus and the djinn, so it could have something that’ll help us.”

Santana shifted her bag onto her opposite shoulder. “Where is he? Do we have to wait for him?”

“No, he gave us the all clear to get it from his room.”

Santana’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Do I get to break down his door?”

“You could, but he left us a key and strict instructions not to do that. Apparently, he’s got boxed figurines in there that will make him a fortune one day.” I smiled at her, trying not to let my apprehension show about our trip to Dubai.

I knew she couldn’t be dissuaded from coming with me, but I’d have felt better if she stayed here. We’d be stepping into the homeland