Spark of the Everflame: The Kindred's Curse Saga, Book One by Penn Cole

Author:Penn Cole [Cole, Penn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2023-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Eighteen

“Henri Albanon, I’m going to murder you.”

Henri lounged against a stone pillar outside the family’s home, half-hidden by a tree laden with blooming ivory camellias. I stomped past him, refusing to pause on my warpath for the street.

He jogged behind me. “What happened? Did you get anything useful?”

I didn’t answer at first, too focused on soothing the adrenaline scalding my veins.

“Diem, wait.” He tugged on my arm, but I jerked it out of his grip. “Are you alright?”

I spun to face him. “No, I’m not alright. I almost got killed in there. And I have some serious questions about what happened to that little girl. Did you—”

“Killed?” His focus skipped across my face, then down my body. “Are you injured?” He fell deadly still, eyes narrowing. “Did he do something to you?”

“No, but he came a foot away from catching me hiding under his desk, and if he’d found me there—”

“Under his desk? You got into his office?”

“Yes.”

His expression went slack. “You... got into... Evrim Benette’s personal office...”

I glowered. “Try to look a little less shocked.”

“Was he there with you?”

“Not at first.”

“Did you find anything?”

I huffed and grabbed his wrist, dragging him around a nearby hedge until we were out of the public view. I reached into my satchel and handed over the documents I’d spirited away.

As he slowly rifled through them, I suddenly felt small and insecure, a nervous student cringing in wait for their teacher’s assessment. Despite my irritation at how the mission had unfolded, joining the Guardians was my only real chance at getting the vengeance against the Descended I so desperately craved, and these documents were the keys to my acceptance.

“I don’t know if they’re useful,” I said, already guarding my heart for his disappointment. “That was all I had time to copy.”

I paused, waiting for him to speak, but he only gazed at the papers in torturous silence.

My anxiety grew by the second. Had he expected more? Had I just wasted a crucial opportunity?

“I also heard a conversation. Something about Sophos researching explosives. And he mentioned orders from Fortos and—”

Henri gave a loud, abrupt laugh.

My shoulders slumped. “Is it not enough?”

“Not enough?” He laughed again and carved a hand roughly through his hair. “Shit, Diem. I didn’t expect you to get anything. I didn’t think he would even let you out of his sight.”

My head cocked. “Then why send me in at all?”

“The point of the test is to show that you’re willing to try.” He grinned. “No one ever actually completes their first mission.”

“Are you joking? I almost got killed just to prove that I would try? I swear to the gods, Henri, I really am going to murder y—”

He lunged forward and wrapped me up in his arms, lifting me into the air as his lips crushed against mine and stole my words away. “I’m so proud of you,” he said breathlessly. “This is incredible, D. Most of the Guardians wouldn’t be brave enough to do what you just did.”

I froze, my temper paralyzed by his unexpected words.

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