“What did he want?”
Rose paled. “For me to die. He knew you were coming to see me.”
“He said that?” Calli asked.
“Yes. He said he couldn’t let me help you find Zane.”
“They knew you were our best hope for getting Zane back, for tracking him down,” Calli said.
“Our only hope,” I added.
“No.” Rose coughed up blood. “Not the only way.”
She and Calli exchanged loaded looks. They remained still for a few moments, neither saying a word.
“No,” Calli said finally. “That is not an option.”
“Your boy is in danger, Calli.”
“Can you find him?” I asked her.
Rose shook her head. “I caught only glimpses of him being taken away. Flashes.”
“We brought something of his with us.” I reached into the pocket of my jeans and dug out an amulet. I held it out to her. “It will help you connect to him, right? That’s how this kind of magic works, isn’t it?”
Rose looked at the amulet in my hand and shook her head. “No, it’s not that simple. I’m not that powerful of a telepath. In order to link to someone, I need to have a connection to them. The stronger that connection is, the more I see. I don’t know him well enough. I’ve never met him. My connection to him is only through Calli. I can’t give you more than I have, more than those flashes of dark angels taking him.”
“Can’t you try glimpsing him again?” I asked, taking her hands in desperation. “Can’t you give us hints of where he is now? Maybe it will be enough for us to find him.”
Rose coughed up more blood. “I’m sorry. Maybe if I weren’t so weak right now…but I just can’t.”
Calli set her hands on my shoulders. “We will find a way,” she promised.
I looked at Rose. She knew something. I knew she did. But I couldn’t press her for information now, not as long as Calli was standing nearby. I didn’t know what Rose knew that could help us, but whatever it was, Calli wouldn’t allow it. Maybe it was some kind of dark magic. I had to get Rose alone, to figure out what she knew. If it meant saving my brother, I’d do whatever I had to.
The call of approaching police sirens bellowed outside.
“Stay here,” Calli said, heading for the door.
Rose moaned in pain.
“What can I do to help?” Bella asked her.
“I have some drops. The vial is in the back.”
“Of course. I’ll be right back.”
The ropes of beads hanging in the doorway leading to the back jingled as Bella pushed through them. Rose watched her leave, then turned her eyes on me.
“What do you know?” I asked her. “How do I save Zane?”
“Calli doesn’t want me to say.”
“But you want to tell me.”
“That boy means a lot to Calli, to all of you,” she said.
“Yes. And I will do whatever it takes to save him,” I declared.
Rose nodded slowly. “I saw that in your eyes. Your brother is a ghost, a telepath. That’s why they want him. There are rules in place about us ghosts. We’re not free to live our lives as others are. When discovered, we must be turned over to the gods. They think ghosts are the key to defeating the demons. If they can just get enough of us.”
“The demons think so too.”
“The gods, the demons. He is worth a lot to a lot of people,” said Rose. “Ghosts can only stay hidden for so long. I stayed under the radar by peddling my powers with all the dramatic flair of a quack. Sometimes the best hiding spot is in plain sight.”
“But someone found out about you,” I said, glancing at her wounds.
“Yes. As I said, tricks might buy us a few years, but they always find out. It’s not a question of if. It’s a question of when. And of who, gods or demons.”
“Why did they try to kill you?” I asked. “If you’re so valuable, why didn’t the dark angels bring you with them?”
“I am not a powerful telepath, I fear.” She frowned, as though embarrassed. “They only came here to prevent me from helping you. I wasn’t worth the effort of bringing along. The gods and demons are collecting the most powerful telepaths in the world. I would just dilute the bloodline. And I’m too old to breed for them.”
“They are breeding telepaths?”
It was appalling, but somehow I wasn’t surprised. Not one bit. People worshipped the gods, but even as a child, I’d begun to wonder if the only difference between them and the demons was who had won the war. Of course, I’d never said it aloud. The demons weren’t the only ones who had eyes and ears everywhere.
“Yes, they’re breeding us,” said Rose.
“But why?”
She shook her head. “I have no idea. But whatever it is, it can’t be good.”
“If I can get Zane back, we’ll run, somewhere far away. Somewhere neither gods nor demons can find us.”
A ghost of a smile touched her lips. “You are a good sister to him.”
“I would do anything to save him.”
“I hope so,” she replied. “Because there’s only one way for you to find him. And you’re not going to like it.”
“Tell me. Please.” I squeezed her hands.
“You have to join the Legion of Angels.”
5