Chosen - Kiersten White Page 0,53

can’t get away from knowing, not trapped in confined spaces with me like he has been. And the truth is, I could have killed Von Alston. Part of me might have even wanted to.

Gods. Do I smell like a murderer? What is wrong with me?

“Nina?” My mother puts her hand on my arm. If she had the gun, it’s gone now. “Tell us what happened and why you went to Ian Von Alston’s estate.”

“We went to the convention. There was an attack. Sean’s people, I think, though there’s a new element. Humans, black cloaks, necklaces. Seem like zealots. I stopped the attack. I ran into …” I pause. This doesn’t feel like the right time. Everyone is literally up in arms already. If I tell them about Artemis, who knows how they’ll react? Rhys told me himself he doesn’t care about our past with someone if they betray us. And I can’t imagine they’ll view Artemis working with zealots as anything other than a betrayal.

I have to be careful. I can be as pissed off at her as I want, but when things crash and burn for her, which they will, I need her to feel terrible and guilty but be able to come home. She’s still my sister. My misguided sister, but mine. I won’t leave it up to other people whether or not she deserves her place in my home.

When we get back to the castle and I have a minute to breathe, I’ll call her. Explain that I haven’t told on her. That she can give the book back and there won’t be any consequences. It’ll help fix things between us and prevent complications at the castle.

Besides which, Artemis might be messing with things she shouldn’t, but it’s not like she’s my enemy. She can’t be. I continue, deliberately leaving her out. Doug stares at me, but I trust he won’t contradict me. “I ran into a few weird demons. Anyway, we got some information that led us to Leo. And to Oz, and these three Slayers, all of whom were in immediate mortal peril thanks to your ally, Von Alston.” My mother’s face twitches, but she doesn’t interrupt me. “I didn’t leave him on polite terms, exactly, but I definitely didn’t kill him. And he didn’t know I was a Watcher. He thought I was a rogue Slayer.”

“So you didn’t gouge out his eyes and then snap his neck?” Rhys asks.

I give him the most brutal glare I’m capable of. Chao-Ahn would approve. “Pretty sure I’d remember it. A girl never forgets her first eye gouging, or so I’ve heard.”

“That’s true!” Tsip chirps cheerfully.

“And you’re positive it couldn’t have been Leo.” Rhys peers into the van, then deflates and lowers the crossbow. Leo is in no state for neck-snapping. And that wouldn’t be his method, anyway. Incubi and succubi drain life force from victims, but usually only when they’re sleeping so there’s no resistance.

“His eyes were gouged out?” I ask, puzzled.

“Gone.” Rhys pushes his glasses back into place. “They were either taken for some reason, or eaten.”

“Eew,” I groan.

“What? We were all thinking it.”

“No. Nope. None of us were until you said that.”

“Well, I can research demons that consume eyes. Though none of the guards had their eyes removed. So it might have been for fun, rather than a specific pathology. Which, unfortunately, doesn’t narrow down suspect species. If only I knew whether the eyes were eaten.” Rhys stares into space, already absorbed with his theories and doubtless planning the research he’ll do as soon as we get back to the castle.

“Doug, Rhys, help Leo into the other car,” my mother says.

“I can help,” Oz says. “Don’t be fooled by my elfin good looks. I’m quite handy with demon transportation.”

I shake my head. “No, he’s okay where he—”

My mother takes my arm and gently steers me away from the others. “We debated whether or not to allow Leo back in the castle at all.”

“What? You made a decision without me? That’s not fair! Besides, I—”

“Nina. Might I remind you that you made the decision to go to Ian Von Alston’s estate after we made the decision not to. Sometimes you have to do the best with a situation as it presents itself. I wish you hadn’t, but—”

“Mom! He is—was—a creep of the highest order. We can’t want or need him for an ally.” I think of the money in the van and feel a twinge of guilt that I took it. Won’t do him any good