“I don’t think she told me anything. I can’t remember her telling me anything.”
“What do you remember? Because… it’s weird, Pell. How you don’t remember that Pie was made for me.”
I blow right past that and just answer the question. “I remember the fight. Ostanes put all the chimera monsters into tombs, gave you the book. Then Saturn sent in the eros, and Juno made it so the eros couldn’t get inside the tombs. Only I could. Then Saturn made the tomb doors invisible to me, so I couldn’t get in, either. Then Juno made the Book of Debt for the caretakers. That’s all I know.”
“Well… don’t you think that if I’m Saturn’s son, and Pie is Ostane’s daughter, that maybe… you are the offspring of a god as well?”
I sigh. Kinda tired of this.
“Anyway.” Tarq must see that I’m done because he doesn’t wait for my answer. “Pie doesn’t understand her power and claims to be just a normal girl, but she’s not a normal girl, Pell. She’s got magic inside her that could do extraordinary things. You see it, right? Even if she doesn’t?”
He’s right. Pie is extraordinary. She can do big, big magic. Bigger than Grant could ever dream of. Hell, bigger than Saturn, obviously. Because we took him on and we won. So I say, “I do. I see it. But you can’t save millions. Not if the other purebloods are working against you. So you’re just gonna what? Get your girls out and leave everyone else here?”
“You have a better idea?”
I pause to think. “Maybe. But I’m actually dealing with a load of bullshit back in my world as well. That’s why I’m here. I need the book. I need a spell to hide my sanctuary. The locals are starting to get all pitchforky. We need to make them go away and then we can pool all our resources and get you and your people out of this.”
Tarq gets up, walks over to the open bookcase, and disappears inside. I don’t follow him. But he’s only gone a minute or so. And when he comes back, he’s got the book. He hands it to me.
I take it, but cautiously. “You’re giving me the whole book?”
“I’m tired of hiding it. If she knew…” He shakes his head. “If that bitch queen knew I had this thing—I don’t even want to think about what she’d do.”
“Who is this fucking queen? And why are you so afraid of her? Look at you, Tarq! You’re magnificent.”
“Thanks,” he says. “Hopefully, you will never understand, my friend. But we’re making a deal here, right? I give you the book and you convince Pie to help me open a portal door so we can escape.”
I know better than to make deals with anyone. I’m no fool. I have two thousand years of experience telling me all deals are bad.
But he’s my friend.
And he’s trying to do the right thing.
So I agree. “I will.”
Now I just need to convince Pie.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX – TOMAS
I throw open the front door of the cathedral and I am immediately blinded by headlights. I cover my eyes with my forearm and move towards the gate. “Madeline?”
“Tomas!” But that’s all she is able to say because a large man has placed his huge meaty paw over her mouth.
I squint my eyes, trying to see through the gate. “Big Jim? What are you doing?”
And then it suddenly hits me what this is.
The fire, the threats, the sheriff.
But this… he can’t… she’s his niece!
“You’re not serious?” I ask, approaching the wrought-iron barrier between us. “You’ve taken your niece captive? For what?”
Big Jim clicks his tongue. “Son, I can’t even begin to explain how disappointed I am in you.”
I point to myself. “You’re disappointed in me?” Then I scoff. “I’m not holding anyone captive!”
“You’re a monster!” Big Jim bellows. “You lied to me, boy. I don’t take kindly to liars.”