Chosen - Kiersten White Page 0,59

was so upset?”

Cillian finally looks away from the necklace, holding it out and dropping it into my waiting palm. He shrugs. “Could be.” His tone becomes deliberately lighter, but there’s a forced edge to it. “Good thing we know an incredibly sexy Watcher who excels at research. He’ll be even happier to have a new project than to see me again.”

“Never,” I say, trying to match his tone and almost succeeding. I already know Rhys won’t find the research material he needs.

Cillian slows down as we catch up to Oz’s barely limping van. It’ll take us forever to get to the castle at this rate. Doug yawns, stretching out in the backseat. “So we’ve got a symbol that may or may not be demonic and/or powerful, and that is linked to Sean, but we don’t know how. Goodie. Just what we needed. Another mystery.”

I don’t correct him that this isn’t another mystery. It’s all the same mystery. And my sister has the answers. I know what I need to do. I’ll make a deal with her. My silence on her activities in exchange for getting the book back. I’ll get the information we need and protect everyone from themselves in the process.

18

THE VAN PULLS TO A stop in front of the castle, more garble than roar to the engine. I’m waiting in front of it. I can’t help the flutter of nerves and the fear that inviting three more Slayers into the castle is a bad idea when I can’t even control my own Slayer impulses. What if they attack my demons? I know the demons—I like them—and I’ve still found myself fighting a kill instinct that seems to be growing stronger by the day.

Chao-Ahn, Maricruz, and Taylor climb out, eyeing the castle dubiously. Only a few windows have lights in them, and we don’t have any outdoor lighting. I try to see it through their eyes. It looks menacing. Blocky and black, and somehow unbalanced. The eyes naturally want a tower where there used to be one, but now that whole wing is ruined and we don’t go there.

“It’s safe,” I say. But … it hasn’t always been. Just a few months ago, Leo Silvera’s mother was stalking us all during the night, feeding off us, and killing poor Bradford Smythe. And now Leo’s back. Knowing he’s somewhere inside the castle feels like the moment before a blow lands, when I can see what will happen but can’t dodge it. Everything is on high alert, and it doesn’t hurt—yet—but I know it will.

“Nina, will you introduce me?”

Chao-Ahn and I both jump, turning to find my mother has materialized out of the darkness behind us. My mother holds out her right hand to Chao-Ahn. Her jacket has parted to reveal a glimpse of her gun.

“You are scary,” Chao-Ahn says.

“You have no idea,” I mutter. “What are you doing lurking out here?”

“I wanted to greet the new Slayers. Also, we have a procedure to follow. None of them have agreed to the rules or completed the entry interview yet. Ladies, if you’ll follow me to the library, Rhys and I will get you processed and settled into rooms.”

“Is there a test?” the timid blond one, Taylor, asks. She looks terrified. “I’m not good at tests. Or interviews.”

“Just some basic geometry,” I say, “and a few essay questions.”

“Really?” Maricruz’s dark eyes are wide with alarm.

“No. Sorry. All you have to do is hear the rules and agree to them. We need a simple majority to allow you in, but I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”

“I’m certain it won’t.” My mother smiles, but she’s never been good at reassuring. Maricruz and Taylor look appropriately intimidated as they follow her in. Chao-Ahn lingers for a few seconds, like she wants to speak with me, but Cillian grabs my arm and draws me to the side.

“Let me talk to Rhys, okay? I’ll take point on this mystery. You’ve got enough going on.”

I nod, melting into his offered hug. It’s a lie for me to accept his reassurances—he’s not taking over this mystery, but he can at least handle his family’s ties to it. I’ll be there to support him, though. “Sure. Thanks.”

One of the van doors closes and Oz comes around the front of it. “Watchers, huh? Anyone related to Giles?”

I shake my head. I have complicated feelings about Rupert Giles. My dad was Buffy’s first Watcher, but Rupert Giles is the one she bonded with. The one who left the Watchers in protest