Grace and Glory (The Harbinger 3)

“Captain Washington, this is Trinity.” Dez already sounded tired. “She’s, uh, consulting with us.”

“Really?” The police captain’s tone was overflowing with doubt.

“She’s an expert in these kinds of things,” Dez insisted.

“‘I see dead people.’”

The captain opened her mouth and it took a moment for her to say, “You know, that’s just cool with me.”

I grinned.

“So what’s going on in there, Captain Washington?” Dez asked while shooting me a look I could read clearly.

Shut. Up.

“Hell if I know, Dez. I got three missing officers and one sitting in his cruiser,” she said, and as she placed the phone into the front pocket of her dark slacks, the short-sleeved blazer was pushed back, revealing the gun holstered at her side. “All he’s been doing is praying.”

My brows lifted. “For real?”

She spared me a brief glance, nodding. “He hasn’t said much. All I know is that they didn’t make it past the main hall before Officer Lewis was grabbed.”

“By a black mass in the ceiling?” Dez clarified.

“Yes, and let me tell you, Officer Lee has been on the force for thirty years. There is very little that freaks him out.” Placing her hands on her hips, she looked up at the school. “I’ve never seen him like this. I believe he saw what he said he did. That’s why I called you guys in, but like I told the other ones, I can’t promise how long I can let you guys have first go at this. I have missing officers, and even though the second call wasn’t over the radio, the first one was.”

I frowned. “Others—?”

A shadow dropped from above, landing with a loud thump in front of me. I squeaked, jumping back. All I saw was the hard, gray skin of a Warden. “Good God.”

“Sorry,” came the gruff reply as smooth-skinned wings snapped back. The Warden put a good foot or three of personal space between us. The dark-haired head bowed. His horns were the color of polished obsidian. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay.” I looked up at the roof, squinting. Another Warden was perched on the edge. He stepped off, joining the first Warden. This one had lighter brown hair, cropped close to the skull, and horns, like the one before. “It’s raining gargoyles.”

“We waited like you asked,” the first Warden said, and as I recovered from my mini heart attack, I realized he was wearing a shirt. While he was in his Warden form with wings out.

Huh.

“We haven’t heard anything coming from inside there,” the other Warden said while I stepped sideways to get a better view.

The shirt the first Warden wore had two slits running up both sides of his spine. More than enough space for his wings to come out. That was ridiculously clever, and embarrassingly so, considering no one else seemed to have caught on to that method.

“Not a single sound,” the first Warden confirmed, glancing at me.

I clasped my hands together and smiled. “I like your shirt.”

He turned briefly to Dez and then swallowed. “Thanks?”

“She’s a...consultant?” Captain Washington asked. “In what capacity other than seeing dead people?”

“That kind,” I said, pointing to the darkening sky as I allowed the grace to pulse inside me.

People normally had no clue what I was. Not until I allowed a little of my grace through. I had no idea what they saw or if it was something they sensed—something that spoke to whatever survival instinct in them—but Captain Washington took a step back, bumping into the fender of the sedan.

And she didn’t look like a lady that took a step back often.

“Cool. Cool,” she whispered, clearing her throat. “You all should get in there.”

“We’ll find your officers,” Dez promised, and I thought that probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

Dez caught ahold of my shirt as he walked past, bringing me with him. “I thought you weren’t supposed to reveal what you are,” he stated in a low voice.

“She doesn’t know what I am, and the Wardens already know, so whatever.” Taking a deep breath, I finally lifted my gaze to the actual school.

Immediately, I wished I hadn’t. Lights were on inside, a glare that was welcomed and yet grotesque. Hundreds of tiny bumps broke out over my skin. Like before, it felt like thousands of eyes were on me even though the lit windows of the first floor were empty.

They were still in there—the ghosts, wraiths and Shadow People. And they were waiting.

12

Iclimbed the wide steps carefully, not wanting to trip and break my neck in front of the captain. That would totally ruin my perceived badassery. My sedate pace had nothing to do with the creepy crawly sensation tap-dancing over my skin. Nope. Not at all.

Once we reached the covered entrance of the school, I drew in a shallow breath and looked to the two Wardens. The feeling of being watched increased tenfold. “I don’t think I’ve met either of you.”