When Stars Come Out (When Stars Come Out 1)

She steps back, disengaging her blade carefully, gingerly, as if it might disintegrate if she moves too fast. It is both a graceful and deceiving move. The jagged parts of that blade can catch on mine at any moment and rip it from my hands.

“How did you find out what I am?” she asks.

“It wasn’t that hard,” I say. “It’s well known why your father is incarcerated at the Compound.”

She narrows her eyes a fraction. “I’m surprised you haven’t changed your mind about us, given how you feel about Anora.”

Sometimes how I feel about Anora doesn’t feel like a choice.

“Us?” I ask. It's strange hearing that word describe a group of people I haven't assigned a number to. I've never really thought much about Abominations, but maybe that is my first mistake. It is true that after Anora arrived, I’ve been reminding myself on a daily basis why humans and Valryn can't be together, but all of the reasons I come up with for why it is bad disappear when I’m near her.

And Anora is right—I have never been presented with any sort of proof that what the Order refers to as Abominations are bad.

Although, as Lennon paces around me, her dark blade drawn, I'm beginning to wonder about their reasoning.

Her laugh escapes like a bark. “What do you think? I'm the only one in existence? The Last Samurai?”

I don't respond, mostly because that’s what I assumed.

“But you've been working alone?”

“Not alone.”

“Right. Thane,” I say.

That's how she knew about Anora's background.

She laughs again. It's like a chime—pretty, soft. She even throws back her head and all I can think is that's a good way to get your throat slashed. My hand tightens on my blade.

“He's an easy puppet. So malleable.”

“What's your plan?” I ask. “Because you don't have much time to execute it. The Order will be here soon.”

“You expect me to believe you've learned there's power in numbers?” she asks. “You work alone, for some reason, you think it's best. It's like you're trying to prove yourself or something.”

Those words sting.

She's a little right, of course, but she discounts my friendship with Natalie and Natalie believes in teams, and she’ll find me.

“So, the plan,” I say. “What do you want with Anora?”

“She’s not really good for anything but her power.” I flinch at the words. How could Anora ever have assumed this person was her friend? But I know the answer...Lennon deceived her, and it makes me angry. “If I control the Eurydice, I control everything.”

How can she possibly think she can control Anora?

She laughs, then, her smile wide. “Can you imagine? The Order having to bow to me? An Abomination?”

Her bone-like shoulders shake with laughter.

“The Order doesn't bow.”

She finally stops circling me and says, “They will. To me.”

And then I'm under attack, but not by her—by the Occulates that were scurrying across the walls. They circle me like sharks. When they erupt from their shadow-form, they stick to me like tar. They're smart, too, because the first thing they cover is the scythe at my thigh—the only blade that has any effect on their bodies.

“Dammit!” I curse.

I can hold them off with my double blades, but there are so many darklings I won't be able to do it for long. Not to mention, the ones on my leg are squeezing tighter and tighter. Soon they’ll cut off my circulation. I hack at them as they rise from the floor, conscious that Lennon stands near like a wraith, her bone-like body draped in black, her strange blade at her side. I catch a glimpse of her, eyes narrow and focused. She's controlling the Occulates...but how?