Callum flicked out a hand, and as one, the three figures behind him drew their hoods back. I held in my gasp when I saw that one of them was an old crone, hunched and wizened with tufts of silver hair. The other two were males. One looked to be in his mid-forties, the other around my age, in his early twenties.
All three of them stared back at us resolutely, no welcome in their faces. Unease drifted through me. On the air, I could sense something dark and twisted, as though a terror writhed under the veneer of their skin. I couldn’t explain it, but they felt unnatural.
Gage gave them a nod of acknowledgment before lifting his chin to the remaining figure standing on the edge of the group. “And who is the fifth in your party?”
“The Lore Keeper,” Callum responded, with a coy smile.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ian tense.
“Show their face,” Gage demanded.
“As you wish.” Without taking his eyes off Gage, Callum crooked a finger.
The fifth member of his party stepped forward, and a slim white hand lifted to pull the hood of the robe back.
The Lore Keeper was a woman and a beautiful one at that. She had large blue eyes, perfectly bowed, blood-red lips, and lush ebony hair that rolled down her back in soft waves. But as my eyes caught hers, I stilled at the hard reflection in them. There was no warmth there at all.
Her gaze shifted to my right, where Ian stood, and I saw a cruel smile lift her lips. “It’s nice to see you again, Ian,” she purred. “I feel that thanks are in order, as I understand I owe my current position to you.”
Ian’s hands were clenched into fists. “No thanks necessary,” he growled.
A sardonic light came over Callum’s features. “Alison, don’t tease the man. I’m sure he realizes that he’s erred in leaving his position at the Institute.” He cocked his head to the side as he watched Ian’s face. “Has the switch to the other side been worth it, Ian? Your sister was so heartbroken that she sought solace for your betrayal. Your parents were equally disappointed that you didn’t get an invite to our wedding.”
“You fucking bastard!” spat Ian, leaning forward on the balls of his feet, bristling. “Ingrid was spoken for!”
I jerked my head back to look up at him, surprised at the vehemence in his tone. What had happened between them?
“Ian,” Gage warned in a low voice.
Callum smiled silkily. “Ingrid was indeed spoken for, but circumstances changed after you left the Institute. Things are much different now, and she enjoys her position as my wife.”
Ian growled and took a step forward, but Gage thrust his arm out, preventing him from moving farther. “Leave it, Ian!”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Callum’s three guards simultaneously raise their hands in an open-palmed cupping motion. I became deathly still as a swirling vortex appeared in each of their hands. The young man’s was a burning red, the crone’s an icy blue, and the older man’s a muddy green. Their relative energies felt different, yet the same. I could feel a vibration on the air, felt the draw from the area around us, and knew the guards were siphoning the natural power from the land.
Callum faced Ian, a malicious glint in his eye. “I’d be very careful, Ian. My guards are well-trained to stop any threat aimed at their leader.”
Gage moved suddenly, right in Ian’s face, blocking his visual connection to Callum. “Get your head in the game!” he growled under his breath. “This is not why we are here!”
The words penetrated Ian’s mental fog. He released a harsh breath and looked away. Recognizing that Ian had himself under control again, Gage turned back to face the leader of the Institute. “Enough of your games, Callum. You know Ian’s magic is dormant. Hold your guards off and show us the book.”
“The guards I will hold,” Callum agreed silkily. “Showing you the book is another story, though.”
Shifting his mocking smile from Ian, Callum gave his guards a signal. The guards immediately dropped their hands, their vortexes of energy instantly vanishing. I shivered, for the expressions on their faces did not change in the slightest, as if they were removed from their emotions. They remained cold, remote, and silent like trained guard dogs.
“Now, before we rush ahead,” Callum continued, “I’d like an introduction.” He turned to face me directly as he added, “I would like to determine if she is who you say she is.”
“Fine,” Gage returned, gesturing at me to come forward. Taking a deep breath, I rose from the bench and walked on shaky legs up to Gage’s side. His hand snaked out and locked onto my elbow as I met Callum’s gaze.
I tried to keep my expression steady as Callum’s eyes traveled up my form. He paused blatantly at my chest before meeting my gaze. I knew that glint in his eye. I knew his type, cruel and abusive. Ian’s response now felt warranted, given this man had married his sister.
“Pretty little thing, isn’t she?” Callum drawled.
Gage’s fingers tightened on my arm. I gritted my teeth, struggling to hold my tongue. Gage had urged me to keep quiet during this exchange, only to watch and observe.
“What proof do you have that she’s the one? With Nora dead, the evidence is susceptible.”
“You know that only Cailleach’s descendant can wear the pendant,” said Gage shortly, looking pointedly at the chain that snaked down under my leather jacket. “And it accepted Brydie.”
“That’s a valid point.” Callum cocked his head to the side. “But how do I know it’s the pendant? It could be a fake. In light of our alliance, it would please me if you would show us the item.”
Gage gave me a slight nod. Taking his cue, I unzipped my jacket and tugged on the pendant’s chain. It gave a gentle pulse of energy as my hand closed around it. A collective murmur arose as I held it out from my chest, the amber stone glowing in the lamplight.
Callum’s eyes were locked on the pendant. “A delightful trinket, but how can you vouch for its authenticity?”
Gage’s eyes narrowed. “What else do you want? You know that only those of Cailleach’s blood can touch it.”
I blinked at his lie, knowing full well Gage had held it, even carried it for a number of days after Nora had died. Was it a secret between those touched by the prophecy?
Callum smiled. “Well, it’s lucky I brought along insurance for just this issue. The Lore Book can prove if the pendant is genuine.” He turned to the beautiful woman on his left. “Alison, come forward. Show them the book.”
Taking her cue, Alison held out one hand and snapped her fingers. And there it was—a thick leather-bound volume. It was a lot smaller than the book Ian had at home, about half its size. It looked innocuous. I knew it wasn’t, though. There was a distinct hum on the air, and I jerked as I felt the pendant in my hand vibrate in response, as if in harmony with the book.
Alison’s gaze dropped to my chest. “Like attracts like,” she murmured.
“There you have it,” Gage interjected quickly. “The pendant responds to the blood signature in Cailleach’s Lore Book. Now we’ve cleared that up, bring the book here.”
Callum raised a hand. “Hold! Not so fast!”
His guards came to attention at their leader’s command, their gazes narrowing on the three of us in silent assessment. I tensed, aware of the perceived threat. There was no denying each one of them was powerful on their own, but together, their combined power could annihilate us all.
“You can appreciate that simply giving you the book makes me nervous,” Callum said softly. “If I do that, you will have both the book and the descendant.” He bared his teeth in another show of a smile. “So, I vote that we conduct a swap. As agreed—the descendant for the book. A fair trade for an agreed amount of time.”