Source Born (Half-Blood Chronicles #3) (The Half-Blood Chronicles) by Ivy Baum

Author:Ivy Baum [Baum, Ivy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-10-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Marcus’s betrayal had surprised me.

But this left me in a state of complete and utter disbelief.

“You’re working for the Alliance? But—you’re a Sourceblood.”

Not to mention the head of the Council. And with the disappearance of Nev and Charles—

There had been no one to take over but him.

It was all starting to make a sick sort of sense.

I shook my head. “How could you betray the Council?”

He smiled in an almost fatherly manner. “I haven’t betrayed the Council. I’ve simply taken it in a new direction. A far more productive and sane direction, I might add. Or didn’t you notice that our world is going to shit?”

“Of course it is,” I said hotly. “Because you let the Alliance get the Relics.”

All except the one Sforza had stolen. Thank God for that shifty bastard.

He cocked his head, looking incongruously like a disappointed professor.

I mean, it was hard not to draw the comparison. He was wearing tweed.

“Charles was always a practical man—until he fell under the sway of that girl, Nev. Practically handed her the Council on a silver platter.”

Sol scowled. “Charles Marovech would never approve of what you’re doing.”

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. I know a ruthless man when I see one. Don’t think he didn’t know what kind of man Sforza was when he teamed up with him to break away from the Capitol.”

“Why would you want to give them all the power?”

“The Council was going to destroy magic. We would be powerless. But the Alliance has another way.”

“You used all of us. The other Council members…”

His eyes narrowed. “Don’t be so naive. If you think Nev isn’t willing to push people around like pawns on a chessboard, then you’re in for a very big surprise.”

“Except that she isn’t doing it for her own power,” Sol replied evenly.

I noticed that he had not contradicted him. Only justified it.

“Enough.” Mr. Bartley looked past me, to Marcus. “This isn’t a policy discussion. Would you and your men please kindly take these two to a more secure holding area?”

“You’re going to throw us in the dungeon? Why not just kill us?” I demanded.

Mr. Bartleby smiled faintly. “Because I have a much better use for you. One that will finally wrap up what needs to be done.”

Oh right—the Relic.

I said, “If you think I’m going to help you find the last Relic—”

Mr. Bartley laughed. “Oh, that? I’m sorry, but I may have left that part out when I told you about the mission. We already have it.”

I stared. But that would mean—

He smiled. “Sforza sold it to the Alliance months ago.”

Sol caught my eye. “It’s true, Kes. Sforza sold them the Seventh Relic.” His lips twisted into a smile. “And then they found out that they were still missing one ingredient.”

“What ingredient?”

Sol smiled. “That’s the beauty of it. They don’t know.”

“But we think your mother does.” There was a dangerous gleam in Mr. Bartleby’s eye.

“You think my mom has the secret of how to set off the magical apocalypse?”

But no one was laughing. Not even Sol.

Mr. Bartleby said, “Before she went missing, your mother spoke to Nev in a call we intercepted.

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